Moving Tips
Read these 5 Moving Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about House tips and hundreds of other topics.
Get rid of the Clutter
There is no better time like when you are moving to do a little Spring Cleaning. No, not of your home, but of your belongings.
While you are packing, pay attention to your belongings. Ask yourself, "Do I really need to keep this?" This is the best time to down size the things in your home that you haven't seen or used in months or years. A great book to read before you move is "Clutter Control" by Jeff Campbell. You can buy this book by going to my Guru Resources and click on books. Follow the rules and you will pack alot less things that clutter your life.
Packing Materials
Be creative with your packing materials. Use small articles of clothing or towels to cushion with. This saves on money and you don't have to dispose of it when you unpack. You can always use newspapers or you can purchase packing material at moving stores like U-haul.
Size and Weight do matter
When packing your household items, always be conscious of the size and weight of the box. When packing fragile items, the smaller the better. This keeps breakables in a more compact state and the possibility of the items breaking against each other lessens. Companies like U-haul sell special boxes with separators for glasses and dishes. When packing awkward shaped items, combine small non-breakable items in this box to fill in the spaces. When packing books and papers, remember that although these items pack uniformly, they become heavy very quickly.
Packing Resources
Buy a tape gun and order your boxes directly from a manufacturer.
The tape gun will save enourmous amounts of time when
sealing boxes. They cost about $10 at an office supply store,
such as Staples. This device easily saved me about 4 hours when
packing my two bedroom apartment.
For boxes, you can get boxes for a fraction of the price (compared to
U HAUL) if you order directly from a manufacturer. One example
is www.chiswick.com, but there are others as well. The
disadvantage that unused boxes cannot be returned for credit.
I suggest ordering boxes that are 12 x 12 x 14. They are a good
in between size that fits almost everything, but does not get too
heavy even if you fill it with books.
For a two bedroom apartment, 40 boxes were about right. You can
always go to uhaual to buy extras if necessary.
cannot
Where to Start
When starting to plan a move, there is a list to make to help make the planning easier.
1. Know where you are going.
2. Figure out mileage and time it takes to get there.
3. Know your elements. Season, weather, climate, etc.
4. Decide whether you are going to move yourself, or hire movers.
5. Create your preparation timeframe and budget.
6. Get started.
This list will help organize your move so that the stress that sometimes comes with moving is a little less overwhelming.
