Moving Tips & Tricks

Hey, there. Tiffany Doyle, professional mover, nice to meet ya.

Just kidding. I’m not technically a professional mover, but I might as well be. I’ve moved 16 times in my life (7 times since Peter and I have been married). I’ve picked up quite a few tips and tricks along the way. If you’re moving anytime soon or know someone who is, hopefully my plethora of moving wisdom will be of some help.

Packing Tips

A color coded system

I have done this for my last 3 moves and it is the only way to go. You can buy colored tabs to put on all the individual boxes, but I just buy a roll of duct tape in different colors (one color for each room). When you seal a box, put a piece of colored tape on the top and on each side of the box. In the beginning, make a key dictating which color goes to which room. This is mostly for your own sake at first, but then you can hang it up in the doorway of your new home, so people can see which colors go to which room.

I also labelled the door of each bedroom, so people would know which bedroom was the master, Claire’s, etc. The rest was fairly self-explanatory. If you’re moving to a larger home (one with two living rooms, a den, a formal dining room, a sitting area, etc), you may want to hang signs in all or most of the rooms to avoid confusion. If boxes go in the correct room the first time, it’s less moving things around for you AND it’s easier to find what you’re looking for later.

Write the contents of the boxes in multiple places

I usually write what’s in the box on the top, but also on at least one side. If the boxes are stacked against the wall and you’re looking for something specific, a description on the top won’t help you at all. I know some people who number their boxes and then keep a list of what each box contains. Honestly, as much as I love being organized during a move, that was just too much for me. It would be helpful when you’re looking for something specific, but I tend to be fully unpacked within a week or two, so I’m not without anything for too long.

A tote containing all your supplies

I cannot emphasize this enough! Get a small plastic bin or a tote bag or something large enough to put all of your packing supplies in. My bin had packing tape, all my colored duct tape, screwdrivers, a hammer (to take out nails), spackle, sharpies, packing paper, bubble wrap and my to do list. You can take the bin from room to room while you’re packing boxes. Nothing is worse than sealing a box, but you can’t find the sharpie to label it. If you follow me on Instagram, you might recall my story with our “mystery box.” I sealed it shut, labelled it with tape for the right room, but didn’t write anything on it. It’s also horrible to lose the packing tape. I did that with a brand new roll (I hadn’t put it in the bin yet) and I spent FIFTEEN minutes searching. Turns out it was underneath some broken down boxes in our living room. So, keep everything you need in the bin/tote and keep it with you while you’re packing!

Get rid of things before the move

Moving is the best time to declutter. As you’re going through each room, grab a laundry basket and a trash bag. Throw things out mercilessly (that faded old tshirt with the rip in the armpit? Yeah, stop hanging on to that). Anything that you don’t need or use, toss into the laundry basket. We downsized from our last home, so I had to be ruthless with things we got rid of. If you haven’t used it in the last year, chances are, you don’t need it. If it’s something you have “just in case” that can be replaced inexpensively, you don’t need it. Friends, I had back ups of back ups of coffeemakers. It was ridiculous. But I was holding on to them, in case I needed them some day.

If you have the time, a yard sale is the best way to get rid of those things you don’t need. You’re getting rid of them anyway, so why not make a little money? However, if you don’t have time, donating to a local thrift shop is a good alternative too.

Basically, you do not want to pack things that you don’t need. Packing is hard enough work, so why take the effort to pack (and unpack) things you will likely end up getting rid of on the other side? There’s such freedom in purging your belongings. But that’s another post for another time. Suffice it to say, we sold a lot of things in our yard sale and still had two full pickup truck loads left over afterwards. Moving always makes me question why I have so much stuff, where it came from and why it’s so hard for me to get rid of it.

Make to do lists for each room

I like to keep things as organized as possible during a move. So I took a blank notebook and dedicated one page to each room. On each page, I listed all the things I needed to do in that room. It could be specific things you need to sort through, what you need to pack, things you need to clean before the move or even simple things like replacing lightbulbs. Either way, it’s nice to have a list that you can keep adding to as you think of more things.

This is the first move I have implemented this. Before making lists, I would start a task, think of something that needed to be done and abandon the first task to start the second, only to think of something else I needed to do, etc. It was chaotic and I spent way too much time running around like a chicken with its head cut off, not accomplishing most of the things I actually needed to get done. If you keep your to do lists in your bin with all your packing supplies, you can easily grab the list, add to it and then continue with the task you’re already working on. Nothing gets forgotten and you don’t get distracted (too much) from the task at hand.

Make a deep clean list

This is especially helpful when leaving an apartment or rental that you have to make spotless. You can include the things you need to clean on your to do list for each room or you can make a separate list. I typically make a separate list, because most of the deep cleaning is either done on moving day or a day or two later. I prefer to have a separate list, so my to do lists don’t look too insanely long, but organize it in whatever way makes the most sense to you. Either way, lists will help keep you as organized as possible (which is essential in a move).

Pack the kitchen and children’s rooms LAST

Maybe this is a no brainer for some, but it’s important. If you wait until the last week or so to pack your kitchen, you will still be able to make dinner, not have to use paper products, etc. This is important to me for saving money (fast food adds up!). I meal prepped and had multiple freezer meals that I made the last week or so. I had packed most of my kitchen, but I left boxes with my slow cooker, pots, pans and large utensils open to make it easier to grab those last little things I would need.

You can begin packing part of your children’s rooms before you get to the end, but I recommend leaving quite a few toys and books out. It’s very difficult to be productive and pack when you have bored children. They can play contentedly in their room while you continue to pack if you leave out their stuff. I started packing Claire’s room a week and a half away from the move, but I let her keep some books in a backpack and her Barbies were stored in plastic drawers under the Barbie Dreamhouse, so I just left those out to play with and taped them shut the day before the move.

Don’t buy boxes!

This is a controversial tip. I know a lot of people like buying moving boxes. There’s some validity to that. They’re sturdy and similarly sized, so they’re easy to stack in a moving truck. However, you can easily get boxes for FREE. Our favorite place to find boxes (believe it or not) is the liquor store. Since the bottles in boxes are heavy, the boxes are very sturdy and can hold a lot. If you end up with a box with dividers for bottles, it’s the best way to pack all your drinking glasses. Plus, it’s a great place to share the love of Jesus. In addition to the liquor store, we also have had a lot of luck finding boxes at grocery stores, Staples (paper boxes are the BEST) and fast food places. If you ask, most places will set aside boxes for you to come pick up.

In addition to that, if you have boxes of different sizes, you can easily fill the spaces in between furniture and other awkwardly shaped things to avoid things shifting or scraping against each other. Shout out to my dad and older sister, both of whom are master packers. It’s like tetris when they get in the back of a moving truck and I’m in awe.

Pack smarter

Those stuffed animals? Put them in a toy box. They won’t weigh it down any and you won’t need extra boxes. Wrap your plates and bowls in towels. Then you won’t need to pack the towels in separate boxes and all of your dishes will be nice and clean when you unpack at the new place. I’ve heard of people using socks to pack their glasses in. I have tried that yet, but I bet it would work great. Keep out your extra blankets to use as furniture padding. There are lots of ways to save money and use things for dual purposes as you’re moving.

Don’t pack your clothes

Turns out you don’t need them! Just kidding. Seriously though, don’t pack your clothes in a box. Put garbage bags over the clothes and secure it on the tops of the hangers. This will keep all the dirt out of your clothes. If any clothes fall off the hangers, they will just end up at the bottom of the bag. In addition, when the clothes are taken off the moving truck, all you need to do is hang them up in the closets. It’s much simpler and your clothes won’t smell like cardboard. Most moving trucks have a space to hang clothes, but if not, they’ll still easily fit. I used to poke a hole a the bottom of the bags for the hangers and then tie the drawstring at the bottom, but I’ve found it’s easier to tie the drawstring around the hanger.

Also, you will have plenty of trash bags at your new home, so you’re not wasting all the bags you’re using. You’ll need all those trash bags, trust me. Packing paper and bubble wrap is no joke.

Also, with dresser drawers, it is much easier to remove the drawers and either cover your clothes with trash bags (to keep them clean) or use press n seal. By taking the drawers out, it will make the dressers easier to carry, but you can put the drawers back in once it’s on the moving truck to save space.

Take breaks … And naps!

I know it sounds counterproductive, but it’s helpful! When you get bogged down in cardboard, sometimes the best thing you can do is to get out of the house for an hour or two. Go for a walk, meet a friend for coffee or a playdate, take your kiddos to the park. It’s very helpful for your overall sanity to take a breather. You will end up being more productive afterwards.

