Moving and Packing Tips for your Move
We get asked a lot for moving and packing tips. So we put together the following list to help out our customers.
Moving Tips
- Make your reservations for movers at least 2-4 weeks before your move day.
- For large appliances, be sure to check the owner’s manuals to see if there are special instructions for moving.
- Don’t try to get rid of your children’s favorite things before the move. Even if it makes it easier. Children sometimes have a hard time dealing with the change of the move itself.
- By law, a moving company can’t transport hazardous materials such as gasoline, bottled gases and other flammables, ammunition and explosives. So if you have these, you should dispose of them properly in advance.
- Pack a box of essential items that you will need immediately after the move and make sure it’s the last thing added to the truck.
- Clean out closets and the attic as soon as you decide it’s time to move.
- Make a “survival closet” of things for the last cleanup before you move out – broom, vacuum, paper towels (or shop rags), cleaner of choice, dust cloth, dust pan, mop.
- Get snacks and water for move day so that you don’t have to stop as often to go pick up something.
- Schedule disconnect times for about a few days before your move day — you don’t want to have to pay for cable, phone and utilities when you aren’t even there and this could help you get the last packing done without distractions.
- Cancel newspapers, cable, pest control, cleaning help, lawn services about a week before the move.
- Mail in your change of address forms about week before your move date so that you don’t have mail sitting there the day after you move.
- The day before your move, defrost the fridge and use an ice chest to keep the food you need cold.
- Make sure to get enough cash in advance to get you through move day.
- If you are depending on friends and family to help you move, have a back-up plan if they don’t show.
Packing tips
- Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box and mark the box with the room name it came from as well as a few important items that you packed in there (this will help you find things later when you say “I packed it with X”).
- Use wardrobe boxes to make closets easier to pack.
- Clothes in drawers can be placed in suitcases.
- Use only small boxes for books. They get really heavy, very fast.
- Never use printed newsprint to wrap fine china. You can get plain butcher paper or packing paper easily that will be much easier clean up when you are unpacking.
- Always stack dishes upwards when packing.
- Pack important and sentimental documents separately to be easily accessible including: health records, passports, family records, insurance information, bills that may be coming due and photo albums.
- IMPORTANT REMINDER: the heavier the item, the smaller the box.
- Don’t pack with food or supermarket boxes. You never know what little bug or insect is hiding – or if the box will be strong enough to support your possessions.
- Don’t use used boxes because you don’t know if the box will be strong enough to support your possessions.
- Use packing tape instead of Duct tape – makes getting in the boxes easier when you are ready to unpack.
- Clearly label all boxes on top and side panel.
- As you take apart furniture and other items make sure to tape all parts to the main base so that pieces don’t get lost in the move.
- Try to pack all electronic equipment, like stereos in their original boxes. Otherwise use bubble wrap when packing these items together with other electronics. Also be sure to pack the remotes in the same box.
- Start packing items you will not need in advance of the move.
- Always pack and unpack breakables over a padded surface like carpet.
- Always tape boxes. Don’t interlock the tops. This keeps their structure stronger throughout the move because they are squared up better.
- Don’t use boxes without tops. No tops make it impossible to stack properly in the truck and make the most of the space you have.