Moving Day Tips

When you are preparing to move, there are many steps to check off along the way as you find your new place to relocate and successfully making the moving transition. Not only do you need to contemplate how to pack everything up, but you also how to figure out how you’re are going to unpack everything once you’ve made the move. Finally, you need to organize your belongings so that once you’ve successfully relocated to your new home, unpacking will not be a nightmare.

Even professionals can find the big day exhausting and overwhelming. However, there are tips you can follow to make moving day a bit easier and less stressful. Here are some handy pieces of advice from moving experts that can help your move run smoother and keep you organized during the hectic process.

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7 Best Moving Day Tips

1. Create a running list of all the jobs that need to be completed on moving day
2. Keep a little cash on hand to tip the movers
3. Pack up a cooler with some food
4. Pack a small bag with your moving essentials
5. Have your cell phone charged
6. Have cleaning supplies out and ready
7. The last step is to make one final walk-through

1. Create a running list of all the jobs that need to be completed on moving day.

If you aren’t careful, there are jobs that will pile up quickly as soon as you see the moving truck pull up to the door. You will be asking yourself, where are my trash bags? Are my bathrooms clean? What happened to all the food that was in the refrigerator and freezer? While these are all relatively small tasks you had planned on getting to, once you get focused on the packing you forget all about them.

A much more efficient strategy is to keep a running list of everything that needs to be done. Carefully look at the list over and prioritize each item. If you can, tackle these jobs before moving day. Try and get things done beforehand, but if you can’t, wake up a little earlier so you have time to get everything done by the time you leave.

2. Keep a little cash on hand to tip the movers.

When you hire professionals to make your move, you should have some cash available for tipping the movers. Normally, $20 per mover is fine. It’s always nice to have a little bit extra in the event that you are really impressed with the services since you can’t leave a tip with a credit card or check.

Here's your guide to how much to tip movers!

3. Pack up a cooler with some food.

Moving requires lots of energy and heaving lifting. When things get hectic and you are in moving mode, you may forget to drink and eat. This is when a cooler pre-packed with water and high-energy snacks is a great idea.

Some of the best options for food include snacks that are high in protein and that are quick and easy to eat. Try packing bags of nuts or dried fruit. Make up some sandwiches and throw in some protein bars. It is always nice to have a few extra sandwiches and snacks for your movers. They will be very appreciative. You will be thankful that you have a well-stocked cooler when exhaustion starts to set in halfway through the moving process.

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4. Pack a small bag with your moving essentials.

A bag with your moving essential, also known as a “go” bag, can be a small duffle bag, a suitcase, a box, or even a trash bag. You should include important documents, and anything valuable you don’t want to put in the moving truck. Also pack your cell phone chargers, any medications, toiletries, and a change of clothes for a couple of days. Park your car in a location that won’t get boxed in as you may need it for transportation during the day.

5. Have your cell phone charged.

While you won’t be sitting around playing games on your phone, you do want your phone charged and ready to go. In case you get lost traveling to your new home, you may need to look up directions. Your phone will also be necessary to coordinate once on the road with the movers.

Last thing before going to be the night before the move, plug in your phone. Keep extra charging cords in your “go” bag as you don’t want to be searching for a cord if your batteries get low.

6. Have cleaning supplies out and ready.

You have probably been cleaning while you’ve been organizing and packing to move, but you should have basic cleaning items for any accidents or last-minute touch-ups. These items should include a broom and dustpan, a few rags and some sanitizing spray.

If you want to go lighter, you can make do with some sanitizing wipes. Leave these items somewhere easy to access and somewhere they won’t accidentally get loaded onto the moving truck. You can leave them in y our car or in a closet. As soon as all the boxes are gone, everything has been packed up and the place is empty, you can do a quick visual check to see if there is any final cleaning that needs to be done.

7. The last step is to make one final walk-through.

The hard part is over. You successfully packed up and moved out. It might be difficult to return to the residence once you leave for the last time so you should make one final inspection to check that nothing has been forgotten. Quickly and systematically open each of your cabinets and check for forgotten contents. You need to open every closet and look carefully on the back shelves to ensure that everything you planned to take is safely packed and ready for your next home.

Moving day is going to be challenging. You can’t possibly anticipate all the things that could go wrong, but if you plan well and are organized, you will reduce that probability. Following the steps listed above will cover the bases when it comes to the obvious list of potential snafus.

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Oversee the Packing and Unpacking

Even though you might have paid professionals to do the packing up, picking up and delivery of the contents of your place, you should be there personally to oversee each part of the process. If you're not able to be there yourself, you should find someone you can trust to be there in your place.

Ask a relative or friend to keep an eye on things. You could even break the task up into shifts so no one has to give up their entire day. The movers should be providing you with an inventory list. You or your stand-ins should carefully review the list. The writing should be legible and the list should be complete before it is signed. You might have items that are broken, damaged, or don’t show up at all, and you don’t want to discover later that they were not on the inventory list.

Create a Floor Plan of Your New Home

One of the best ways to eliminate confusion and save time on moving day is to create a floor plan of your new home. Draw up a sketch before you move. Add in the furniture you will be relocating and make a drawing of where you want each piece to be arranged.

Next, label each piece of furniture with a tag that corresponds to the numbers on your floor plan. This process may seem a bit excessive, but you will find the relocation process of your furniture greatly expedited. The movers will know exactly where to put everything and it will reduce the need for you to move the furniture to a new spot without the benefit of people to help you.

If you think about it, you don’t want the extra stress of making decisions on moving day as to where all the furniture will be placed. It is much better to plan everything out in advance and make the decisions in advance. Let the professionals do the placement of your heavy items directly to their new places so you aren’t burdened with more heavy lifting.

If you plan properly, you can do this process well in advance of your move during the moments when you have spare time. Make it a fun project and envision your new place and all the great times ahead. This is a good time to get inspired about decorating ideas.

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If You Are Using Friends to Move, Make it Easy for Them

Perhaps you haven’t hired professionals to do your moving but are going with the option of using friends and family. The best way to make this job easier for them is to stay organized. First and foremost, have all your belongings packed up in boxes and bags. They should not have to do the packing for you. Pack everything in advance prior to them arriving. All they should have to do is pick up things and carry them to the moving van.

Don’t discount large trash bags for bedding, linens, carpets, and anything that is squishy. It is much easier to squeeze the bags into empty spaces that boxes won’t fit. This also is a lighter option for the friends who want to help but can’t carry the heavier items. You can assign in advance which friends will be assigned to carry the furniture and big boxes and who will be carrying bags and smaller items.

Remember that cooler packed with sandwiches, water, and protein-packed snacks? Be sure there are enough for the friends and family who will be helping you with your move. The extra cash you are pulling out will cover ordering pizza or delivery food if the time they are helping extends over mealtime.

If you have plenty of people to help you move, you might want to consider making shifts. This will ensure you have a fresh set of hands to assist with moving and people won’t have to give up their entire day for the move.

Find Someone to Watch Pets and Kids

Whether you are having friends and family or professional movers helping you with the move, you don’t want to have kids or pets underfoot when the moving process begins. There is no better recipe for disaster than when kids and pets are running around while heavy furniture and boxes are being carried downstairs and out doorways.

It’s a great idea to have a babysitter or grandparent take the kids for the day. Have a friend watch your pets or put them in a kennel, maybe even overnight so you can get things unpacked the next day. You will need to be focused on the events taking place and kids and animals will certainly be a distraction at this busy time.

Keep a Space Clear for the Moving Truck

One of the final items you should account for just before the move will take place is remembering to keep a space clear for parking, loading, and unloading the moving truck or van. This may be difficult depending on what home you are moving out of, and where your new home is located.

The easiest case scenario is that you are moving out and back into a house that has parking directly in front. You can easily make sure no one parks in front of these types of homes. The difficulties come into play when you are moving in or out of high-rise buildings and apartment complexes. In these situations, you will have to plan in advance how you can set up the moving vehicle so it can be easily accessed for loading and unloading.

Have a discussion with the property owners as lots of people do move in and out of these types of property. Find out how each facility operates when a tenant change is taking place. If there are elevators involved, find out if you can reserve the elevator so the movers can complete the process quickly and efficiently upon arrival.

There are several moving guides online that can assist you in planning your move. Getting as much professional advice as possible will help reduce your stress level, keep you more organized, and lessen the chance that something unforeseen will occur.

Also See: What to Wear on Moving Day?