Beaks and Barks

Bagel Donut Pet

Moving? 101 Best Moving Tips Ever

Moving is one of life's most stressful events.  To help you have a stress-free move, we've researched dozens of moving books, articles and websites to create a list of the 101 best moving tips.  Use this article to save time, energy and money on your next move.

The tips are organized by category to make them easier to use:

Getting Organized

 

1. Start early-  Almost everyone has more stuff than they think they do, and almost no one leaves enough time to pack it.
2. This will help you manage what has to go where.
3. One study reported that it takes 4-5 hours to pack an average dorm room, so that should give you an idea of what’s involved.
4. Calendar- Pull out a calendar and plan by day when each room will be completed.
5. Delegation- If you’re moving with family members, agree with them exactly while tasks they will be doing and the date they will be finished.
6. Revise your plan if you’re falling behind.

 

Finding Great Movers 

1. Referrals-  Get referrals from local real estate agents and friends who have moved recently.
2. Licensing-  Only consider movers that are licensed, bonded and insured.
3. Research-  Investigate your potential movers through the U.S. Department of Transportation, MovingScam-dot-com and the Better Business Bureau.
4. Estimates- Evaluate a minimum of 3 movers based on in-home estimates of goods to be moved.
5. Price- Price isn't the only factor- extremely low bids indicate a desperate mover.
6. Estimates- Ask for written "Binding Not-To-Exceed" estimates.
7. Avoid "rogue movers"- if you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts!  Never agree to move your possessions with anyone you don’t trust.

 

 

General Packing  

1. Keep the suitcases separated from all the other items to be moved, such as in your car, at your new workplace, etc. so you’ll have everything you need for the first few days without searching through boxes.
2. Then mark the sides of the boxes so you'll know which ones are which.
3. One at a time-  Wherever possible, work on packing just one room at a time (instead of several all at once) to keep things focused and organized.
4. You'll save time and expense.
5. You'll find you get much more accomplished.
6. You'll always know where to look and save time putting things back together.
7. It will save room in your boxes.
8. Then tape perpendicularly at the center of the first tape, forming a cross.
9. Stacking-  Stack boxes with the heaviest on the bottom, lightest on top to prevent crushing.
10. Heavier boxes lead to injuries, are much more likely to burst their tape or seams and tend to get dropped.
11. Scale- Keep a bathroom scale in the room you're packing so you can keep the boxes below the weight limits.

 

Packing Electronics

This will make hooking up the items in your new place much easier.

1. (I realize that most of us don’t have the original packaging for much of anything, but I thought I would bring it up anyway).
2. This two-box system seems like a pain but seems to do a better job isolating items from jarring impacts.
3. Never throw unwrapped cords into boxes- they get tangled and caught on other items.
4. Then you'll know exactly which cord you're seeing and where each end connects when you put things back together.
5. The two-inch rule-  Use at least 2" of biodegradable packing peanuts around each side of fragile items.

 

Box Inventory and Labels 

1. “Fat” is in-  Use the thickest, darkest marker you can find for labeling boxes. Pencils, pens, tin or light markers are almost impossible to see even just a few feet away.
2. That way if a box gets turned, you can still identify its contents.
3. Abbreviate room names-  Start box labels with the abbreviated name of the room followed by a box number, such as “BTH2-6” for "second bathroom, 6th box."  You can then track each box to make sure everything arrived safely.
4. Label "Open Me First" on boxes where it applies.
5. Mark "Fragile" where appropriate.
6. Identify contents- Identify the major contents and where they came from, such as "Medicine Cabinet" or "Linen Closet- Towels and Wash Cloths."
7. Box Inventory-  Keep a clipboard and write down each box's room, box number and contents (graph paper is great for keeping things recorded neatly). 
8. Then you'll know everything arrived safely.
9. Labels out- Ask movers to stack boxes in your new place with the labels facing out so that you can easily spot a specific box.

 

 

Letting People Know 

1. Post Office- File your change of address with the Post Office at least 30 days prior to the date of the move.
2. Referrals- Ask everyone you notify for a referral in your new area.
3. Records- Get copies of your existing records (transcripts from schools, medical records from doctors, etc.) while you’re notifying the changes of address.

