Moving day can be tiring and stressful for most people, especially with everything changing so quickly. One minute, your home is filled with memories, and the next, it is empty. In between, there is a blur of physical activity with people moving things in and out of rooms. With everything going on, you need to communicate with your movers and each other before and during your moving day. As you get ready to move, you should come up with a moving plan. Moving planning and moving prep can be just as hectic because there is a lot you need to do to get your house ready. If you are unsure of how to plan for a move, we’ve got you! Here are five things to do to prepare your house for an easy, smooth move for your movers.
Table of contents
1. Clean and get ready to move
Start planning your move two months before your moving day. As you get closer to moving day, you should make sure that each room is clean. This is an important part of moving prep, as you pack your things into boxes and get ready to move. While you are moving planning, take into account what cleaning supplies you have and need. Make sure you have the right cleaning supplies and equipment. Wipe down surfaces, and clean the walls, windows, and floors. Take out the trash and recycling to make sure you are not leaving anything behind. As you are clearing things out and moving planning, cleaning can also give you an idea of any extra packing supplies you may need. Get your place ready for movers to move around in and for you to move out of.
Get rid of items you don’t want
As you are sorting through your belongings, decide what you want to keep and bring to your new home. Sell or donate gently-used items and items that you don’t want or need. As you learn how to plan for a move, another tip is to empty your drawers and make sure that there is nothing sliding or shifting around. You don’t want an item to fly out of those drawers and hit one of your movers because that can be dangerous. Keep your movers and yourself safe during the moving process!
Dispose of hazardous materials during moving prep
While you are preparing to move, figure out what products you need to get rid of. As you are throwing things out, dispose of hazardous household products according to EPA regulations. There are several household products, such as cleaners and batteries, made of ingredients that can catch fire, react dangerously, and be toxic if left as waste. Pouring them down the drain or throwing them away with the rest of the trash can cause high-risk consequences. Follow instructions on product labels for use, storage, and disposal to avoid risks.
Clean and dust your furniture
Moving your entire place around has probably moved a lot of dust into the air. During the week leading up to your moving day, remember to wipe down and dust your furniture so that your movers won’t be breathing all that dust in. You don’t want your movers moving dirty objects or sneezing the entire time they’re moving your furniture! That could make it harder for them to move your things. Besides, you don’t want to be moving dusty furniture into your new home.
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2. Strategize your packing process in your moving planning
Planning the packing process is a major part of moving prep. You should start packing 2-3 weeks before you move out of your current place into your new place. First, buy packing supplies, which should be covered in your moving budget. These supplies can include but are not limited to shipping or packaging tape, bubble wrap, resealable bags, sharpies, and boxes. Use sturdy packing boxes that will support the weight of your belongings. Calculate how many boxes you will need, and make sure you have boxes in varying sizes. Reserve a storage unit, if necessary. Here is more on how to plan for a move when it comes to packing.
Sorting, taking inventory, and labeling boxes
Sort through your items and remember to inventory them so that you can keep track of what you have. Sort your items by categories, such as books, office supplies, and home decor. Make a checklist of what you need to pack. Pack non-essentials first. These are less important items that you won’t need when you first move in. Pack similar items together, and label each box by category with brief details on what is inside. To save time and energy, don’t forget to include what room the items in the box belong to so that the movers won’t be going back and forth between rooms. Keep similar boxes grouped together to make it easier to find things.
There are things that you will still need up until moving day, like kitchenware, clothing, and toiletries. Make sure you set aside boxes for these last-minute items in your moving plan, and pack these items last.
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Handling fragile or valuable items
Movers handle a lot of heavy and fragile items, and we don’t want to break anything! Always let your movers know if something is fragile. It is helpful if you also mark that a box is fragile while you are labeling it. Your movers need to know when something requires careful handling.
If you have valuables or private, important paperwork, gather those items separately. Store them in a safe place, and move them yourself.
Packing heavy items as you get ready to move
A tip for packing heavy items is to pack heavier items at the bottom and lighter items on top. This balances the box weight out and makes the bottom of the box sturdier. Don’t pack a bunch of heavy items in large boxes because those boxes might fall apart when movers move them. Spread them out by using extra boxes. Mix them with lighter items.
Planning and packing a first week box
Your first-week box, or suitcase, should have what you will need during your first week in your new place. This includes but is not limited to clothing, toiletries, shoes, medications, and work equipment. If you have kids or pets, make sure to pack their essentials, too. This is a box or suitcase that you can move yourself since you will be carrying it with you. You might not have access to all your items if you are storing or shipping some of them, so triple-check that you have everything you need.
As you are boxing up parts of your life, it can get hard to keep track of things as you prep for moving. Remember to label everything so that you don’t mix things up! Make sure you have the right boxes or suitcases of essentials with you during your first week.
3. Prepare your appliances during your moving prep
As you consider how to plan for a move, getting your tools and appliances ready is a necessary step of moving prep. Disconnect all electrical appliances, such as the refrigerator, washer, and dryer. While you are finalizing your moving plan, make sure you know what items your movers will and will not move. This may vary from a full moving service company (and their properties) to a labor-only moving service. Empty and unplug your refrigerator at least one day before movers arrive, and allow it to defrost. Get rid of perishable foods! Some items that are banned from moving trucks in most areas include car batteries, paint, motor oil, and nail polish. Here is a detailed list of more items that are not allowed to be packed and transported on moving trucks.
If you own an outdoor grill, you will need to disconnect and remove the propane for safety reasons. You will either need to move the grill yourself or give it away because movers do not move propane in their trucks. Moreover, movers do not move anything with flammable products inside them, such as gasoline and kerosene, because they can explode. As you get ready to move, don’t forget to empty the gas and oil from your lawnmower and other tools that use gas and oil.
4. Budget according to your moving plan
While you are moving planning, make sure to come up with a budget for moving day costs. Standard things to consider in your moving prep are moving services, tips for those services, storage units, and packing supplies. While you get ready to move, plan for additional costs. For instance, family members may have needs that you can’t meet during moving day. If you have kids or pets, you may also want to consider coming up with a babysitting or petsitting plan and include those fees in your budget.
Include a moving plan for kids and pets on moving day
If you have kids or pets, their needs are a necessary part of moving prep. With a variety of heavy objects being moved around, including furniture, the space can be unsafe for your kids and your pets. There will be a lot of things on the floor that they can trip over or run into. They may get in the way of your movers, and if the movers can’t see them, that may put everyone at risk. Keep your kids and pets safe and out of harm’s way by hiring a sitter during moving day. To save additional costs, you can try getting a family member or friend to take care of them.
5. Make sure movers have easy access to your home
Include your movers in your moving prep. During moving prep, make sure you know what you want and need on moving day, and convey that part of your moving plan to your movers. Plan for where the moving truck will park throughout the move, and let them know where to park. Let your movers know how to best access your current and new places. For example, if you live or will live in a gated community, let them know the passcode. If there are time limitations on parking, let them know so that they don’t get a parking ticket. We don’t want these complications on a day when there is already a lot going on. Know the weather that day so that you can prepare for conditions like rain, high winds, and more.
Clear the hallways to make a clear path for your movers as they lift and maneuver furniture and boxes in and out of rooms. Know where you want things to go in your new home to reduce time spent carrying heavy items. Be ready to move out of the way, but be present. Keep close so that the movers can find you if they have any questions.
Be clear as you communicate what you want. Help your movers help you. Your movers at UniMovers are here for you!
