So you’re moving? Although you’re probably anxious to settle into your new digs, the process of moving your things to a new location can become quite daunting. Moving ranks as one of the most stressful life events next to having a child or planning a wedding. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of moving hacks to make your less than pleasant task much easier.
1. Pack an overnight bag
Attempting to find small miscellaneous items like toothpaste or shower gel amongst a sea of moving boxes can become overwhelming – especially if you’re exhausted from moving all day and ready to call it a night. You can avoid this unnecessary frustration by packing an overnight bag with your essentials – clean clothes for about 3 days, toothbrush, soap, and any other necessary items to complete your daily/nightly routine.
2. Seal bottles with plastic wrap
While you’re packing an overnight bag with all your toiletry essentials, make sure you properly seal liquids with plastic wrap. There’s nothing worse than opening your bag after a long day to clothes soaked in shampoo and lotion. Avoid this inconvenience by covering the openings of all liquid toiletries with plastic wrap. This is also a useful tip for traveling. Never scrub lotion from your socks again!
3. Use garbage bags to cover clothes
This handy trick will allow you to transfer your entire wardrobe in seconds. Starting from the center of the bottom of the garbage bag, cut a small hole large enough to firmly fit a set of hangers (about 10-15). Pull the bag over your clothes, and use the garbage bag handles to securely tie the bottom. Kick your packing skills up a few notches by organizing clothes by color or style. This way, you can easily find clothes in your new closet. Use detailed labels if you are packing multiple closets.
4. Place foam plates between glass plates
Save time and money by protecting fragile dishware with plastic plates. Foam wrap can become expensive and time consuming, but plastic plates are not only cheap, but much faster than individually wrapping plates. By placing plates between each dish, your dishware sets are secure during your moving process.
5. Use colored stickers to label boxes
Designating a color for each room – like yellow for the bathroom or red for the kitchen – organizes your moving process and helps movers (or those awesome friends who volunteered to help you move) determine where to place boxes in your new home. Apply colored stickers on the sides and tops of your boxes. Place a matching sticker on the door to each room for quick reference.
6. Transfer electricity services before hand
Transferring services to a new home can be daunting, but waiting until move-in day only adds to your growing to-do list. Electricity providers, like Frontier Utilities, allow you to schedule your service date ahead of time. This way, you can rest assured your electricity will be available the day you move in. Moving is also a great opportunity to find a better electricity deal. Shop around to see if you can find a more competitive rate in your new home
Moving can be one of the biggest events of your life, BUT it doesn’t need to be stressful. Planning ahead and following these moving hacks will make the process much more bearable.
image 1 source: babble.com
image 2 source: iheartnaptime.com
image 3 source: TheFrugalGirls.com
image 4 source: Global Industrial