Until you move, you’ll never believe the crazy lengths movers and their customers will go to in the packing process.  Since most people only move a handful of times in their lifetime, they may not realize how helpful these moving tips are.  Although some of the following tips may border on the absurd, they work, saving you time, effort and money.  Let’s count down the craziest!

Before Moving

  1. Your home may not even be for sale yet but start decluttering as soon as you decide to move.

All About Moving Boxes

  1. Use a color-coding system for your moving boxes regarding the rooms in which they belong.
  2. Affix directional arrows on boxes so you know which end is up.
  3. When you purchase any electronic, DO NOT throw away boxes that can be reused for future moves.
  4. Along with colors, use numbers to ensure movers transport boxes to the correct room.
  5. Don’t use just any moving box – there are specially sized ones for books, dishes, linens, legal files, mattresses, pictures, TVs, and wardrobes.

Stuff It

  1. Before you donate or toss old clothing, use it to wrap up fragile items. Use towels, linens, and shredded paper from your shredder to line your moving boxes.
  2. Keep drinking glasses toasty and safe by wrapping them up in your socks, suggests Huffington Post.

Surprising Ways to Pack

  1. Transfer your fish to temporary plastic containers or juice jars, suggests Huffington Post.
  2. Pack your stuffed animals, clothes, and pillows in plastic trash bags.
  3. Wrap necklaces and bracelets around “empty toilet paper rolls and straws” which prevents them from tangling, recommends Realtor.com.
  4. Recycle egg carton material by fastening pierced earrings to it, recommends Realtor.com.
  5. Store heavy items in your wheeled luggage, says International Plastics.
  6. Nest your smaller items in successively larger ones like Russian nesting dolls.
  7. Stack plates sideways.
  8. Wrap sharp knives individually in cardboard.
  9. When packing a bicycle, remove the front wheels and pack them separately.
  10. Hide valuables in moving boxes marked with misleading labels or in unexpected ones like your Christmas ornaments or garden tools.

Bathroom Breakdown

  1. Combine and consolidate half-empty shampoos and conditioners in one bottle.
  2. Tuck a cotton ball or pad with your powdered make-up, says Buzzfeed.
  3. Before securing liquid containers, place plastic wrap on top and then close the caps, says Buzzfeed.

Take Note

  1. Photograph your items and room arrangements before you move and then refer to them afterward.
  2. Label your electronic cords and keep them together.
  3. Take a written inventory of each item.

Prepare Your Home

  1. Clear a path for movers by raking your leaves or shoveling your snow and putting salt down.
  2. Bars of soap can fill up nail holes, says Buzzfeed.
  3. Before you try to toss trash cans, put a sign that designates them as trash.
  4. Wet matches before throwing them away.

Dining Do’s

  1. Eat, donate or toss as much of your food as possible before moving, so you don’t have to bring it.
  2. Eat off paper plates.
  3. Eat out if you can.

Moving Day

  1. Move during the week.
  2. Disconnect from social media, refraining from posting moving details until you’re settled.
  3. Wear expensive jewelry instead of packing or storing it.
  4. Leave kids and pets with friends and family.
  5. Feed and provide drinks for your movers.

When You Move In

  1. Stock up on toilet paper.
  2. Unpack the television last; otherwise, you’ll get distracted during the move.
Categories: Move Planning, Moving Tips