Here Are 5 Easy Tactics to Make Moving Easier
Make Moving Easier with These 5 Tactics
Moving is one of the most stressful life events. At least according to a 2020 survey that found that 45% of respondents listed moving as the most stressful life event, even more stressful than a breakup or divorce, having kids, or starting a new job. Sixty four percent of respondents said that their most recent move was one of the most stressful things they’ve ever experienced—which is saying a lot after going through the process of buying and selling a home.
While this survey was conducted during the height of the pandemic which could have impacted or exacerbated moving stress, the 1,000 respondents were people who had moved within the last three years. With these numbers in mind, it’s important to do as much as possible to make moving a smooth process to reduce the amount of stress involved.
Whether you’re moving into a new house or a new apartment, moving across town or across the country, moving with a ton of stuff or just a few belongings, these five moving tactics will make moving easier.
1. Make a Plan
Making a plan is one of the best tactics to make moving easier, reduce moving stress, and even save some money. Things to include in the plan:
- Schedule a moving company or enlist friends and family to help you pack and move on the actual moving day
- Purchase and gather moving supplies, including (but not limited to) packaging tape, bubble wrap, newspapers, boxes, bins, labels in different colors (we’ll come back to this), and garbage bags
- Take inventory of your home, starting with the big items that will be more difficult to move and working down to the small items that can be packed together.
2. Set Up or Transfer Utilities
Some utilities can be transferred into your name on the same day while others need 24 hours or more to establish service. Calling your service provider around two weeks before your scheduled move date will give them time to get things situated and scheduled on their end.
Depending on how far you’re moving and if your service providers are available in your new location, you may simply have to transfer service, or you may need to cancel service with your existing company and establish service with a new one. You’ll also have to inform your current provider of your new address so they can send the final bill—if you do online billing, this may not be necessary.
Utilities that you may need to set up or transfer include gas, electricity, water, waste collection, and internet. Set your service end date to a day or two after you move in case there are any hiccups and you can’t move on your scheduled day. And set up your new service to start a day before you move into your new place, so it’s all set up and ready to go when you get there.
3. Declutter
Decluttering can be done anytime, but doing it as you’re packing and moving can make the move much easier. Sometimes it’s hard to know what is necessary or wanted and what isn’t when you’re living in your home, but when it comes time to move, things can become much clearer.
You can go the Marie Kondo route and only keep things that spark joy, but you can also ask yourself another question—“do I want to spend time and packing materials on this thing?”
If something has been hiding in a box in the back of your closet, is it something that really needs to be picked up, loaded into the moving van, unloaded at your new place, and unpacked (or shoved into the back of another closet)?
This process can also extend into the kitchen when you’re deciding what food items to take with you. The bottle of dressing that’s upside down to get out the last two drops? Throw it. The package that only has two crackers left? Eat them. The miscellaneous cheese and nuts? Make a snack plate.
Decluttering as you pack can make the actual move much easier because you’re not packing and unpacking unnecessary items. This can also save you both time and money as you’ll be packing less and using less packing materials.
4. Color code your boxes and/or labels
Before you start packing, grab your colored labels and choose a color for each room. As you pack boxes, label the boxes with the corresponding room color. That way, when you get to your new home, you can quickly see the color and know exactly where to drop the box off!
You can also label the boxes with what’s inside to help you when you’re actually unpacking the boxes. But having color coded labels will help you get the boxes to the right place quickly and then you can deal with actually unloading them later.
5. Pack your beds last and set them up first
After moving around a lot after college, I finally started packing my bed last and setting it up first in my new place. When you’re moving, the beginning of the day is full of excitement as you finally get to start putting your things in your new place. By the end of the day, all you want to do is eat and crash. Walking into a bare mattress on the floor or propped up against the wall can be devastating.
The solution: When you’re packing up your old place, pack your bed—beds if there are multiple people—last so it’s the first thing out of the truck. Make sure to keep your bedding close by. When you get to your new place, set up the beds and make them. That way, when everyone’s done for the day, the beds are ready and waiting!
Bonus tip: Pack an overnight bag and a moving essentials box
Just like the last thing in the world you want to do when you finish the day’s moving tasks is to set up and make your bed, you also won’t want to search for your toothbrush and pajamas. Packing an overnight bag that includes everything you’ll need to end the day and start the next can make it easier to end the day and get started in the morning. A moving essentials box will also ensure that you’re not digging through boxes to find toilet paper or pet food.
Some things to pack in the overnight bag:
- Pajamas
- A set of clothes
- Shaving supplies
- Makeup
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Phone chargers
- iPad or tablet
- Kid/baby supplies—diapers, wipes, a few toys and books, etc
- Medications
Things to pack in the moving essentials box:
- Toilet paper and paper towels
- Paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, disposable cups, etc.
- Trash bags
- Pet supplies—pet food, treats, leash, litter box, some toys, etc.
Use these tips to make moving easier
Moving can be incredibly stressful. Between packing, coordinating movers or friends and family, transferring utilities, possibly changing jobs and schools, unpacking, and setting up a new home, there’s a lot to prepare for.
Having a plan, setting up utility transfers ahead of time, decluttering, color coding boxes, and setting up your bed(s) first, and packing overnight bags and a moving essentials box can make the move much less stressful.
Steph Mickelson is a freelance writer based in Northwest Wisconsin who specializes in real estate, building materials, and design. When she’s not writing, she can be found juggling kids and coffee.