If you’re planning to move during 2018, we understand the amount of time and planning it will take. Often many of our customers need to go through their storage, sort out what furniture they plan to bring; the list goes on. Fortunately, we understand this and can offer some advice and tips to make your move less stressful. Here is a list of 15 moving tips to help make your move easier.
Moving tips
- When you begin packing, plan to use strong boxes or containers that can be secured tightly. Purchase special boxes for dishes, wardrobes and other special items. Aim to avoid food boxes from grocery or liquor stores. They are usually not meant to hold items for a long period of time. To save you time all TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ® locations sell boxes and a variety of speciality boxes.
- Pack audio-video equipment in their original boxes. Label cables and tighten transit screws. Before removing the cables, take pictures of the backs of the units so you can hook everything back up the same way. If removing screws, tape them to the equipment they are removed from.
- Avoid loading any of your boxes with too much weight. Pack heavier items like books or video cassettes in smaller boxes instead of one big box. A good rule of thumb is, the heavier the item, the smaller the box.
- Speaking of books, pad them tightly on end in small boxes. If they are musty smelling, sprinkle talcum powder between the pages and wrap the books before packing. Leave them stored for a couple of months to eliminate the smell.
- Create labels for each of your boxes on the top and the sides, and indicate the room it should go in. With more delicate or important items label fragile or unload first.
- Cushion delicate items with packing materials such as bubble wrap, newspaper or tissue. If you’re looking to save space, use towels and blankets to wrap those fragile items.
- Don’t pack important documents, money and jewellery in the moving truck. Pack them separately and take them with you. If you are moving by yourself, keep that box up front with you, not in the back.
- If you’re moving with children, set aside a box of toys, games or other special items to keep them entertained. Aim to put this on the truck last so that once you have arrived at your destination, you’ll be able to take out immediately.
- Pack a box of household supplies that you’ll need on moving day like tools, paper towels, all-purpose cleaners, etc. Pack this last so that you can any last minute tidying as well as it’ll be readily available once you to get to your destination.
- Go through all parts of the home before you leave. Check all the closets, drawers, shelves, the attic and the garage to make sure that they’re empty.
- Don’t pack any paint, bottles of bleach, gas cans or other flammables. It is against federal law for movers to transport flammable and combustible materials.
- Have rugs and draperies cleaned before packing them for your move, and leave them in wrappings for the move.
- Pack medicine in a plastic re-sealable zipper storage bag or leak-proof container.
- Check the weather forecast before your move day. If it’s hot, plan to have water on hand. If it’s cold, make sure that you’ve cleared any snow and that the heater is on.
- Call your moving company the day before your move to get a contact number for the crew in case you need to contact them en route. Make sure your mover has your cell phone number and be sure to fully charge your cell phone the night before your moving day.