Anyone have any good moving tips?

Question

My fiance` and I are moving in less than a month and we're trying to pack. What are some good tips for moving? I mean should we set up each room as we go or just pile stuff in the new place?

Answer 1

Hi~ I am said wife of Tray B, and I am an organizational fanatic.
Use those tips plus:
Definitly go room by room.
Mark boxes or totes clearly
Finish kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom first
CONDENSE as you pack,...this is a tough one because things are sentimental, but we went through our storage room over the weekend and sorted through things- ended up with 5 empty totes from things we have accumulated.
Have a yard sale, or post on freecycle, or Craigslist, or drop things at goodwill box.( folks will pick up) and it wont look so overwhelming in the end.
If you can move things in a little at a time before actual move in date that is def helpful.
Mark boxes such as candles, pics, vases, etc. as U.I ( unimportant). These things can be unpacked as you go along after the big move.
I do the detailing, so if you have help as things are being brought inside you can make beds, set up bath, etc.
That way at the end of the day you can take a nice hot bath, and curl up in a fresh clean bed, and relax.

Have a moving get together, serve finger food, and beer in exchange for help.

It's dreadful, especially in the Summer, but try to make it fun, or at least pleasent.

Answer 2

Starting with the least used room, I pack room by room, leaving out things that are essential as I go. Eventually I'll move the essentials into an emptied closet or a corner. These are the things I want to keep with me and not pack (like important docs., financial records, a copy of every bill that has to be paid monthly - in case you don't get the statement, you can still pay the bill on time - jewelry, phone book, your clothes, etc.) If you need to, use towels/linens to pack breakables. On the outside of the box, write the room name, so you'll know where to put the box in the new house, and entire contents (be as specific as possible), so you can find things quickly.

One thing I always do is make a "moving" bag. In it, I keep scissors, hammer, nails, tape, paper, pen/pencil, address/phone book, spare change, screwdrivers, hole filling putty (to fill nail holes), kleenex or paper towels, can & bottle top opener, etc. Basically, I keep stuff that I might need as I move in and as I'm moving out of our place. Military life kept us moving a lot... in the last 10 years, I've moved across the country 7 times and having my moving bag has saved the day many a time.
Happy moving!

Answer 3

Keep out until the end, your personal needs: clothes, shampoo, etc. Pack for a couple of days. Also keep out cleaning supplies including the vacuum. You'll want to spruce up the place after the movers or you take out everyting and maybe your new place before the furniture and boxes comes in the door.

You can pick up paper plates, etc at the new home, but it's hard to pick up a pot, can opener, knives, glasses, cups, the coffee maker, etc. So these are considered critical items and need their own special box. These critical items should go with you, not in the moving van. Don't forget all meds....take a first aid kit including aspirin, manicure set, etc. Extra glasses in case you break yours in the move. And of course all jewelry and the like.

If you mark the boxes well......bit bold print or color code (and your helpers aren't color blind) you can have the boxes taken directly to the appropriate room and set in the corner or closet until the furniture arrives and is set up.

Answer 4

Pack each room separately and keeping like items in each box and mark the boxes with what rooms they belong in. Good idea is to even list the major items in the boxes. Of course, pack the important daily use things last, and make these the things that you unpack first! It will be so much easier to unpack everything if the marked boxes are already in the rooms that the stuff belongs in, that way you aren't searching all over the place for your blow dryer or bedroom lamps!

Answer 5

1.Don’t leave empty spaces in the boxes.
Fill in gaps with clothing, towels, or packing paper. Movers often won’t move boxes that feel loosely packed or unbalanced.

