Heads up Atlanta: We’ve got Scott Johnson, Move Strategist extraordinaire sharing his best moving tips and tricks to make the whole process easier and less stressful.
“I just love moving” (said no one, ever).
In 2020, moving was rated as the most stressful life event. We get it.
We’ve never had a client who loves the moving process. You know: going to Home Depot to get moving boxes, packing paper, and bubble wrap (all important packing materials), arranging for a moving truck, taking off of work on moving day, and making sure the movers don’t break any of your fragile items or scratch a piece of furniture. The last thing you want is for the moving service to destroy your beloved belongings. Or to be stuck waiting for the moving truck to show up on move day.
These packing and moving tips will save you money and time on your next move
Our clients can’t wait to be in their new place, and they’re planning out what each room is going to look like: the furniture, the decor, the layout. But, before they can do that, they have to move. And prior to your move, there are many steps involved in the process. You have to decide what you’re going to consider packing for your new home, and what you will get rid of. You usually have to decide this weeks before the move, and before you even start the packing process. Ideally, you want to have less to pack (I’ll talk about this as one of the best packing tips below). Once you do move and unpack, make sure you have a plan for what you will do with your packing supplies, packing tape, and items like newspaper print, and packing peanuts.
You may consider hiring a move strategist, like Your Move Simplified, to help manage your move and save time. I’m sharing my top packing tips for moving, to make moving to a new home easier and less stressful. It’s my secret moving checklist that I take all of my clients through.
Here are our best tips to help you pack and move (no moving hacks here).
Secret Moving and Packing Tip #1: Moving boxes are your best friend, and so is packing tape and bubble wrap (please, don’t use garbage bags)
We’ve seen clients take their entire closets, and throw into boxes. They don’t pause to evaluate, “hey, do I need this item?” By not eliminating before moving, you will spend more on moving supplies, and may have to spend more on a larger moving truck. It will also take more time for the movers to move more boxes, and you may have to pay your movers more. This could end up blowing your moving budget.
Don’t just throw items into boxes or worse, garbage bags. Go through your items to make sure that you will still use these items in your new home, especially if you’re moving out of state. Old sneakers? Gym equipment you never used? Don’t pay to have your movers move it. Moving is the perfect time to decide what you love, and what you will keep. You can discard it (or donate it) before you start packing.
Secret Moving and Packing Tip #2: Don’t ask your friends or family to help you pack for a move, that’s a hack
If you dread the thought of packing, your friends or family probably dread it too. Be prepared that they may be busy or sick that weekend, hint hint. When it comes to packing, asking friends or family is not a smart moving trick. It may seem like having more people will reduce your time packing, but more people may be counter productive.
Your friends and family are not professional packers, and your items may get destroyed during the move process. (I’ve seen people put packing paper in places they should never be.)
Secret Moving and Packing Tip #3: The moving advice I give most often: pack the items weeks before moving
Planning ahead for your move is a top moving tip that I share with my clients. Are you moving out of state? Or are you moving across the country? Or are you moving into a building? Do you need a moving container? If you’re moving into a building, do you need to reserve the elevator on move day? And if you are moving large items like a couch or dining table, make sure it fits it in the elevator before move day.
Thinking of all of these things ahead of time, and packing accordingly will help make it easy to move.
The best way to pack is to go room by room.
Avoid additional moving costs by following these tips for moving.
For example, if you pack items from your bathroom, and those items will be unpacked into a bathroom, label the box as “[your name] bathroom”. If you are packing your formal living, but those items will go to the basement, then label the box as “basement” instead of “formal living.”
Here’s another packing hack: pack like with like. It is best to pack clothes with clothes. Books with other books. You don’t want to pack kitchen glassware with shoes. If you follow these packing tips and tricks, the unpacking part will be that much easier.
Secret Packing Tip #4: Preparing for a move means you should not be packing on moving day
It can be stressful moving and you want to make sure that on move day, you’re 100% packed. Packing takes time, so make sure you schedule enough time to pack your things. If you’re packing when the movers arrive, you’ll end up throwing many things into a box (risking damage) and possibly paying extra if the movers have to wait for you to finish packing your things. Move day is for moving, only.
Also, make sure that you pre-pack snacks, kids calming toys, or other items you will want access to during your move. If you keep this rule in mind, it will make your move smoother.
Secret Moving Tip #5: Ask about furniture assembly for your new place
If you are going to be involved in the move, ask your movers ahead of time if they can help with furniture disassembly re-assembly. Take photos of how things are assembled, before disassembly. You don’t want to end up with a three-poster bed.
Some moving companies offer disassembly and re-assembly for an extra charge. Make sure you ask your movers about this, and what the cost is upfront, before move day.
Secret Moving Tip #6: Always hire a professional mover to avoid destroying a special piece of furniture
As moving day approaches, you want to make sure that you’ve hired a professional moving company, and confirmed that they will be there the day of your move.
You always want to make sure you hire a moving company that is insured. This way, if something is destroyed, you’re protected through the moving company’s insurance. If you’re not sure if they have insurance, ask to see the policy. All professional movers carry insurance, usually for $1 million per move.
These tips can help you save on your next move.
Most movers offer moving blankets, and can wrap your furniture and other items in them.
When you hire movers, you will want to make sure all of your boxes and furniture get to your new home.
It is also best to move during off-peak traffic hours. We’ve seen Atlanta traffic delay moves and increase moving expenses by $200-$2,000. This may need to move on a Saturday or Sunday, which usually comes at a higher rate for the movers.
Secret Moving Tip #7: You don’t want to unpack for months after you move
You made it through the move, and right after you’ve paid the movers, you may think to yourself that the worst is behind you. Except now, you have boxes in every room and every square inch of your new home left to unpack.
We recommend that you go room by room when unpacking, and to start unpacking the most important areas first. The kitchen, your bedroom, bathroom, and any kids rooms should be unpacked first. Basically, the rooms that have the most utility. Then, you should worry about the guest room, and other spaces that are used less frequently.
These moving tricks have helped me and my clients save time and money when moving.
As you unpack, you’ll notice that you have empty boxes, packing peanuts, newspaper, and moving tape everywhere. You want to find one area for those supplies, and put them in trash bags as you unpack. We once had clients fill up a garage with their unpacking supplies, and that was scary.
Why are these the best packing tips?
Your Move Simplified has been in the organizing moving business for years. We have helped our clients pack their current homes, arrange for movers, oversee the move day, and then help them unpack into their new, forever home.
We’ve helped clients with one-way relocations, going from Atlanta to Florida and other states. We help with the pack, arrange the moving company, and make the unpack process simple for them with the way we label our boxes, and how we pack each box.
We’ve seen what moving companies call “packing.” We’ve seen our clients pack last minute, and ultimately break and destroy valuable items. We’ve seen it ALL. Oh, the horror.
Here’s why I chose these tips and tricks, and why I don’t believe in packing and moving hacks.
Moving hacks suggest that moving is as easy 1,2, 3. It’s not.
Moving is a process. There are many steps, and some steps have mini steps (like cleaning your car out before you can get boxes from Home Depot). These are tried-and-true moving tips that we have learned after years of doing this.
We hope these moving tips can help with your next move. If you don’t want to DIY your move, and need moving assistance in the metro Atlanta area, call or email us, anytime.
