Moving is HARD work… and it’s a part of life we generally deal with over and over again throughout the years. The funny thing? Every time it’s time to move again, I forget how hard it is, and all the tips I learned along the way last time! It’s life’s little joke on us, maybe. But, the good news– I decided we’re changing that today. I’m writing it down, so we can all benefit, myself included. Here you have it: 7 moving tips and tricks you might not have considered!
let’s get down into it
- This might be arguably THE most important tip, and that is, don’t overthink it. I always go into packing thinking I need to be the MOST organized, have it all together, pre-separated and sorted for the new house. And while, we all want that, and to a degree I believe we can achieve that, it’s not that big of a deal. We won’t truly know how we want everything sorted until we’re in the new house anyway, let future us worry about that one. By the end of it, you’ll be throwing things into random boxes anyway, may as well start out in the same mindset.
- This next tip is a big IF you can, WHILE you can. Label the boxes for where they’re going to go, not where they’re coming from. Your new home layout is likely pretty different from the one you’re coming from. Try your best to label the boxes for where you think they’re going to go– it’s not a perfect science, but even the smallest effort will help!! Some rooms may be split where they weren’t before, or even combined, and thinking of that ahead of time will save you some trouble down the road!
- This one is probably obvious, but is certainly easier said than done. Start packing early. Packing is sort of like Christmas. You always think there’s more time, and yet… it sneaks up on you! Start packing when you think you don’t need to yet, that’s how you’ll be RIGHT on time! It’s a big job, and needs a large chunk of time.
- Okay, another obvious one coming at you– but for all my hoarders out there, it’s a tough one. Clean out as you go. No, you don’t need your daughter’s 850th 3rd grade science project. Keep the special ones and move on. There’s a helpful little question when doing this– “Is this something I want forever, or is this something I’m just struggling to part with now?” If you’re not honest with yourself, it’s not helpful. Really try and answer this the best you can. It’ll give you the guidance you need to do what needs to be done!
- Use big things to hold the smaller things. This kennel is the PERFECT example. Yes, I could break it down, but why wouldn’t I use this as a box in and of itself? It can hold some things that are sort of clunky and awkward, it’s the best solution for it all!! And keep this same energy for large baskets, etc.
- Who doesn’t love a good 2 in 1 situation! Pillows are HARD to pack… where do you put those big, bulky things?? I finally know (queue suspenseful music): Stuff pillows in bookcases and shelving! It gives those furniture pieces a little extra padding, and once the movers saran wrap it, it’s a breeze!! A very similar idea to this, a bonus tip if you will, is to use your big blankets and towels to wrap and secure fragile items!
- Lastly… and this may sound weird because we’re saving work for the end here. Wait to tape your boxes shut. You never know what little items may come up along the way that you can squeeze into an almost-full box (or even what items you might pack and later need). It sounds like a small thing but it really does change the game when you’re at the end of your journey and only have a couple things left. Just think about it!
…and as a bonus, it NEVER hurts to slap some fragile stickers on your more precious-item-filled boxes. You can’t be too safe!
Of course, there are about a million and one packing tips out there, some more obvious than others. But hopefully these 7 moving tips and tricks you might not have considered will help you in a BIG way when you embark on your next moving adventure… and if anyone has any UNPACKING tips, make sure and comment those because your girl is struggling! 
And while it always gets crazy, and maybe a little stressful– just remember, there’s no reason to stress. It WILL come together, it always does, right!?
When you’re done unpacking and ready for some projects, I’ve got some ideas waiting for you right HERE!
Here’s my tip…when you are tired of unpacking don’t be tempted to have movers put boxes in an unused space for “later”. Sometimes later is years away. Enjoy your new home.
Have a box with coffee pot, mugs, tea bags, honey, sugar, etc so you don’t have to search all kitchen boxes. In other words anything you will need first. Good luck!
I packed my entire house a year ago for a very extensive remodel to my home. I just brought all the boxes back into my house last week and was very glad I took the time to write in marker the main items in each box. Some notes were short (Pink China or Tupperware) but others listed 4 or 5 specific items. It was helpful to look at my notes and find specific items right away and leave other boxes unopened since they contained items not needed right away.