70 Moving Tips To Save Time Money And Stress

We've pulled out all the stops to bring you the ultimate list of 70 moving tips and tricks. These tips will help you save money, save time, and have a smooth hassle free moving experience. Feel free to bookmark this page and refer to it again and again!

Planning Tips:

Set A Budget

Make sure you set a realistic budget for the type of move you plan to do. It is easy to overlook small incidental costs and they add up quickly. But the biggest impact on your budget by far is the type of moving services you need. Doing a little research and setting a budget up front will help prevent costs from ballooning out of control.

Choose Your Type Of Move

There is a wide range of moving services available from full service movers with packing and cleaning crews to a simple truck or trailer rental. In the middle are moving pods which are a great alternative for anyone who needs a little more flexibility or short term storage. Pick which type of service fits your needs and your budget.

Shop Around For Quotes

Do yourself a favor and get multiple quotes for whatever type of moving service you intend to use. Not only are there some great deals out there to be found, but you also want a few different prices to compare to make sure you are not overpaying for what you want.

Move Mid Week

Did you know that moves cost less during the week? Everyone wants to reserve a rental truck for Friday after work or schedule a moving company first thing on a saturday morning to get the move done over the weekend. If you can schedule your move for midweek you can save a surprising amount of cash!

Book Movers Early

As soon as you nail down your move date immediately book your movers. Moving companies with good reputations are booked out months in advance. If you wait too long, you will end up paying higher prices for a poorly rated mover because they were the only available option left. The last thing you want is a moving company that can \"squeeze you in\'' between other moves. An exhausted and overworked crew works slower and has a higher chance of damaging your items.

Be Your Own Moving Company

A great option for a moving company experience without the cost is to rent a moving truck yourself and hire some local laborers to do the heavy lifting. Websites like craigslist are a great tool. It's a little more legwork on your part, but you can move for about a third of the cost of hiring professional movers!

Change Your Address

Set up mail forwarding to your new address with the postal service at least a week before your move. USPS recommends two weeks advance notice. It's fast and easy online or you can visit any local post office. You won't have to worry about missing any important mail or packages.

Send Out Moving Notices

Send out "We've Moved" notices with your new address to friends and family so they can easily update your contact info. Don't forget to change your address with companies you do business with as well - especially online retailers.

Don't Forget Utilities

Don't overlook your utilities like gas, water, power and internet connections. If your move is local, you may be able to simply notify your utilities providers of your new address and continue services at your new home. In cases where you need to shut off services at your old address and setup services at your new home be sure to check ahead of time. Utilities can often be activated within a day, but some can take longer. It's not ideal if you are forced to unexpectedly live without power or internet access for a few days as you're trying to settle in your new home.

Set A Packing Schedule

Plan to space out your packing. There is always more to pack than you think and doing it all at once is a recipe for stress. Start at least a week or two ahead of time and begin with packing non essential things like pictures and other decorations. Then move on to less frequently used things. By the end you should only have to pack clothes, dishes, and bathroom items. It will make your life so much easier.

Plan For Friends And Family

Ask for help moving from friends and family early! Give them time to plan around your big move day. The more advance notice you can give, the more people will likely be able to schedule the time to help.

Take Photos And Video

If you're renting, be sure to take pictures and video of your old home before you leave and if possible, your new home before you begin unloading the moving truck. It never hurts to document the condition of the home or apartment to protect yourself if there are any disputes later.

Preparing To Move:

Recycle electronics

Gather up any old electronics, batteries, and other e-waste and drop them off at your local recycling center. Not only will you have less to move but many centers will pay you for it!

Declutter

Sell any items you don't want to pack up and move online or even have a yard sale. You can donate old clothes, toys, tools and many other items you may no longer need before you move. You'll save both time and money on moving costs by moving less and make some extra cash while you do it.

Plan For Kids and Pets

Have a friend or relative watch the kids and pets on moving day to help streamline an already hectic proces. An great alternative for younger children is to set up a kids room with some games or other activities to keep them safely out of the way of the heavy boxes and furniture being carried around.

Measure Large Items Ahead Of Time

Check the size of large or oddly shaped items and make sure they not only fit where you plan to place them in your new home, but can fit through any doorways or hallways along the way!

Return Rental Items

Don't forget to add returning any cable boxes and internet equipment along with any remote controls you may have rented from your local ISP or cable provider to your to-do list. You could wind up paying late fees or even get a bill for the full price of the rental items if not returned.

Copy Important Documents

Make copies of all your important documents before you move. You don't want to lose them due to theft, damage, or accident. It may be a good idea to seal them in plastic as well. For valuable or sensitive documents it may be best to keep them with you during your move.

Get Your Cleaning Supplies

Make a list of all the household cleaning supplies you will need to clean both your new home and your old, then make just one trip to the store. You may need more than you think and find yourself making many trips to get cleaning products you ran out of.

Clean Your New Home First

If you are able to access your new home prior to your move in date, it's a great idea to clean thoroughly while the house or apartment is empty. It will save so much time.

Get Packing Supplies

Make sure to pick up plenty of packing supplies. Boxes, packing tape, and packing material like paper and bubble wrap are important. It is also helpful to have colored tape and markers for labeling. A large roll of plastic wrap is another popular packing must have.

