HEre's some good advice to make your move go smoothly!
1. Get rid of everything! Okay, maybe not everything, but the more unused and unnecessary items you eliminate from your home, the less stuff you’ll have to pack up, haul across town, unload, and organize.
2. Sort things by category. Instead of spending a day cleaning out your entire bedroom, spend an afternoon sorting through every article of clothing you own. Scour every coat closet, dirty clothes hamper, and laundry room until you’ve got all your clothes in one place. Then sort. Do the same thing for books, shoes, important papers, and the like.
3. Schedule a free donation pickup. Either dropoff your items at Goodwill or call your favorite charity and they will come by your house and pick up your items!
4. Set aside stuff to sell. You probably have a few items you no longer want, but would love to get a little money for. If that’s the case, set these items aside and determine where you can sell them. Ebay or Craigslist are a good start.
5. Research professional moving companies. You already did that!
6. Pick the right moving day. Hire your movers at least a month out so you can plan accordingly. If you have a flexible schedule, play around with potential moving dates and try to find the cheapest time of month to make an appointment.
7. Map out the best way to get to your new home. Figure out the easiest, most efficient way to get where you’re going. Look up potential highway construction schedules ahead of time. And take traffic, detours, and necessary stops into account when you’re making your plan.
8. Create a master moving to-do list. When you move homes, you inevitably end up having 600 different things to do and remember. Don’t let all these tasks and important reminders, no matter how seemingly obvious, slip your mind.No detail is too insignificant.
9. Get moving boxes from your local liquor store. Pay a visit to your local liquor store to see if they recycle their used boxes. If so, ask if you can grab a handful so you’re saving a little paper in your moving journey.
10. Check to see if you have original boxes for your electronics. You might think your flat screen TV could withstand a 30-minute drive across town in a cardboard box, but alas, it’s a fragile piece of technology. The best way to transport your electronics is in the original boxes they arrived in when you purchased them.
11. Grab extra packing and moving supplies. Don’t forget the “just in case” items when you’re making your master hardware store list. Stock up now on extra supplies like light bulbs (check your lamps to verify the type you need), extension cords, and power strips so you’ll be set to go when you start moving things in.
12. Schedule disconnect times. Call your cable, internet, electricity, and gas providers at least a week ahead of your move to figure out when you need to shut everything off. Make sure you leave enough time in your schedule to gather any necessary items — like cords, remotes, or cable boxes — you may need to return.
13. Pack ahead. Packing little by little is far less stressful than trying to tackle it all in one day. As early as a couple months out, start packing the stuff you know you won’t be using.
14. Pack decorative items a few weeks out. Pack up your art and decorative items several weeks before you move. These pieces can be some of the trickiest to store because they’re fragile and often oddly shaped, so having a bit of extra time to figure out how to properly cushion them is crucial.
15. Label moving boxes like a boss. The key to finding your stuff easily is labeling all your packed boxes accurately and clearly. When you’re stacking boxes in a van or car you won’t be able to see their tops, so make sure you label the sides as well. But don’t stop there.
16. Create a number system. If you want to take your box labeling a step further, create a number system.As you pack up a box, take note of every single item inside of it. You'll be able to keep track of your boxes easily this way.
17. Use small boxes for heavy items. It sounds obvious, but if you’ve ever known the struggle that is carrying a large cardboard box stuffed full of college textbooks across a parking lot, then you also know this advice cannot be overstated.
18. Protect fragile items with packing paper, bubble wrap, or blankets. Remember that packing paper you put on your master list when you stocked up on supplies at the hardware store? Use it to pad all your fragile dishware and decorative items. Stuff it inside glasses, wrap it around vases and bowls, and shove it between your dishes and the side of your boxes.
19. Pack dishes vertically. Don’t stack your dishes horizontally inside a box. Instead, wrap your plates and bowls in packing paper, gently place them into a box on their sides like records, and then fill the empty spaces with bubble wrap to prevent cracking and breaking.
20. Cover the tops of toiletry bottles with Saran Wrap. To prevent potential leaking and spilling (and crying and cursing), take an extra two minutes as you pack to secure your toiletry bottles. Unscrew the cap of your shampoo bottle, wrap a piece of Saran Wrap (or a Ziploc bag) over the top, and screw the cap back on. Simple and surprisingly effective.
21. Pack a personal overnight bag. Chances are you won’t get everything unpacked in the first day, so bring whatever you need to feel relaxed and settled on your first night.
22. Stop buying groceries a week before you leave. To save you the guilt of throwing away perfectly decent food, stop buying groceries a week or two before you’re scheduled to move. Try to make meals at home to use all the food you have left.
23. Take pictures of your electronics. Before you take them apart and pack them up, take a few pictures of the back of your electronic devices — the cord situations, if you will. This will make it much easier to set up in your new home.
24. Make copies of important papers. Pack a separate box or briefcase with copies of all your important documents in case of an emergency.
25. Defrost your fridge at least one day before you move. Who wants to wake up to a grungy, mildewy fridge in their new home?
26. Take pictures of your new home before you move anything in. Before your friends and family start stacking boxes or scuffing the doorway trying to shove your couch through, snap a few shots of your space so you can note any existing damage.
27. Keep Ziploc bags handy. Keep a stash of Ziploc bags in your purse or backpack for the big moving day. You can use the bags to store doorknobs, tiny screws and brackets, luggage keys, or other small, easily forgettable items.
28. Make the beds first. Instead of worry about tucking in your dust ruffle, or finding the right set of sheets at the end of a long night, you can just crash out right away.
29. Be a good host. Make sure you take care of the people who help you move, regardless of whether or not they’re being paid to do it.
30. The fastest way to pack a closet. This also keeps your clothes on their hangers, for much faster unpacking.