Feeling stressed and overwhelmed about your upcoming move? House on the market and ready to read about next steps? Even if you’re staying put, you’ll always have friends who need your help moving. Our kit below goes over everything you need to be ready to go come move day!

Planning

A lot of times moves end up being a bit last minute. Even if you just take 30 minutes to jot down some notes, collect all of your thoughts on your phone or a piece of paper, before you forget all the little details. Get estimates from several local moving companies, plenty of packing supplies, and start making lists of those easily forgotten items. Everyone knows you have to pack, but what about remembering to take down the swing set, notifying utility companies, and forwarding your mail to your new address? If you have a feeling it will be too overwhelming, contact us here- we take care of everything!

 Pre-Packing (yes-we’re making this a step)!

Before starting to pack, we recommend an organized process (shocker!) to make it easier to pack and unpack. Try using a sticker system if things are going to multiple destinations. For example, green dots for things you’re taking to your new place, red dots for donations, and yellow dots for things going to a storage unit. Sticker everything in that room (this system is most helpful in places like garages and attics) and then create zones using each item’s sticker color. Now, you can visualize your space better, what you really need to pack and what’s not going with you. These sticker dots are easy to find - linked here.

A quick note about purging: Some people think it doesn’t make sense to purge your belongings before you move, but rather “figure it out on the other end.” We highly suggest otherwise so you do not have a complete mess on the other end! Rather than waste money on supplies and the time it takes to pack and move extra items you don’t want, take the time on the front end to get rid of those unwanted items. There are plenty of sustainable resources like Facebook Marketplace, the Epilepsy Foundation, Clean Out Your House and Junk Luggers that will pick up your unwanted belongings.

Packing

Great, you’re ready to start packing boxes! You’ll likely need more than you think, and companies like Gentle Giant will accept returns of the materials you purchase from them and don’t use. We suggest boxes, tape, packing paper and super thick sharpies. Those colorful stickers can be helpful when things are packed up, too. First floor, second floor, garage, and basement can be all be different colors. Movers can read your labels, but the pop of color can make it even easier to know what goes where. Try to keep your supplies in one central area in the house during the packing process so you can keep track of what you have and might need more of.

When you label your boxes, consistency is key. If you select “MBR” for things in your master bedroom, make sure you stick to that so it makes sense to you and your movers. For fragile items, we recommend writing “TLO” for top load only- movers will recognize this and keep those items safe.

Move Day

It’s a good idea to have child care or pet care scheduled on move day to keep things as calm as possible. With your systems in place, things will go smoothly. Double check your lists and those sneaky last minute places like the shed or under the porch. The unknown will come up whether it be rain, late movers, or parking problems - take a deep breath and know you’ll get through it!