Moving Tips and Hacks (15 Ways to Make it Smooth)

Got a move coming up soon? Check out these Moving Tips and Hacks to make it go more smoothly!

Planning on moving to a new home soon? From actually planning the move to transporting your belongings, and even the seemingly mundane details such as updating your address for bills, there always seems to have a laundry-list of things to do!

Luckily, there are some ways you can make your move a lot easier – and more efficient. These Moving Tips and Hacks will show you a collection of tips I’ve gathered from several moves to hopefully help it go more smoothly!

From creating a solid plan to protecting your belongings, keep reading to find out more about moving the right way…

Moving Tips and Hacks

Before the Move

#1: Create a Game Plan

This may sound somewhat obvious, but coming up with a game plan for how you want to tackle your move is an excellent place to start. Some things you may want to consider are:

• The date of your move.
• Taking time off work.
• Changing your address for mail.
• Buying packing supplies.
• Packing up your belongings, and wrapping chairs/sofas.
• Eating up or donating the food in your kitchen.
• etc…

I understand that’s a lot to consider. So by staying organized and planning your move out in advance, it will be a lot less stressful. 🙂

#2: Clean Your New Place Before Moving

Quite simply, it’s a lot easier to move your new house or apartment when it’s empty. You really don’t need to go overboard on the cleaning, either. Areas you may want to get are:

• Vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping the floors.
• Wiping down closet shelves.
• Cleaning the kitchen and appliances.
• Cleaning the bathrooms.

If you get this done ahead of time, you’ll have one less thing to worry about on the date of your move.

#3: Consider Downsizing a Bit

Isn’t it interesting how the longer you stay in one location, the more random stuff seems to accumulate? Well, having moved several times, I can attest that if you want get rid of some stuff, this is the time to do so!

First off, when you pack up your belongings, you’ll have an inventory of everything you own – maybe for the first time in years, even.

Second, it’s a lot easier to get rid of stuff you no longer need or want before moving!

Now, I’m not recommending you become a hardcore minimalist or anything of the sort. However, if you do have some stuff you want to donate, now is a great time to do so!

#4: Know Where Everything Goes in Your New Place

For the sake of avoiding some moving day confusion, it can be helpful to know what furniture and which boxes go in which room before you move in!

#5: Don’t Forget to Mark Boxes

This goes hand in hand with the previous tip. Marking boxes helps you know which box goes in what room! After all, you really don’t want to have your kitchen utensils and dishes end up in the backyard shed! On the other hand, dining with the rakes and shovels does have a certain rustic appeal.

#6: Shop From Your Pantry

What on earth do I mean by this – after all, you already own these ingredients?! Chances are, you may have a decent bit of food in your pantry. Rather than letting it go to waste, why not eat it up? If you can’t eat it all, you could donate the rest to a nearby homeless shelter or food bank, too.

#7: Get Packing Supplies

Until we can create a technology where boxes pack themselves, we unfortunately are stuck in the old ways of manual packing. Some things you may want to consider purchasing are:

• Boxes
• Shrink Wrap
• Packing Tape
• Bubble Wrap
• etc…

You can find all of this at your local Home Depot, Lowes, or moving store.

Related: Free Home Depot Gift Card and Shopping Hacks

Related: 14 Lowe’s Shopping Hacks

#8: Place Paper Plates Between Ceramic Plates

Got a collection of China or ceramic plates you love? An easy trick to prevent these plates from breaking is to simply add in a paper plate between every ceramic one, creative a sort of buffer zone, if you will. It’s admittedly quite unorthodox, but it’s worked like a charm in every move I’ve done!

#9: Have Everything Packed Before Moving

Imagine this dystopian scenario:

You’re sleeping peacefully. Suddenly, that dreaded alarm blasts through the tranquil morning air. You quickly awake with the sinking realization that today is the day of your move. Blearily-eyed, you wander in a zombie like state of mind out into your living room. Looking around, you realize there’s a whole lot of stuff laying around that needs to be packed!

I’ve unfortunately put things of to the last minute when moving, and believe me, it’s so stressful. Please learn from my mistake, and have everything packed at least two to three days in advance!

#10: Store things in Crockpots

Are you a fan of crockpot cooking? So am I! But interestingly, cooking is not the only use for your slow cooker. You can use it to store spices or utensils during your move, too!

#11: Pack in Suitcases

Got a couple of suitcases laying around, or perhaps an old backpack from that hiking trip years ago? Why not fill them up with clothes or other belongings? That’s what they’re built to do, after all.

Related: Best Suitcase Packing Tips

#12: Photograph Electronic Setups

Look behind your TV, and there’s the myriad of of wires going to and fro, creating a scene so complex it’s difficult to memorize. Solve this by taking a quick photo on your phone, and not have to deal with all of the guesswork when you arrive at your new home.

#13: Shrink Wrap Silverware

Want an easy way to transport your silverware? If you have a silverware holder, simply wrap some plastic wrap or shrink wrap around it! Simply problems require simple solutions. 🙂

#14: Keep Tools Readily Available

It can be so helpful to keep useful tools such a hammer and screwdrivers available when moving. From hanging photos to reassembling furniture, your tools are something you’ll need having around. For instance, your toolbox could be one of the last things you pack, so when you arrive, you can grab it out first.

During/After the Moves

#15: Pack Food and Drinks

Along the way, you’re bound to get a little hungry and thirsty, so it’s a good idea to have some snacks and water along. You could always order coffee and pizza, too.

So, feeling a bit better about your move? With a little planning, everything becomes so much easier. You may even love it when a plan comes together. 🙂

Now, are you looking for even more home tips below? Go check these out…

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Don’t miss out!  Now that you’ve read these Moving Tips and Tricks, follow along with Never Ending Journeys for more fun Travel Tips, Easy Recipes, and Organization Hacks!

What are YOUR favorite Moving Tips and Tricks??

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