2.Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box.
It will make your packing quicker and your unpacking a lot easier, too.
3.Label each box with the room it’s destined for and a description of its contents.
This will help you and your movers know where every box belongs in your new place. Numbering each box and keeping an inventory list in a small notebook is a good way to keep track of what you’ve packed―and to make sure you still have everything when you unpack.
4.Tape boxes well.
Use a couple of pieces of tape to close the bottom and top seams, then use one of the movers’ techniques―making a couple of wraps all the way around the box’s top and bottom edges, where stress is concentrated.
5.If you’re moving expensive art, ask your mover about special crating.
Never wrap oil paintings in regular paper; it will stick. For pictures framed behind glass, make an X with masking tape across the glass to strengthen it and to hold it together if it shatters. Then wrap the pictures in paper or bubble wrap and put them in a frame box, with a piece of cardboard between each framed piece for protection.

Answer 6

Pack each room as you go. Keep your boxes a manageable size. Liquor boxes, milk boxes, and cookie boxes are the best. The last time we moved - the trash men must have thought we were a bunch of cookie eating, milking drinking, alcoholics.

But seriously - by keeping the boxes smaller, you can label them....master bedroom dresser - bottom drawer, kitchen - cooking utensils, kitchen - junk drawer, bathroom - stuff under sink. Not only does that tell you in which room it needs to go - but if you're looking for something and you knew where it was - that's the box that it's in.

I've amazed my husband by being able to find something immediately, based on the labeling of the box.

Answer 7

Prepare in advance. Packing up valuable crystal, porcelain and other breakables requires some time. This is not the place to rush. If you are not hiring movers, start well in advance of moving day and take the time to properly pack these items. Have the right tools. Here's what you need: quality boxes in various sizes; packing paper, bubble wrap, pliable cardboard, scissors, and packing tape. A large table to lay out your items and pack on is also an essential tool.

Answer 8

I have moved a lot in my life and this has worked for me. First get rid of anything you don't want before you move. Pack a first night box. This is a box of things that you will need until the truck is unloaded and the boxes are unpacked. I put a roll of toilet paper, daily meds, flashlight, candles, snacks, water, towels, alarm clock, batteries, radio, coffee pot and coffee, shampoo, bathsoap, tolietries, paper cups, paper towels, one bottle of all purpose cleaner, plastic forks and spoons, paper plates, rags, trash bags, bug spray, sauce pan and stir spoon and phone numbers, or phone book. Also have a box of fresh sheets and blankets for each bed and pillows. If you have children give them a box to put their favorite things in it and mark it with their names. They will feel happy when they see it in their new home. You will think of other things. Mark these to go on the truck very last or take these in your car.
Take one room at a time and start in one corner and pack as you go around the room. Mark each box by numbers and a small list as to what is in it. That way if there is something you need you know what box it is in. Mark fragile if you need to. As you pack place in empty corner of the room. Do this with all rooms. When you load up the truck try to keep the boxes together by their rooms. Load up the truck so that you can unload the farthest room in your new house first. This keeps you from triping over things when you bring in your boxes. Place all boxes in one corner of each room. It will make it easier to unload. As soon as you unpack one room move to the next. Wine and liquer boxes are the best the ones with removeable dividers in them. They are heavy and are good to pack glass wear and kitchen stuff. I hope this gives you some ideas. Happy moving and enjoy your new home!

Answer 9

Start off by packing things that you havnt used in a while. things like picture frames and stuff should be wrapped in tissue and put aside. home accesories and stuff are easy to put away so its pretty easy. Make sure you label. any kitchen stuff should also be put away too. you should only leave whats necessary out. A week before you can start doing clothes and just leave outfits you are sure you are going to wear. 2 days before i think you can pack up your computer and things of that sort. that way when you only have a day left you dont have as much to worry about. Labeling is absolutly necessary. label according to which rooms they will belong in and stuff.

hope this helps!

Answer 10

pack the least used things first
Put them in the least used space

pack the less often things next, and put them on top of the things you packed first

Pack the every day things last and use paper cups and plates the last week.

UNPACKING

Unpack the most used stuff first, then the less used stuff, then the least used stuff.

HOWEVER...my wife..who is truly doing MOST if not ALL of the packing says, room by room is the only way to go.