5 Moving Hacks to Simplify Your Life

Moving is a part of life.

It’s also a notoriously stressful process that can take a toll on even the best planners. Fortunately, there are some hacks that help planning, packing, and unpacking go faster and smoother.

1. 1. Get Prepared

      There is lots to be done even before packing your first box. Below are some crucial undertakings to help you start on the right foot:

      • Notify utility companies – it only takes a phone call to cancel your utilities; however, you can easily forget this once you start packing your belongings. Be sure to call your utility company to inform them of your move early on.
      • Find a moving company – once find a new home or storage unit for your items, the next step is to find a moving company. Browse the internet to find the best of the companies available in your location.
      • Plan your packing supplies – with the help of a packing calculator, find out how many packing supplies you need for your items.
      • Eat up – relocating with items in the fridge, freezer, or pantry is daunting. On the other hand, throwing them out can be a major waste. The best solution is to try to eat the food and donate any remaining food items.

   2. Packing

      This is where the main problem lies. Having great packing hacks is essential to save time.

      • Don’t empty dresser drawers – instead of packing items such as clothes from your dresser drawers, you can consider taking out the drawers with items, secure and wrap them with a plastic wrap. If the items aren’t heavy, you can wrap the entire dresser itself.
      • Leave clothes on the hanger – it is a lot of work to unhang, fold and box up clothes, only to hang them again once you arrive at your new home. Skip those unnecessary steps by leaving clothes on the hangers and wrapping them in large garbage bags.
      • Make use of linens, towels, and other soft items – when packing, wrap the breakable items such as perfume bottles and glasses in socks, and use towels and linens to provide cushioning. For kitchen items, make use of dishtowels to bind knives, spoons, and other kitchen items securely.
      • Arrange your suitcase – you can ease the entire moving exercise by packing heavy items into a suitcase since they can be moved easily with their wheels. Use suitcases to carry items that cannot be transported in boxes such as heavy serving dishes and books.
      • Color-code boxes – save time by labeling packing boxes with different colors and assigning each color to different rooms. By doing this, you will quickly identify which box goes to which room.
      • Pack moving essentials – you should have a small suitcase or duffle bag with essential items you need during the moving day or right after you arrive at your new home. These items can include medications, chargers, changing clothes, basic toiletries, etc.

   3. Moving Day

      The moving day is certainly the hardest part of the entire process. 

      • Pack before the moving day – last-minute packing is always a bad idea. Make it your goal to have completely packed before your moving company arrives. 
      • Pack a cooler – you may not have enough time to eat or get hydrated due to the chaos of the moving day. Therefore, stock your small cooler with easy to eat items that can energize you throughout the day. 
      • Have a plan for pets and kids – if you have young kids or pets, try to organize a family friend or relative to watch them during this day. This will save you from the hassle of watching over them alongside the progress of moving.

   4. Unpacking

      Even after arriving at your destination, there is more to be done. 

      • Start with kitchen items – kitchen itself is complicated and time-intensive. Starting with this room is important to give you some sense of accomplishment, allowing you to focus slowly on the other rooms. 
      • Make a deadline – unpacking doesn’t automatically have a deadline so it can become a source of procrastination. To ensure you settle in quickly, schedule a casual get together or housewarming party to set a date for everything to be in order.

   5. Settle In

      The new environment definitely takes more time to adjust. As you unpack your items, you may notice some items that you lack or require replacement: get the important and major things done and focus on what you can. Also, remember to get rid of all the empty boxes by either recycling them or disposing of them appropriately.