Moving is something I have done a lot of in the past 5 years. Most of them were little moves since I lived in very small spaces for a few years while I was a nanny. But this move from Virginia to Tennessee was a big one, our first big one. I wanted to share 6 Essential Moving Tips that we learned as the start to our New Year/New House series. I can’t wait to share our journey from moving to remodeling our new house!
1. Research movers– a great price on a mover doesn’t always mean reliability and a safe move. Read reviews and prices on movers and make sure they are licensed and insured. Also ask friends and family for suggestions if they are in the area.
2. Purge– Do your best to clean out junk before your move so when you’re unpacking you aren’t searching for places to put stuff that you will never use. Moving is a great time to a great big clean out.
3. Plan, Plan, Plan!– Think about where you will be when your stuff is in transition. What will you need during that time? Also is your stuff going to be in storage for awhile? Ours was and I should have planned better about what I would need during that time and also what you will need first when you move into your new place. We were digging through boxes in the storage unit for Tyler’s dress shoes and my dress for a wedding.
4. Cleaning Supplies– keep out your cleaning supplies! Unless you’re having your place professionally cleaned then you will need to keep out your cleaning supplies and vacuum. You will want these so you are able to clean your place once it is empty.
5. Forward your mail– Don’t forget to get your mail forwarded to your new address. There is so much to do when moving so don’t forget this small but important detail.
6. Upkeep on your place– Make sure you have someone lined up to keep an eye on your place until it sells. Have someone cut the grass, check for any mail that didn’t forward and just keep a general eye on your house.
From your experience, what would you add to this list?
Have extra boxes and tape! Nothing worse than you are on the ball packing and you run out of supplies.
That is a great tip!!
Emily
Thanks Emily! These are super helpful. I always hate moving, and am not looking forward to moving any time soon. These might make it bearable, though!
Thank you Chelsea!
Emily
These are great tips. I’m hopefully not moving anytime soon but I’ll check these out again when I do.
Thanks Britni!
Emily
We moved 4 times (big moves) last year. Purging is SO important.
I also like to have a color-coded label system is you’re doing any of the moving yourself. All boxes that go to a certain room (say the kitchen) are marked in one color. That way no matter who’s unpacking they know where to set the box.
And for those dishes, buy the foamy dish covers and a dish box–no broken dishes at the other end!
Those are great tips. Wow 4 times. One was enough for me! I don’t want to move again for a good long while.
Emily
These are great tips. the second one is the most important. I’ve been moving so often in the last 3 years that I don’t even keep many things! LOL. I hope I can settle very soon and have a warm little home and keep in mind not to save so many stuff that we don’t even know what to do with them later LOL
XOXO
Cami
I hope you settle down soon! It’s nice to get settled in!
Emily
Thanks for all the great tips! I’m moving here in a little over a week to Indiana and it’s quite overwhelming with everything that I need to do! Great post 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Good luck with your move!
Emily
Great tips! In the 2 years my husband and I have been married we have moved 4 times! I’d say another important moving tip is to think about food: Once your old house is cleaned out and ready to be moved, what’s for dinner? Save a little extra money if you plan to eat out. When you first move in, will you have things ready to cook with after your first grocery trip?
These may be of more importance to me, since I have a LOT of dietary restrictions. But even before all my issues started, I always found myself with four hungry guys helping us move…and no money for a pizza. Opps!
Great tips! Thank you for sharing!
Emily
This is a key tip! I remember eating buttered spaghetti on plastic wrap with a plastic spoon twice during one move because that was all we could find! 🙂
Haha yeah. Moving can be a pain!
Emily
Put things you will need at the new house really quickly in dresser drawers. For example, I put toilet paper, sheets and bedding in dresser drawers. So when we get to new place – and it’s late and you’re tired – you don’t have to dig through boxes looking for sheets to make the beds!
Great tip! Thank you for sharing!
Emily
We moved this past Sept cross country. Still trying to get my act together! Happy moving and great tips! Thank you for sharing on Whatever Wednesday @ Thank You Honey!
Whew. Yes moving is a lot of work.
Thank you for coming by!
Emily
Great tips! We have several friends moving in the next little while…I thin we’re staying put. 🙂 Thanks for sharing at the Weekend re-Treat Link Party! xo, S
Thank you for checking them out 🙂
Emily
Love these tips! Stopping by from the SITS Tribe – looking forward to checking out the rest of your blog!
I recently moved from L.A. to Chicago and I can say first-hand a lot of these tips are very useful. I def agree that purging the junk is useful…we didn’t and when the packing got hectic, we were finding loads of things we just didn’t need and ended up selling or giving away to charity.
Also, where in Tennessee did you end up? I grew up in Memphis and the state overall is so beautiful and peaceful! Hope you’re enjoying it!
Thank you! That’s a big move! I love Chicago. We ended up in the Nashville area and we love it!
Emily
Great tips! We moved 7 times the first two years we were married, and I second you on all of the above! Thanks so much for linking up at Hit Me with Your Best Shot! Hope to see you back tonight!
~Abby =)
Wow that’s so much moving! I hope not to be moving again for a long time!
Emily
Great tips! One thing I have learned is that it doesn’t matter how far you are moving! It’s just as hard to move a block away as it is to move to a new city!
Yes for sure!
Emily