Moving Tips

Moving can be a very stressful time if it is not planned, organized, and done properly. There are some simple steps that you can take to make sure your move goes smoothly with no problems or unexpected hitches. This will lower your stress levels and make your move much more pleasant and efficient. One tip that can really help is to determine the layout of your new home. This will allow you to determine where all the rooms are located, and which ones are closest and farthest to the entrance of your new home. With this information in mind, you can pack the moving van accordingly. Put the boxes and furniture that will go in the room closest to the entrance of your new home on the truck first, and work your way to the stuff that will be put the farthest from the entrance. This is the furniture and boxes which should be loaded last, and be easily accessible at the back of the truck. This way, when you get to your new home and unpack the truck, the first things off the truck will go to the rooms farthest away from the entrance. This leaves the area right in front of the door clear of any furniture and boxes until all the other rooms have been taken care of. This will prevent you from having to walk around clutter while unpacking the moving truck.

Moving means packing up everything you own and fitting it into a moving van or truck, and this can mean optimum space management when packing if you own a lot of property and belongings. The best way to do this is to fit everything in the moving vehicle without leaving any gaps. Start with the big pieces of furniture and other large objects, because these take up the most room. Once all of the largest pieces have been placed, start with the next largest size. Always start at the back and work your way forward. This will help you make sure that all of your property fits in the truck and that everything is snugly packed so nothing gets broken.

Packing has a big effect on the shape your belongings will arrive in at your new home. One great packing material for fragile items is comforters and thick blankets. Mirrors and pictures can be slid between the folds of a thick comforter and this will protect them from breaking during your move. This method also has the benefit of not costing anything because you will be using blankets and comforters that you already own and have to move anyways.

It is a good idea to pack a duffel bag, or what I call a survival bag, that should be with you from the first mile and during the entire trip. This bag should have a number of essentials that you may need. Make sure to include a map, so you do not get lost and can always find your way, a few bottles of water, some snacks, a few dollars in change, any roadside assistance cards you may have, a list of important phone numbers, your new address and phone number, a complete change of clothing and shoes, any medications you take on a regular basis and any medicines you may need during the move, and any other items that you may need during the trip and will not want to have to search for.

Everyone who moves probably knows to put the name of the room on each box, but why stop there? Buy some large stick on labels, and use them to list the specific contents of each box. Use a pen and write down each item as you pack it into the box, and write the room on top of the label above the item list. When the box is full, simply tape it closed and attach the label. This will save you hours of searching when you are unpacking in your new home. You only have to look at the list on each box to locate any item you are looking for. This will save you a lot of frustration and aggravation.

Try to keep all of the components together in the same box or container. A good idea when taking down furniture is to get a sandwich bag. Put all of the nuts, bolts, screws, and other hardware items in the sandwich bag, fold it over a few times, and tape it to one of the furniture pieces. This will prevent the small pieces from being lost or misplaced during the move, and when you are ready to assemble the furniture all the needed hardware is right there.

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