Our moving team has been helping clients declutter, pack, and move home in Boulder for years. And in that time, we’ve picked up a few tips and tricks that make the entire process much easier.
In this quick post, we’ll share our top packing hacks and moving tips you might not have thought of to help you make the process much easier and less stressful.
Moving to a new state? Check out our moving guide on the important things you need to know before making your move.
Top Moving Tips You Didn’t Think of
Here are our top packing tips you might have thought of, straight from your professional organizers and movers.
Declutter so you can pack less
We know how hard it can be going through all your stuff when you start packing, and the process is so much harder when you have to declutter.
But having less stuff to pack makes the moving process easier, faster, and cheaper. The last thing you want to do is pay to carry belongings across the country, only for them to sit unused in your new home.
Before you even think about packing, declutter each room and sell, donate, or recycle everything you no longer need or love.
Create a game plan
A lot of our clients grab some boxes and just start pouring the contents of drawers into them. This haphazard approach will make the unpacking process a nightmare and the boxes far too heavy.
Instead, start by writing out a game plan:
- Organize boxes by room, not item type
- Write down a color system for each room and have sticky labels for each box
- Plan your timetable at least two months in advance so you have time to pack properly
- Get the professionals in early to help with decluttering and packing if you’re struggling to get a system together
Create an inventory list of everything you own
Go through each room and make a master list of all your belongings. It might seem like hard work, but this is the best way to make sure everything arrives safely in your new home.
It’s also a great way to help you declutter. As you write things down, ask yourself if it’s worth being on the list anymore or if you can do without.
To save time, don’t rush
The more you rush packing, the more time you’ll spend repacking and searching for items later. Take your time and be organized with your approach.
Box up heavy items along with smaller, lighter items to fill boxes without making them too heavy. And label all your boxes as you with what’s inside.
Use your clothes, towels, linens instead of bubble wrap
Bubble wrap is quite bulky and takes up extra space in boxes. For fragile items that need to be wrapped but don’t need the additional protection of bubble wrap, use dish towels and clothes.
This helps you pack more in less boxes and saves you money on packing materials.
Set aside stuff to sell
As you’re decluttering and packing up your belongings, create a pile of items you can sell. A quick yard sale can help raise cash for your move and you’ll have less to pack.
Having a pile ready to sell also means you’re more likely to see it through and get a sale set up, rather than putting it off and never getting it done.
Pick the right day to move
The most popular moving days are Friday and Monday. Makes sense, since you’ll have a long weekend to get the process done. However, this means these are generally the more expensive days to move on and the days you’ll run into the most traffic.
If you can, plan your move for mid-week to save yourself money and make the journey quieter.
Change your address a week before you move
Many people choose to wait until they’re in their new home before changing address, but mail will probably still arrive at your old address after you move.
Change your address and transfer your utilities a week before and then you are still home to catch any last-minute post that’s meant for you. Just make sure the owners of your new place are aware and can set aside any post for you before they move out.
Pack dishes vertically
When dishes and plates are stacked flat on top of each other, they’re much more likely to crack or smash due to the vibrations of the moving truck.
Instead, wrap them in packing paper or bubble wrap and stack them vertically in a box. This gives them more stability and reduces the risk of breakage.
Pack things you’ll need right away
We always suggest packing a box of essentials you’ll want as soon as you move in. This will have tea, coffee, toilet paper, snacks, paper towels, phone chargers – all those everyday things you’ll be reaching for as soon as you take a second to relax.
You probably won’t feel like unpacking everything straight away, so having a box of essentials on hand will feel like a life saver.
Defrost your fridge at least one day before you move
It takes a while for a fridge to defrost, so make sure you do it at least the day before so you don’t have to worry about water sloshing out when you move it.
It’ll also give you a chance to use up some food you have stored before you move.
Keep Ziploc bags handy
These are incredibly handy for anything liquid. Whether it’s shampoo, shower gel, or marinara sauce, anything that can leak should go in a ziploc bag to stop it leaking onto other items in your boxes.
Use shrink wrap
If you have anything loose like kitchen utensils, wrap them in plastic wrap to keep them together in boxes. This takes up less space than them being loose and they’re easier to unpack in the new house.
Stock up on cold coffee and energy drinks
You’ll be so grateful for the caffeine hit when you’re exhausted from packing and moving, especially if it’s a cross-country move!
Clean items as you pack them
Get yourself some cleaning supplies and give everything a good clean before it goes into boxes. This is especially important if you’re moving during Covid 19 to keep everything safe.
But everything in our homes gets dusty or dirty over time, but you’ll be glad everything is squeaky clean in your new home.
Need some help from professional movers?
At Free Range Movers, we are a full-service moving company that helps our clients in Boulder move home stress-free. Whether you want help decluttering, packing, or just with loading the vans and the move itself, we have affordable pricing and a friendly team waiting to help.