Defrost the Refrigerator

To avoid musty mildew smells permeating your new home, defrost fridge the day before the move. Trust me - just do it.

Photograph Electronics

Take a photo of the back of any wired electronics like a TV or stereo system. That way you will have a reference for how to wire everything back together correctly.

Essential Packing Tips:

Pack An Essentials Bag

Pack up an essentials bag for everyone to have easy access to common items on moving day. Snacks, toiletries, tissue, even some small games to keep kids entertained. Having things in an easily accessible place you don't need to worry about is valuable for your sanity!

Don't Forget Important Medications

Keep important medication separate from your general packing and keep them with you. They could accidentally be packed in a box or worse - tossed out.

Handle Problematic Items

Some items may be too dangerous (or in some cases illegal) to place on a moving truck. Fuels, corrosive chemicals, automotive batteries, paints, and chemicals like ammonia or chlorine. You may want to dispose of these items or transport them separately.

Get Good Quality Boxes

You can purchase packs of new boxes online, or at any large hardware store. Using old boxes is fine too as long as they are good quality. Skip boxes that have tears, holes, bent sides, or floppy lid panels. That's going to increase the likelihood of damaging items or breaking open when stacked. It's just not worth it.

Look For Free Boxes

Check with friends, neighbors or local businesses for some free boxes. Liquor stores are an excellent source, their boxes are sturdy and just the right size!

Label Everything

At a minimum we suggest labeling each box with its intended room. It's a good idea to label each box with the contents too, especially if they will be sitting in storage for a while between homes. You can use colored tape on each box to quickly identify boxes by room or category later.

Use Good Label Placement

Writing your box labels on the side of the box makes it way easier to scan through a stack of boxes and find the one you're looking for. When the labels are written on the top it means you have to move or unstack boxes until you find what you're looking for.

Correct Box Size

Pick smaller sturdier boxes to pack heavy things and save the bigger boxes for lighter things. They will be much easier to carry and won't be as likely to crush the boxes below when you stack them.

Don't Overpack

Ignore the temptation to overpack your boxes. Packing in more weight than a box can handle will often cause it to sag or break open. It's just a little cardboard held together with some tape after all. Try to keep boxes packed with no more than 50 lbs.

Bundle Fragile Items

Pack fragile items together with plenty of padding. Never pack breakables where they can move or shift in a box during the move.

Use Plenty Of Padding

There are so many easy to use and free pays to pack breakable items or fill up an empty void to prevent items from shifting. Use scrunched up newspaper, towels, blankets, sheets, pillows and cushions wherever you can. You can also purchase packing material like bubble wrap.

Leave Your Clothes On The Hanger

One simple packing technique for your clothes is to just leave them right on the hanger, fold them in half, and lay them right in the box. It's the fastest way to pack and unpack. If you plan to store your boxes you may want to consider rolling your clothes instead.

Roll Your Clothes

Rolling your clothes is a great space saving technique. It also helps prevent creasing which can be useful for clothes you plan to keep in storage. You can even use old rolled up t-shirts as extra cushioning for fragile items!

Use Vacuum Storage Bags

These bags are great for bedding sets, blankets, towels, pillows and clothes. They can save an incredible amount of space and are well worth considering.

Use Wardrobe Boxes

For long dresses, skirts, suits and other hanging clothes consider a wardrobe box. It's very easy to pack and will protect your clothes during your move or while in storage. If you are hiring a moving company, they may have wardrobe boxes available.

Pack In Creative Containers

You can pack items in laundry baskets, suitcases, luggage backpacks or even empty bin containers. You've got to move those containers anyway, might as well put them to use and save a few boxes!

Pack Little Things Inside Big Things

A great way to save space and packing materials is to put small loose items in makeshift containers like large pots. A great example is putting spice bottles into a stock pot.

Photograph Your Electronics

Take a photo of the back of all your electronics like television sets, computers, and home stereo equipment for reference. Then when you are ready to connect everything back up in your new home you have a perfect guide!

Secure Drawers And Doors

Tape any doors on furniture shut and wrap furniture or smaller items with drawers in plastic wrap to keep them from sliding out.

Don't Empty Drawers

Instead remove the drawers and wrap them in plastic wrap with everything safely inside. Packing doesn't get much easier than that.

Track Your Furniture Disassembly

When you disassemble furniture for the move be sure to place all the screws, brackets, dowels and other hardware together in a sealable bag and label it. Tape the bag of hardware to the furniture or better yet, collect all the bags together in one place. It never hurts to take pictures to remind yourself how the pieces are assembled.

Put Glassware In Socks

Any time glass touches in a box there is a higher chance of breakage. You never want to hear any clinking sounds when you pick up a box. A simple solution - put each glass inside a sock!

Use Towels And Clothes For Padding

You don't need to go out and purchase a thousand square feet of bubble wrap for your move. Your house is already full of free padding material. Use towels, t-shirts, blankets, pillows, bedsheets, oven mitts to place around fragile items. Anything soft will do!

Pack Dishes Vertically

Don't stack dishes flat on top of each other when you pack. Even with padding in between they are more prone to breaking in this orientation. Instead place them vertically in the box like you would in a dishwasher.

Put Heavy Things In Small Boxes

Keep heavy items relegated to the small boxes. It's easy for larger boxes to become too heavy to lift as you try to fill the space up. Remember you've got to carry these boxes around, be kind to your back!

Finish Packing The Day Before

Moving day will be hectic. Plan to have all your packing done the day before you move. You will thank yourself for the extra time to make sure you have everything in order before the loading and unloading begins.

Start Packing Early

Begin packing as far in advance as you can. You can start weeks ahead with non essential items like pictures and paintings. Then move on to things like games or extra bedding. Do a little bit each day and when it's time to get serious, you'll be done in no time.

Leave The Biggest Boxes For The Lightest Things

Bigger boxes can hold more stuff right? Not so fast - many small items add up weight very quickly. You can end up with a box you cannot lift before you know it! Use the big boxes for a few large items or many light ones.

Fill Empty Space With Pillows

Use cushions, pillows, and light bedding to fill large gaps in boxes that are getting too heavy.

Use A Large Box Packing Strategy

To prevent overpacking in large boxes, always pack the larger heavier items in the bottom. Then fill the top with light items. Not only will this keep the weight manageable, but the boxes will have a good weight distribution and be easier to move and stack.

Tape Your Boxes Shut

Always tape your boxes shut. It's ok to weave the flaps together too but always add tape as well. Relying on weaving the box flaps alone can cause the boxes to shift out of square a little and compromise the strength of the box. This is especially noticeable with over packed boxes or when they are stacked.

Seal Liquids With Plastic

To prevent liquids from accidently leaking during transport, remove the top of the container and cover the opening with plastic wrap then screw the top back on. It's an easy trick to help avoid a big mess later.

Make Your Own Box Handles

Simply cut out two small triangles on opposite sides of the box about a third of the way from the top. Make sure the triangles are pointing down and wide enough to fit your hands and presto! You have handles.

Kitchen Knife Safety

For safe handling, put kitchen knives in oven mitts or fold a strip of cardboard around the blade and tape it in place. The last thing you want is for someone to reach into a box with loose knives and get hurt!

Pack Lamp Shades Separately

Remove lamp shades and pack them separate from the lamp. Leaving them attached is a surefire way to have them damaged. Pack shades together with a little bit of padding and you won't have any problems. Here's an extra tip - don't use newspaper to pad your lamp shades the ink can transfer and ruin the delicate fabric.

Protect Framed Glass With Tape

For a little extra protection for flat glass and mirrors, apply tape in an X pattern on the glass. It will help prevent breakage and in the worst case help contain the broken glass. However, this is not a substitute for wrapping the items in padding - it's just a little extra insurance.

Photograph Box Contents

Take a quick pic of box contents for reference before you seal them up. That way you can easily view the contents without access to the box. This tip is more helpful for long distance moves or when you need to place things in storage for a while.

Important Moving Day Tips:

Pack A Cooler

Have a cooler on hand with ice for drinks. Stock it with plenty of bottled water and any other drinks you and your moving crew might like. It won't go unappreciated.

Have Snacks On Hand

Plan for easy to prepare foods and snacks for moving day and maybe even the day after too. Ordering take out is the simplest solution, but having granola bars, cereal or even basic sandwich ingredients on hand will make things much easier for everyone.

Use A Hand Cart

Get a small hand cart or dolly and save your back. Moving day is going to be exhausting enough. If you don't have one available they are very inexpensive to rent from a local Home Depot or Lowes.

Load Heavy Things First

Make sure to load the heaviest items in first toward the front of the truck or towing trailer. How you distribute the weight is critical for stability, especially for a trailer. Loading improperly can cause unstable and uncontrollable movement especially at highway speeds and could cause an accident.

Keep Boxes Together

Try to keep the boxes that are destined for the same room loaded together. It's much easier on the unloading end to move boxes as a group when they all get delivered to the same place.

Unpack Necessities First

Start with beds and bathrooms, then move on to the kitchen items you use daily. Once you've got that accomplished you can handle any problems or delays that come your way. You can relax and start tackling the rest on your own schedule.

Unpack A Little At A Time

Moving day can be stressful enough so don't burden yourself with an overly aggressive unpacking goal. Schedule a realistic time frame. It takes between one and three days on average to get unpacked. If you need a little more time then take it!

Set Yourself A Deadline

The average amount of time it takes to unpack the very last box after a move is about six months! Some people end up with boxes in a garage years afterwards. Set yourself a deadline to have everything unpacked and in its place and stick to it.

Keep Your Valuables With You

No matter how far or long your move is, consider making plans to keep your valuables with you and not on a moving truck. Include the items you wouldn't want to financially or emotionally lose like jewelry, family photos, and important documents.

Keep The First Boxes In Easy Reach

Pack the boxes you plan to need first at your new home in an easy to reach place. Put them last on the truck so they can be the first ones unloaded. These are usually bathroom and kitchen related boxes. That way people can begin unpacking the necessities while the truck is still being unloaded. It will save a lot of time.