Most people dread moving. From days of packing, back-aching loading and unloading, and the tedious process of settling your belongings into a new home, it can feel like the moving process lasts forever. However, with over 28 years in the moving services industry, we’ve developed some tips to make moving easier.
11 tips to make moving faster and easier
Below are 11 of our top tips for making your next move easier, faster, and less stressful.
1 – Clear Clutter As Soon As You Know You’re Moving
As soon as you find out you’re moving—even if it’s still months away—start clearing clutter. Pick one closet, cupboard, or dresser to clean out each week. This will save you time and effort in the long-run as well as prevent you from hauling unwanted junk to your new home.
To keep this tip as easy and effortless as possible, only focus on eliminating unwanted items, not on reorganizing or rearranging. Choose to throw away broken items or donate items you no longer use or want (see moving tip #2 below).
If you have less than 1 month to move, merge this process with packing. Have 3 categories for goods as you pack each room—one should be items that go straight into moving boxes, one goes straight into garbage bags, and one should be a box or bag for donation. This doesn’t add much effort during the packing process but will save tons of time and energy as you unpack.
2 – Schedule A Free Donation Pickup
As you begin clearing clutter, keep one corner of your garage or storage area to place bags and boxes for donation. Instead of making multiple runs to a donation drop-off, schedule one big donation pick-up a week or two before your big move.
3 – Start Packing Early
This probably goes without saying, but it’s worth mention as a moving tip anyway. The earlier you start packing, the easier your move will be. Plan ahead and make a schedule. If you’re able to spread your packing out over a month or more, start with a box in each room for items that you won’t need between now and the move.
Label the boxes by the room name and “least necessary” so you know to unpack them last in your new home. Then stack the boxes in a single room or storage area so they can easily be transported to the moving truck.
4 – Label Your Boxes Meticulously
As you’re packing your goods into boxes, label your boxes meticulously.
- Include the room your goods will be going into in your new home rather than the room they’re in currently
- Label boxes for each room in the order in which you should unpack them, with the most essential items in the box labeled “1,” the second-most essential box labeled “2,” and so on.
- Include a description of the goods in as much detail as possible. “Mom Clothes” may be fine, but “Mom work slacks + jackets” may help you find needed items or prioritize unpacking more easily in the long-run
5 – Hire Professional Movers
Professional moving services used to be considered a luxury, but prices have decreased making moving services more affordable than ever. Hire a team of professional movers to load, unload, and transport your goods. This can save you significant time and stress during a move.
Would you like a free, no-obligation moving quote? Contact us!
6 – Pack An Accessible Bag/Box For Essentials
This tip is less about making your move easier and more about making you more comfortable when you finally reach your destination. By having a bag or two ready with your go-to items, you can help ensure you have the comforts of home as quickly as possible.
We recommend you include:
- Clothes and toiletries
- Important medications and a first-aid kit
- Basic tools (for assembling furniture)
- Flashlight
- Toilet paper
- Hand soap
- Hand towels or paper towels
- Garbage bags
- Bath towel
- Shower curtain (if you don’t have an enclosed shower)
- Cups (for drinking water)
- Box cutter
7 – Arrange Utilities Ahead Of Time
Save yourself some trouble and make sure utilities are turned on in your new place ahead of time, including gas, water, garbage, phone (if you have a landline), and internet—if possible. This will help you hit the ground running when you reach your new place.
8 – Pre-Clean The Bathroom And Kitchen In Your New Home
If your move is local and you get the keys ahead of time, it can be useful to clean the bathroom and kitchen in your new home before moving day. You may even want to save yourself the trouble and hire a professional cleaner to take care of the dirty work for you. This way, your house will be sparkling clean when you’re ready to move in so you won’t have to waste any time before starting to unpack.
If you’re unable to clean the home ahead of time, pack a few essential cleaning items in an accessible place for when you first arrive.
9 – Use Coloured Tape
Create a colour-coding system by sticking a couple long strips of coloured tape on your moving box. These strips are easier to spot than marker or stickers and can make it easier to unload during your move.
10 – Opt-In To Packing And Unpacking Services
If you decide to hire a moving company, check in to see how much it would cost to add on packing and unpacking services. Estimate the number of hours you think you would personally realistically spend packing and multiply that by your personal hourly rate. If it would cost less to add-on the services with the moving company than it would to take time out of your day to pack and unpack on your own, then let the moving company handle it!
11 – Stock Up On Packing Supplies
There’s nothing that wastes more time and causes more stress than trying to hack together ways to pack your items when you’ve run out of boxes and packing supplies. Plan ahead to make your move go easier by stocking up on packing supplies including boxes, paper, and bubble wrap.
Make sure to include several different sized boxes, including small, sturdy boxes for heavy items like books and dishes and larger boxes for pillows, blankets, or décor. It can also pay to invest in wardrobe boxes for clothes, which allow you to hang clothes on their hangers directly in the box for an easy clothes packing and unpacking process.
Get Started
Make your move even easier by hiring an affordable moving company! Great Canadian Van Lines has been providing affordable moving services for over 28 years. Request a free, no-obligation quote today.
