10 Moving Tips To Save You Time and Money
Updated: Jan 9, 2022
Are you planning to move any time soon? If so, here are ten tips to make your move go more smoothly.
1. Get quotes from several different moving companies
Don’t hire the first moving company that you find. Instead, try to get quotes from two or more moving companies so that you can compare prices and services. When you interview a moving company, make sure to ask them if they are properly licensed and insured.
2. Take photos of your belongings before you pack them
If you do plan to hire a moving company, be sure to take "before" photos of all fragile and/or valuable items. If a mover breaks or damages your items while moving, you may need these photos in order to file a claim and receive compensation.
3. Color-code your moving boxes and household items with post-it notes
You don't necessarily need to purchase fancy moving labels. Instead, you can use colored Post-it notes to code your boxes when moving. You can use packing tape to secure the notes.
4. Have door stoppers handy
You’ll need to keep the front door open on moving day in order to bring items in and out of the house more easily. You may also need to keep a back door or interior door open throughout the day. To make your life easier, bring a door stopper with you on moving day.
5. Place heavy items in small boxes
It's best to put heavy items inside small boxes. This will prevent you from overloading a large box with heavy items. Not only will this make it easier to carry the boxes, but it will also prevent your items from falling out the bottom and breaking the box.
6. Stuff boxes that contain fragile items with pillows and blankets
Double up on packing space by stuffing pillows and blankets into moving boxes that contain fragile items. This will provide extra cushioning for items and prevent them from breaking, while also allowing you to pack more of your items inside the boxes.
If you save bubble wrap and other packing materials from your Amazon shipments, you can use those for padding too.
7. Flatten your moving boxes and store them for the future
Do you think you may move again in the next few years? After you have finished unpacking, we recommend that you flatten your moving boxes and save them for a future move. This will save you from having to purchase or find boxes later.
8. Check all your cabinets, drawers, and even appliances before moving out
When you move out of a house or apartment, it’s easy to leave things behind. Double check all kitchen cabinets, bedroom closets and drawers. Look inside of appliances (refrigerator, washer and dryer, etc.) before leaving for the last time.
9. Make sure to leave ample parking room for the moving truck
Whether you've hired movers or are renting a moving truck yourself, make sure there's an easily accessible parking space ready and waiting. If you or the movers can't park close by, your move will be much more difficult. The move could get more expensive.
10. Give away or sell items you no longer need
Are you planning to get rid of or replace old furniture, clothes, or appliances?
It has become increasingly difficult to find open, charitable drop off locations. For example, Goodwill closed all of of its Sacramento Region Donation Xpress sites in the summer of 2020.
NextDoor.com now has a "Sell for Good" option which lets you donate the proceeds of your item sale to a nonprofit organization, as long as that organization is signed up with NextDoor. Many Goodwill locations are signed up with NextDoor, including Goodwill Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada.