10 Moving Tips From People Who Know

There’s no shortage of moving advice: we’ve devoted plenty of posts to the subject. But there’s nothing like benefiting from the moving tips and experiential wisdom of those who’ve gone before you.

These 10 moving tips were culled from regular people who offered sage advice based on their experience with moving.

1. Start packing early

This is the consensus across anyone who has ever moved. Packing takes a long time and is more difficult than many people assume. By starting early, you’ll avoid a frantic rush at the end. You’ll also be more organized.

2. Downsizing your stuff

Go through your belongings and decide what you need. Keep the stuff you need and donate the rest. Movers charge by weight, for example, so you save money by lightening your load.

Start early and take two passes through all your stuff. You’ll find a lot to cull on your first pass. After your initial pass, do it again a couple weeks later with an even more critical eye.

You may have enough extra things to host a garage sale before you move, and that can make your move profitable.

3. Label everything

Don’t just label each box with the room in which it belongs. Write down the contents of each box. Don’t overuse the “miscellaneous” label. Otherwise you’ll get to your new home and have dozens of boxes marked miscellaneous and have no idea what’s inside.

4. Pack one room at a time

Pack one room fully and then move on to the next. If you take a scattered approach, you’ll end up with jumbled boxes containing items from different rooms.

5. Nest your moving boxes

Put small items in small boxes and put those small boxes into a bigger box. If you don’t combine them into a larger container, small boxes have a tendency to get lost or damaged.

6. Important documents

Take any personal financial information and important papers with you on your person. This will help you avoid identity theft and avoid the inherent hassles that come with replacing essential documents.

7. Transporting valuables

Most moving companies would rather not put any highly valuable items on the truck. Take some time to figure out how to transport your valuables. You may want to investigate obtaining expanded moving insurance through the carrier or a third party.

8. Moving essentials

Have a designated box for essential items. Make sure the well-marked essentials box is the last one loaded onto the truck.

9. Moving inventory

Make a list of every item and box that goes on the moving truck. Have a friend or family member mark the boxes and items as they come off the truck.

This is especially important if your belongings will be transferred from the truck to storage before being delivered. If a box is missing, lost or left behind it could be months before it’s realized.

The mover must do the inventory for an interstate move. Note any damage at the time of delivery.

10. Other packing tips

For items you think will be stored in the attic, garage or closet at your next home, consider purchasing plastic storage bins. This will save you on buying extra boxes and unpacking them when you get to your new home.

For towels and other soft items, consider ditching boxes altogether and use large trash bags instead.

Updated from an earlier version by Rick Hazeltine.