The same applies to exhaustion. There were so many days when I just felt so fatigued that it was hard to focus or function. Laying down for 20 minutes (even if you don’t fall asleep) takes the edge off and helps you to get right back to it.

Also, if you have a busy day (other than packing) or work full time, work in spurts. Set a timer for 15-20 minutes, turn on some music and get to work. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done in such a short amount of time.

Do any painting in the new home before you move

It is so much easier to paint when a house is empty. Otherwise, you will be moving furniture (that you just moved in), moving boxes to one side of the room and then the other, etc. It just ends up being so much more work. Every room in our new home needed to be painted before we moved in. We got all the rooms painted except the kitchen before moving day. I was so relieved (especially after painting the kitchen) that we didn’t have to paint the whole house!

Moving Day Tips

Take melatonin the night before

But only if you’re like me! I am analytical and my brain won’t stop whirring with all the last minute things I need to get done. I would never get any sleep the night before a move if I didn’t take something to help me fall asleep. When you’re exhausted, you won’t be of much help. It’s better to get a good night’s rest.

Pick up something for your moving crew

This is not applicable if you’re hiring a moving company, but instead if you have friends or family helping you load/unload the moving truck. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate spread or a ton of stuff. If you’re loading in the morning, pick up some donuts the night before. If it’s evening, provide chips or pizza. Nobody helps their friends move for the food, but it’s a nice way to show your appreciation. This is especially true of people who are there for a long time. I’ve helped people load (with Claire in tow), been there for upwards of 6 hours and there was nothing to snack on at all. For me, that’s not a huge deal, but you can bet Claire was awfully cranky (especially because I didn’t think to pack snacks).

Oh, and definitely get at least one case of bottled water. Put it in the fridge the night before. For some reason, we always tend to move in the summer. It’s always hot. In fact, this time there was a heat advisory. Keep all your helpers (and yourself) hydrated!

Keep things you’ll need first easily accessible

If you’re moving cross country, it may be helpful to pack suitcases and overnight bags as if you’re going on vacation. Then everything is packed into your trunk and you know where everything is. I haven’t had to do that (at least not since Peter and I first got married), so I have just used a laundry basket. Throw all of your overnight stuff into it – bedding, pillows, towels, a new shower curtain, toiletries, coffeemaker, etc. If you don’t have room in your car for a few laundry baskets, you can also pack all of these things in clear plastic bins. They will be easier to spot in the sea of cardboard and you can easily view the contents.

Set up the beds

This is crucial. Before you unpack anything, set up your beds. Once they’re off the truck, set them up or enlist someone else. Grab the bedding (which hopefully you kept easily accessible as per the last tip) and make the beds after setting them up. Then, when everything is unloaded, you can take a shower and crash. You’ll be exhausted and so thankful you don’t have to sleep on the floor or go searching for the bedding.

Unpacking Tips

Start with the kitchen and the children’s rooms

This is the same principle as packing those rooms last. Typically, my kitchen is the first room done, so there’s one room we can relax peacefully in.

But I always do Claire’s room next. Then she’s able to play with her toys (made even more exciting since she hasn’t seen some of them in a while) and it’s much easier to unpack. That being said, I didn’t do that this time. We had to throw Claire’s bookshelf away before we moved and had to wait over a week for the new one to be delivered. When my older sister was setting up Claire’s bed, she did unpack a few toys so Claire did have something to play with, but my bookworm kiddo was really missing her books. Once the new bookshelf was set up, that child was in heaven.

Take it one room at a time

It’s so overwhelming to look around your new home and see nothing but boxes. This is especially true if you’ve downsized. The boxes fit a little less chaotically in our old home, so the new home felt even smaller with towers of boxes everywhere. But don’t panic! Pick a room and work on that room. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, set a timer, play some motivating music and just work until the timer goes off. And, relax! You made it through the actual move, so the hardest part is over!

Also, have this as your motivation – any room that is box free instantly becomes a relaxing place! It feels like an accomplishment and your new house feels more like home.

Change your address

This is especially important with car insurance (you could even save money!), but make sure your change your address with your bank, credit cards, auto loans, workplace, cell phone company, etc.

I hope this post was helpful to some of you! What are some of the most helpful tips you’ve used during a move? Let me know in the comments section below. As always, please keep comments respectful.