This blog post focuses on moving day tips that everyone should know.
Moving day can be the most exciting and stressful day of your life. It marks the beginning of a fresh start and a new chapter. At the same time, it also signifies the end of an era, all amidst the inevitable stress and chaos of moving day.
Whether you’re moving into your first home, a college dorm, a new apartment, or any new space, I can guarantee the emotions will be HIGH. It’s thrilling to dive into something new while also soul-crushing to say goodbye to what may have been all you’ve ever known. Throw in all the running back and forth and the anxious feelings of what could possibly go wrong, and “overwhelming” now seems like an understatement.
The secret to a stress-free moving day is all about planning and organization. While the entire process can be intimidating, I’m here to simplify it and ensure you achieve maximum efficiency with minimal stress. Below, I’ve gathered 20 essential moving day tips that you NEED to know because they’re absolutely life-changing. They will undoubtedly transform your experience and leave you feeling not opposed to ever facing another move again.
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A Guide to Moving Day Tips That Will Change Your Life
1. STAY HYDRATED + FUELLED
I cannot emphasize this enough—stay fueled and hydrated. It’s so easy to exhaust yourself thin and dry on moving days because you get caught up in the hustle and bustle and forget to take care of yourself. Moving day demands a lot of both mental and physical energy. Therefore, to prevent fatigue and ensure your body operates at its best, staying fueled and hydrated is absolutely essential. Prioritizing your well-being in this way optimizes your energy levels to ensure a smooth and successful move. Whether you’re grabbing a quick granola bar on the go or taking a moment to sit down for a meal, that’s as straightforward as it gets.
2. DECLUTTER BEFORE YOU PACK
Decluttering before you pack is crucial. Moving is like hitting the reset button, so it’s the perfect opportunity to tidy up. You’ll likely be adding new stuff to what you already own, so it’s a great time to clear out what you no longer need or use.
Decluttering can help you streamline the packing process and help you organize more effectively. The overall volume and number of items you need to pack are reduced, which really helps make the move feel less stressful and overwhelming. Sort through your stuff and ask yourself: “Is this essential?” or “Do I really need this?”. It’s all about avoiding unnecessary clutter and saving yourself time and money in the long run.
3. KEEP A SUPPLY STATION
Creating a supply station is one of my favourite ways to reduce the chaos of moving day and feel slightly more put together. I know it may come off as overboard, but I can assure you its sole purpose wasn’t just to please my Type-A personality.
Moving day is already so frantic with all the running around and stress—you’ll absolutely hear yourself repeat “Where’s the tape?”, “Where’s the marker?”, and “Where’s the labels?” a million times! Putting together a mini supply station is easy and super convenient—hardly anyone thinks to do it, but it seriously changes everything.
I use a small caddy for easy carrying, then stocked it with markers, tape, labels, Ziploc bags, foam sheets, scissors, and more. Now, wherever I go, everything I need comes with me, and I always know where to find any tool I may need because it’s all in one place.
4. LABEL EVERYTHING
Label absolutely EVERYTHING. Unfortunately, it might take away the surprise of discovering what’s in each box (i hope you find this as funny as i did), but it saves you tons of time and frustration in the long run.
If you’re like me and group items by room or category, labelling each box—every side of it—ensures everyone knows exactly where each box belongs, speeding up the whole unloading and unpacking process. Instead of rummaging through boxes to find what you need, clear labels tell you exactly what’s inside each one. This way, you can quickly locate essentials and prioritize what to unpack first.
5. KEEP INVENTORY
Keeping inventory is the best way to track your belongings and prevent anything from getting lost. It keeps you organized by knowing exactly what’s packed and quickly spotting if something goes missing.
6. CREATE AN ESSENTIALS BOX OR OVERNIGHT BAG
Packing an essentials box or overnight bag ensures easy access to items you may need on your first night. With all the chaos going on, you might not get to every box or may be too exhausted to go looking for your essentials. We’re all about making your life easier over here, it’s so convenient to have immediate access to your necessities. Pack essentials like toiletries, medications, a change of clothes, and any important documents you may need right away.
7. PACK HANGING CLOTHES EFFICIENTLY
Sometimes it’s all about working smarter, not harder, especially when packing your closet. There’s an efficient way to pack the clothing pieces hung up in your closet without having to unhang and fold each one.
One way to do this, and the most affordable, is by using garbage bags. Slide a garbage bag over a group of hanging clothes, gather the hangers at the top, and tie the bag around them to keep everything safe.
Another way to do this is by using wardrobe boxes. This is my favourite way to pack clothing from my closet, although it’s on the pricier side. Directly transfer your clothes from your closet to wardrobe boxes with hanging bars. This keeps them organized, instantly ready to put away, and even minimizes wrinkles.
8. UTILIZE SUITCASES AND TRAVEL BAGS
Using suitcases that you likely already own is one of the best moving day tips. They’re already spacious, so you might as well make full use of their capacity. This way, you save money on extra boxes you may need and efficiently utilize the large amount of space they occupy. Use suitcases to store your clothing, or store heavier items like books and use their wheels to help transport heavy items more easily.
