Are you about to be moving to a new apartment or a new house? Here are some good tips for packing and moving. These life hacks will help you on this move and on your future moves too.
Decision to Donate? As you prepare to move, now is a good time to think about things you don't need any more. If you have things that you no longer need or that aren't worth moving, consider donating them or selling those items. Having this step done before packing will help you save time later.
Gather supplies. Start collecting boxes & supplies about 2-weeks before your move. Ask your local grocery store if you can pick up some of their used boxes before they recycle them. Produce boxes are especially strong and well suited to carry heavy items.
Color Code it! Use different color packing tape for each room. You won't lose the roll of tape by dragging it from one room to the next, and you will be able to easily deliver boxes to the right rooms. Go ahead and start packing the non-essential items.
The body-bag. No this isn't a scary movie....but this tip is one of our favorites because it helps keep your move go faster & keeps your clothes from having to be re-hung. Lay a flat sheet on the floor in your room. Keep your hanging clothes on their hanger, and then lay them down (a handful at a time) in 1 long row, making sure to overlap hangers and clothing. Once you have a long row of clothing, just fold the blanket over the clothes & tie a knot in each end. It might look like you and your friends are carrying out a body-bag, and you might get some strange looks....but you will be so glad when you unpack at the new house and your clothes are already hung up & ready to go.
The Trash Bag - No you don't have to throw it away. If you don't want to use the packing method shown above, you might prefer to use a trash bag for those hanging clothes. You just won't be able to keep as many together in a stack with the garbage bag method as you can with the body bag method.
Keep it together. If you are moving furniture or other items that have multiple parts, keep them all together. Place screws, bolts, or other small pieces into a baggie and tape it to the furniture that it goes with. If you unscrew the legs from a table, you can tape the to the underside of the table.
Move during the week. Some moving companies and truck rental locations provide a lower rate during the week. Plus, the banks, utilities, and government offices will be open so that you can get everything transferred over to your new address.
Moving when you have pets. If you are moving locally, ask a friend or relative to keep your pets for you on moving day. With all of the commotion, your pets can get stressed too. Plus, you don't want them to run out the door when people are trying to move boxes in or out of the home.
Cleaning up! If possible, leave the utilities on at your old place for a few days after move out. That way you can stop back by after everything is out & clean up after the move. Consider packing your vacuum and a small box of cleaning supplies to leave at the old place, then bring them as the last items to your new home.
Good luck with your next move!
About the author:
Melissa Hailey is the Broker-Owner of North Texas Top Team, REALTORS in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Our Team helps home buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants move across North Texas and we connect clients to other great REALTORS across the country. She is a real estate instructor and coach who loves to see others succeed. She is a serial volunteer helping others in her community and in her industry. Connect with her at https://www.northtexastopteam.com/melissa-hailey/