If you follow me on Instagram, you know I mentioned that Thomas and I had finally found a house! A townhouse actually, and it was pretty much everything we wanted. That being said, it was time to start prepping for a move. This is technically the only move we’ve made together, considering the last move was each of us moving from our own spaces to one space together. With this move, we are both learning what really works and what doesn’t. Here’s a few of the things that do work!
- Make a GIANT list of everything you could possibly need to get done before your move. Hang it where everyone involved in the move can see to assure that nothing is forgotten about. I prefer using a whiteboard or chalkboard so it’s easy to erase each task as you complete it!
- Create a schedule for the week before the move. Write down a few things that need to be done each day.
- Get a tape gun. I moved quite a bit from 8th grade to my Junior year of high school. Tape guns made things a LOT easier.
- Don’t buy tons of moving boxes. Think economically… Use laundry baskets, extra suitcases, boxes from previous Amazon purchases, or anything that can hold stuff! A lot of times, your friends have their old moving boxes just laying in their garage, just ASK! Scan resources like Facebook Garage sale sites, NextDoor or Craigslist!
- Pack your most valuable things in your suitcase and move it yourself in your own car. We packed up all the contents of our DIY BAR in bubble wrap and packed them neatly in our suitcases… Can’t have broken alcohol, or more importantly broken WINE bottles!
- If you must pack open bottles, place a small piece of plastic wrap under the lid and put the lid back on, over the plastic wrap. NO ONE likes opening a box and having something spilled all over everything.
- Come up with a labeling system. Whether it’s using numbers as room guides or just writing what room each goes in, do it! Label “fragile” on anything that could possibly break and don’t forget a small description on boxes! Nothing is worse than having no idea whats in the 8 boxes labeled “bedroom!”
- Put screws and small pieces in to labeled zip-loc bags so nothing gets separated from the bunch.
- Don’t move anything you don’t want to keep. Try selling furniture you don’t want to move on Craigslist or Facebook garage sales… Not only will it cut down on the stuff you have to move, but it’ll put a little extra cash in your pockets.
- Use the money from items you sell towards moving expenses… Or toward the new furniture you’ve been eyeing 😉 Whatever works best for you.
- Don’t bother folding and packing clothes from your closet. cut open a small hole in the bottom of a trash bag and slide the bag over your clothes. Thomas did this when he moved home from college a few years back and I was amazed. It’s genius and makes closet transport so much easier.
- Make a box/basket/bag of things you KNOW you’ll need on your first night at your new place.
- Don’t buy a ton of furniture before you get in to your new space. It means more you have to move and you never know exactly how things will fit! Just wait!
- Organize boxes in your home by room. Each room will have all of its contents loaded at the same time so each room will be unloaded at the same time.
- Most importantly! Don’t freak out! Everything is going to be okay!
There yah go! These are just some of my most used and trusted tips. Hopefully these will help you the next time you’re planing a big move. If you want to see some of these tips put in to action, follow me on SnapChat @XoXoTiffani where I’m putting a few of these tips in to action each day leading up to our move this weekend!
What are some things you MUST DO when prepping for a move?
What are some things you MUST DO when prepping for a move?
Also, if you haven’t already, head over to my pervious post and enter the #SweetStartTo2016 giveaway with a prize package worth over $300!
22 comments
Good luck in your move! We've moved five times in the past five years and it looks like y'all have a grip on the moving madness :).
Erin, Attention To Darling Blog
It is so great to stay organized when moving the stress of the move is enough!
omg — needed this when I moved cross-country from miami to san francisco, SO MANY DETAILS! great post 🙂
xo christina
http://www.currentlexploring.com
This is great and so helpful! It's also good to set up your new phones/internet/heat etc. beforehand and cancel your old ones!
Congrats on finding something you need! I'm going to be moving cr0ss-country in about 5 months. It's crazy & exciting! I can't wait! Definitely saving this post!
xoxo
Such a great list for an exciting time in your life! Good luck with your move!
http://www.kayleighskloset.com
Great list!! We just moved last August and will be moving again in September (yay military life haha). With our last move, my husband had never used a moving company before so he didn't understand that the chances of them arriving at our destination on time were very unlikely. If I hadn't packed his bags and put them into our car, ALL of his clothes and belongings would have ended up on the truck….which didn't arrive until 2 weeks AFTER he moved overseas. I then had to mail him a bunch of uniforms and things he needed because he didn't think to pack them with us. Men haha
Congrats this is so exciting for you 🙂
xoxo, Jenny
Awesome list! I cannot wait to hear all about the new house 🙂
LOVE that trashbag/garment bag tip…genius. On our last move, we gave every box a number and then used the app Sortly to list all of the contents in each box. It was awesome when I was unpacking and was looking for an item, because I could type in what I wanted and the app told me which box. Then i just had to find the number.
Oh gosh I hate hate hate moving, though I do love having a new space! Great tips though, especially about buying furniture after you move (SO MUCH EASIER). So excited you found a new town home!!!!
Moving is the WORST, but these tips are awesome. I do the same thing with my drawers– no need to pack and unpack when you can just leave the drawer as is!
xo,
Stephanie
Diary of a Debutante
http://www.thediaryofadebutante.com
Great tips! I have moved a lot through the years and feel like I am almost an expert. ha ha. It is so much easier when you are organized.
These are great! I moved recently and only bought two boxes. Everything else I just shoved into suitcases or stored in other items.
xo,Sara Kate Styling
I truly think moving is the most stressful experience ever! Lists of what is in every box and where it's going helps immensely!
Nicole // Chronicling Home
These are great tips! Good luck with your move! I have moved 3 times with in the past 2 years and we always use previous boxes that we already had.
xx,
Amanda || http://www.fortheloveofglitter.com
My husband and I bought a 1930 bungalow that was previously abandoned for 20 years. Needless to say, we gutted the entire thing and are currently in the seventh month of remodeling. I'm saving your oh-so-helpful list for when we can finally move into our new home!
XO, Oksana from FOXYOXIE.com
This post is so relevant to my life right now! My boyfriend and I are house hunting and how to be at this point SOON!
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