9. TAKE MEASUREMENTS
Measure your furniture pieces to make sure they can fit through your doors. It might seem like a small detail, but trust me, it’s crucial. Many people have faced the frustration of furniture that won’t squeeze through, whether it’s old pieces or new buys. This is the last thing you need on an already chaotic moving day. Imagine the disappointment of not being able to settle in because your couch won’t fit through the door.
10. USE ZIPLOC BAGS TO SECURE LOOSE ITEMS
Using Ziploc bags is a simple way to keep loose items organized on moving days and prevent you from losing those items. For example, when disassembling furniture, you can use Ziploc bags to store bolts and screws together. You can then tape the bag to the furniture to keep these items secured together or label it to indicate where it belongs and store it in a safe place. Another example of items you can use Ziploc bags to store and organize are your loose hair ties, pins, and clips.
11. PROTECT YOUR MATTRESSES AND FURNITURE
Protecting your mattress and furniture during a move is crucial for several reasons. First, it helps prevent damage such as scratches, tears, or stains that can occur during transportation. These items are so large and bulky that bumps and scrapes seem inevitable. They’re also so expensive that you want them to arrive at your new home in good condition to avoid having to replace them. Mattresses, in particular, require protection because they absorb moisture and dirt, which we don’t want. You can use protective materials like mattress covers, furniture blankets (or regular blankets), and plastic wrap to help protect your items.
12. IT’S NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY TO EMPTY YOUR DRAWERS TO PACK
If you plan to keep any dressers you already own, here’s a convenient moving-day tip: wrap your dresser in plastic wrap. Instead of unpacking each drawer, you can leave everything in place. This protects your dresser from bumps and keeps drawers securely closed. Also, you save a lot of time with this method by avoiding the need to remove all your belongings.
13. PACK LIQUIDS TOGETHER AND PACK AWAY IN A PLASTIC BIN
I highly recommend packing your liquids together and storing them in a plastic bin. Keeping liquids grouped together simplifies handling, while using a plastic bin makes cleanup easier and prevents potential damage from leaks spreading to other boxes.
14. IF IT’S WITHIN YOUR MEANS, CONSIDER MOVERS
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the whole moving process and it’s within your means, hire movers! Professional movers are experienced in handling furniture and delicate items, so their ability to transport your belongings safely and efficiently brings a lot of peace of mind. If anything does break, they’re usually insured, which means your items are protected in case of accidents. Besides transportation, they also offer packing services, which helps streamline the entire moving process. Hiring movers isn’t for everyone because it does come with a significant cost, but if you can afford it, I highly recommend it.
15. ARRANGE UTILITIES AHEAD OF TIME
Forgetting to arrange your utilities ahead of time is more common than you might realize—it’s often out of sight, out of mind. That said, I’m here to remind you to get your utilities set up before you arrive (if needed). When moving into your new place, it’s important to avoid any unnecessary delays by ensuring essentials like electricity and water are ready to go.
16. KEEP A FIRST AID KIT HANDY
Having a first aid kit on hand isn’t always something people think about, but it’s essential. Moving day is chaotic—people are rushing around, items break, spills happen, and you’re navigating corners quickly. It’s basically an injury zone waiting to happen. Having a first aid kit ready can be a lifesaver for dealing with minor accidents and ensuring you can handle mishaps quickly and efficiently.
17. PACK ITEMS THAT BELONG IN THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER
Packing items from the same room together makes unpacking faster and more efficient. Just bring the box to its designated room and unpack everything there, instead of sorting items into different rooms from one box. This method reduces the stress of figuring out where each item goes and minimizes the risk of misplacing things.
18. START EARLY
Moving is stressful—yes, it’s exciting, but it also sucks. One of the best moving day tips is to start early. Whether I’m packing for a trip or a move, I’m a huge procrastinator because I always think I’ll need whatever I pack away (I usually don’t). I don’t recommend it because you get stressed and overwhelmed, which is the last thing you need. Starting early allows you to pace yourself and gives you the time to declutter and organize your belongings more effectively. Most of the time you will experience challenges and delays on moving day, so it’s best to save yourself the time to deal with those issues instead of being stuck packing last-minute.
19. TAKE BREAKS
Moving day is challenging because it can be physically and mentally demanding. It’s important to take breaks and allow yourself time to recharge, as this helps prevent fatigue and reduces the risk of injury or strain. Take time to relax, stay hydrated, and nourish yourself, as it’s essential for your mental and physical well-being.
20. DO A FINAL WALK-THROUGH
Doing a final walk-through is an important moving day tip. Walking through each room allows you to make sure everything is in order before leaving for your new home and ensures nothing has been left behind or overlooked. Most of the time, something does get forgotten. Also, a final walk-through lets you take everything in one last time—the end of an era and the start of a new journey.