 

Change of Address- Whom to Notify 

1. Accountant/tax preparer; Alumni associations; Attorneys
2. Babysitter/ child care provider; Banks (auto loans, checking accounts, credit cards, home equity, IRA’s, mortgage, safe deposit box, savings account); Broker; Business cards (order new ones if applicable)
3. Cell phone provider; Child care/ daycare; Chiropractor; Courts, especially for traffic tickets or local disputes; Credit bureaus; Credit card issuers
4. Dentist; Department of Motor Vehicles; Diaper service; Doctor; Dry cleaning pick-up and delivery
5. Family members
6. Health clubs; House cleaning service; House of worship
7. Insurance providers (auto, health, life, other vehicles); IRS (form 8822)
8. Lawn care; Luggage tags (replace existing ones)
9. Magazine subscriptions
10. New business cards; New employer; Newspaper subscriptions
11. Old employer; Orthodontist
12. Parent-teacher association; Passport; Pet sitter/ dog walker/ pet day care; Pharmacy (BONUS: get year-to-date expense summary for taxes); Physical therapist; Physician (BONUS: get referral for new location); Post office; Professional organizations
13. Retirement plan holders; Return address labels (order new ones)
14. Schools (BONUS: get copies of transcripts); Snow removal service; Social Security Administration; Swimming pool maintenance (pool cleaning, pool opening or closing); Swimming pool memberships
15. Veterinarian BONUS get vet records and recommendations
16. Water delivery service

 

Moving With Kids

1. Consider “The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day.”
2. If appropriate, let children pick their room.
3. If possible, let kids pick a decoration for their new room.
4. Pack a kid's sized suitcase and let each child pick out a special toy to keep with them and a special outfit to wear on "new home day."
5. If the child has a special dish or cup, include it in the kitchen "Open Me First" box so familiar items await them at their new place.
6. Consider unpacking the kids' rooms first, or at least their "Open Me First" boxes to help them settle in.

 

Open Me First Box: The Kitchen 

1. Aluminum foil or plastic wrap
2. Break-proof or disposable flatware, cups, and plates
3. Coffee maker and coffee (don’t forget the filters!)
4. Dish detergent
5. Frying pan and spatula
6. Pet food and bowels
7. Scissors
8. Tea kettle

         

Open Me First Box: Main Bathroom  

1. Bath mat
2. Bath towels
3. First-aid kit (aspirin, band-aids, hydrogen peroxide)
4. Hair dryer
5. Shampoo
6. Shower curtain and rings
7. Soap
8. toothbrushes and toothpaste

 

Open Me First Box: Tool room or drawer  

1. Duct tape
2. Flashlight
3. Flat-head screwdriver
4. Hammer
5. Level
6. Phillips-head screwdriver
7. Picture hangers
8. Tape measure
9. Utility knife

 

Moving Day

1. Again, start early- You want to have everything as organized as possible prior to the arrival of the movers.
2. Your attention will be needed for the nuts and bolts of the move.
3. Have food ready-  Whether you have professional movers or friends and family, having coffee, orange juice, and bagels or donuts available will make it easier for everyone to get started.
4. Cell phone numbers- Make sure you have the cell phone number of the driver of the truck entered into your cell phone, and that the driver has yours in case you get separated or have a problem.
5. Make sure you have payment ready.
6. Directions- Have directions and a map ready for anyone will be driving between your old place and your new place.

 

Unpacking 

1.  Trash and Recyclable Boxes- Keep at least one trash bag (for the real trash) and one large emptied box (to hold used packing paper and biodegradable "peanuts") available in each room BEFORE you start the heavy unpacking.

2.  Time Limits- Set an objective of unpacking a certain number of boxes each day until all the boxes are all unpacked.

 Good luck on your upcoming move!

About the Author

T. Scott Clendaniel is a consultant, speaker and writer. He is the veteran of over 16 lifetime moves, including two across the Pacific. He is also the founder of the website Movers-Edge.com. You can get your free moving checklist, moving tips and advice at our parent site, http://www.Movers-Edge.com. And please vist our free moving blog at http://www.Moving-HQ.blogspot.com.

Co-worker pet peeve # 1000?

Does it piss anyone off but me when there are donuts or bagels in the break-room & women will break one in half because they simply couldn't eat a whole one? Yet they come back three times so they've actually eaten 1 1/2.

Bagels or Donuts?

That bothers me but not as much as when someone goes "What do you mean there is no cream cheese? How can anyone ever expect me to eat a bagel without cream cheese? I hate everyone in this place and these bagels are crap because there's no cream cheese! I WANT CREAM CHEESE NOW!"

What an ungrateful, dramatic b*tch...

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