The Best Tips You Need To Know Before Moving

My husband and I moved into our first home in October 2019. We actually bought the house in July 2019, but didn’t move in together until after we were married, so pretty much after the honeymoon! (More of that story here).

I briefly lived with some roommates a few years ago, so I am familiar with the packing and moving process. Although I love being organized, moving is not a very fun task what’s even worse is the unpacking.

My first time moving in with a roommate, I think I did really well for myself, but the second time, I was extremely unprepared. And even though the few times I have moved, I have always been within 5-10 minutes of my parent’s house, it still requires preparation.

Now when we bought our house, I was able to bring a few things over little by little, but not that much because we were painting the interior, did some demo, and had our carpet replaced. Along my journey, I discovered the best moving tips to know before moving.

My mom and dad were a huge help to me, and moving was a lot easier with the organizational and packing tips I am going to provide.

3 Moving Tips You Need to Know Before You Begin Packing:

1. Start Getting Rid of Things You Don’t Want/Need Anymore

I love watching Marie Kondo do her thing! She has so many wise tidbits to incorporate in your life. One thing I like that she says is to think about is do you want to bring this item with you in your future? In your new home/apartment, wherever-you get to choose what goes into it. Why not start fresh? Now is the time to get rid of junk and unwanted things before having to pack it all up and deal with it later.

2. Save Boxes

I am an avid Amazon shopper, so cardboard boxes are never hard for me to obtain. If you plan on moving, save cardboard boxes from online purchases, and just break them down with a box cutter to remake them later. It is a good idea to have several different sized boxes from small to large to carry all your stuff.

3. Scope Out the New Space if Possible

Hopefully, you have had a chance to look at your new living arrangements before you move. Take note of the rooms and the space. From observing the area, you should get an idea of how much or how little you can fit in your new place. If the living room is small, you probably need to think about downsizing your furniture.

The Best Tips You Need to Know Before Moving:

1. Pack Nonessential Items First

Just like when packing for vacation, don’t pack away essential everyday items like your toothbrush and toothpaste that you will need up until the day you move.

2. Pack One Room at a Time

Be as organized as possible when moving, it will make your life so much easier. Start with one room, and work on boxing that room up, then move on to the next room. When you start putting boxes in the moving truck or car, it’ll be easier to unload because the rooms will be grouped together. By packing one room at a time, you will feel more accomplished.

3. Group Like-Items Together

Keeping like-items together will help when you are unpacking in your new place. Think of it as a buddy system for your possessions. Those like-items will most likely end up being grouped together in the same place in their new home anyway, so make it easy on yourself!

4. LABEL Every Box

When you get to your new place, you won’t be able to unbox everything right away. By labeling everything, it saves the frustration from going through several boxes to find what you need. Take the time to write the jist of what is in the box. For example, don’t just say “kitchen” because you most likely will have more than one kitchen related box. You can write kitchen, but underneath write the contents, like “spatulas, rolling pin, silverware, kitchenware.”

5. Keep Clothes on Hangers

This tip is from my girl Jael! When I helped her move, she had her clothes still hung on the hangers, and just had unused trash bags over them with a hole at the top to pull the hanger hooks through. No hanger pile, no clothes pile, just take off from under the trash bag and hang right away!

6. Don’t Overstuff Boxes

It would seem like putting as much stuff in a box would save on trips to and from the car, but if you have a box of books or dishes, it can be too heavy to carry. And unless you have someone who heavy lifts on the regular, this can get you into a pickle.

7. Make One or Two Boxes for Immediate Use

Whatever you use on a daily basis, make an immediate use box for it. If you can’t fall asleep without your sound machine and eye mask, put that in the immediate use box. If you use your coffee maker multiple times daily, also put that in the immediate use box. This will also help you prioritize which boxes to unpack first.

Follow me on Pinterest for more organizational tips!

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