5 Smart Moving Tips and Tricks

Moving may be hard work, but it doesn’t have to be grueling. In fact, with a little preparation and advance planning, your move can be relatively stress free. Whether you’re planning to DIY your move or hire a moving company, get a smooth start with these five moving tips and tricks.

1. Plan Well in Advance

Save yourself from unnecessary headache and hassle by starting your move process at least 10 – 12 weeks in advance. Create a schedule and plan out any sorting, purging and packing you’ll need to do. Begin by going through items you don’t use often. Always remember to label boxes with the room the contents belong to, both on top and on the side.

2. Purge Your Excess Stuff

Your move is the perfect time to pare down on excess items you no longer want (or use).

• Recycle all junk mail, newspapers, old correspondence and bags
• Dispose of outdated food, broken or unusable items
• Donate clothing and household items that are no longer used

Avoid packing these items – they’ll only serve to create clutter in your new space. Keep trash bags and donation boxes handy so you can easily toss unwanted items as you go.

3. Go Easy On Your Back

Keep your supplies nearby and within to reach. You can set up a packing station on a table or card table to avoid doing too much bending and stooping. When packing, position the carton against a wall and out of the flow of traffic so you don’t have to move it when you’re done packing.

4. Safeguard Your Personal Information

Gather up any important documents and records. Plan to take them with you, rather than packing them away on a moving truck. Some types of documents you should take include:

• Legal documents: will, power of attorney, contracts
• Identification: social security card, birth certificate, passport, insurance cards
• Banking: checkbooks, account registers, bank statements, credit cards
• Other documents: address book, phone numbers, current bills, medical records, receipts

5. Know What Movers Won’t Move

Many household items cannot be moved by a moving company, such as anything flammable, corrosive or aerosol. That means you’ll need to take care of your leftover cleaning supplies for starters. You can choose to use them up, dispose of them properly, or safely transport them yourself.

If you decide to take any liquids with you, use ziplock bags to guard against leaks. Label the carton as LIQUIDS and to insure the container stays upright, write “this end up” in large letters.

Take the NextStep

Have a great moving tip or trick? I’d love to hear it! Share your moving smarts in the comments.