Tips and Tricks for Moving Day

Moving can be one of the most significant stress factors in life. It can be overwhelming and very time-consuming. Not only do most people not like change, but the stress of packing everything from one home to the next can be a challenge. You want to pack your precious belongings with care and make sure they get from point “A” to point “B” safely.

Supplies

You will want to break down your house into mini projects to help alleviate the size of the task. A project is always easier when the right material is all at hand before you start. Get boxes or crates which can easily be stacked on top of one another. Additionally, you will need tape, newspaper, bubble wrap, and probably should invest in a two-wheel dolly.

Small to Big

Select one room at a time. Start with all smaller trinkets and items. For fragile object, try wrapping them in newspaper or bubble wrap to reinforce them before packing them in their boxes. Books can be heavy, so always consider the weight of the box before taping it. Try to keep cords with their respective electronics, and if you must remove screws, put them inside a Ziploc and tape them to the furniture piece.

Fragile Items

Depending on the electronic, you may want to bring it up front with you in the moving truck or wrap it in bubble wrap. Place large mirrors between mattresses and wrap them with towels. Disassemble any fragile furniture and wrap glass shelving. Packing a moving truck needs to be handled very strategically. If possible, consider taking televisions and computers in your personal vehicle.

Packing the Truck

Larger items will be your big puzzle pieces. Use your smaller boxes to stabilize everything in the moving truck. Like a giant game of Tetris, you will want to fill in any gaps. Use tie-downs to hold big furniture in place along the walls. You may also need to consider your packing order. What goes in last comes out first. Do not get yourself stuck in a standstill because you packed the truck backward and you need objects from the front of the truck first to continue.

Be Cautious

Drive with caution and avoid large potholes and bumps. It is not a race and accelerating and braking too aggressively can cause objects to shift. You need to be aware of this as well when you get to your destination. Open the truck door with caution because objects may have shifted during your commute. You will also need to have a good understanding of how you pack the truck so while unpacking you do not put pictures and mirrors at risk. Breaking the moving process into smaller increments will save you from over-stressing.

Once the Move is Over

Moving into a newly purchased or built home is an exciting and overwhelming event. Once the moving truck has pulled away, the real task of turning a house into a home begins. You may be left with a pile of boxes surrounding your furniture and area rugs. Unpacking and decorating will take weeks, sometimes even months or years to complete.

 

Because you will be overwhelmed it is best to label boxes with the room name where they belong. Keeping the kitchen stuff in the kitchen and the master bedroom boxes in the master bedroom will help manage the chaos.  You can set aside a space for the miscellaneous boxes in a spare bedroom or basement, but be careful not to let them sit unopened for months or years.

 

When decorating a new home, try to get the floors and walls finished before you move in to the house. This is one of the great things about a new builder home; all the painting and flooring can be done by the builder before you move in.

 

Unpack the essentials like bedding, bathroom essentials and kitchen stuff first. Set a goal of unpacking a certain number of boxes each day until your new house feels like home.