Moving to a new home is never without stress.  However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make the whole process a little simpler for yourself.   When moving to or from a Locust Grove house (or elsewhere!), the best tip that I can share is to start earlier than you think you should.  Like anything else in life, unexpected events and last minute to-do’s can quickly pile up and lengthen the time it takes you to move.  Trust me, you won’t be sad if everything is ready to go three days before the movers arrive. Here are some more easy tricks and tips for making moving easier and faster.

Prepare a moving kit

The moment you have decided to move, even if it is before your Locust Grove house is on the market, gather a moving kit.  These will be supplies that you will need to help physically move your belongings and also to help unpack everything at your new home.

Things to put in this moving kit include:

  • Multiple packs of packing tape: use to assemble boxes, reinforce seams
  • Sandwich and gallon sized plastic bags: use to hold all the screws from disassembled furniture (make sure to label each bag)
  • Black permanent markers: for labeling boxes
  • Different colored markers:  If you are really into color coding, then use one marker for each room in your Locust Grove house that the box should go after the move.  Hang a piece of paper with the matching color on the doors to help mover know where to go.
  • Box cutters:  for opening boxes and cutting handles
  • Rubber bands and zip ties:  use these to help secure items like charging cords that might become tangled or float around in a box.
  • Band aids:  If you are like me, then you can’t seem to complete any tasks with cutting yourself on a random object.
  • Red Duct Tape:  Use any brightly colored tape to identify the boxes that you want loaded last on the moving truck.  These are the things that you will want to unload first and have access to at your new home.
  • Scissors: A time will come when you need scissors and can’t find where you put them.

Store all of these things in a cardboard box, plastic tote, or other container and make sure to keep it with you during the move and carry it personally to your new home.

Save packing materials

During this time of year, people are getting a lot of packages in the mail.  Hold on to all those boxes and the material inside.  Ask family and friends to save their boxes and packing materials for you too.  If you want to avoid paying a lot of money for boxes, put out a call on your local Facebook neighborhood pages for boxes.  I often seen neighbors offering their boxes and packing materials for free.  You can also check with local stores who may be willing to give you boxes.

Don’t forget about the materials you already have too!

Suitcases are great for transporting heavy things like books or bulky items like comforters.  Laundry baskets and hampers can hold items that you will want to have as soon as you arrive at your new Locust Grove house like sheets for a bed, an extra set of clothes, toiletries, paper plates, plastic utensils, and cleaning products.  

Use your towels, dish towels, oven mitts and rags as packing material.  Wrap breakables in the towels, cushion plates between dish towels, or use oven mitts to keep items from rubbing into each other.  Take advantage of the space inside larger items like pots or roasters by filling them with smaller things you don’t want rolling around inside of a box.

Label Now, Be Thankful Later

Nobody wants to be up at one in the morning ripping through boxes trying to find where you packed the headache medicine.  Although it may feel a little tedious, writing what is in each box can save you time.  You don’t have to label everything individually, but sticking to key words that are familiar to you like “primary bedroom medicine cabinet” or “kitchen forks, spoons, knives, and plates” will help you be able to find things quickly.  Write it on more than on side in case the boxes are stacked on top of each other.   For fans of tech, apps like Sortly can help you keep track of everything with QR codes and pictures.

Photos are Your Friends

Before you disassemble a piece of furniture, unplug your entertainment area, or pack away everything on your bookshelf, take a photo.  Once you are in your new Locust Grove house, you can refer to the photos to help you set everything up.

Find Movers and Start Packing as Soon as Possible

Packing takes a long time.  Begin by packing up things that you won’t be reaching for anytime soon; this may be seasonal clothing, decorations, or those special dishes that are not used frequently.  Schedule movers, whether they are professionals or friends, as soon as you have a moving date.

Eat the Food, Don’t Move it

Save some money on your grocery budget by planning meals with what you already have in your pantry.  Instead of moving heavy cans or fragile glass bottles to your new Locust Grove home, plan to use them.

Create a first night and cleaning box

Before you can start  unloading items into cabinets, you will want to make sure that they are clean.  Make a box of cleaning products that you take in your car to the new home.  Likewise, having a first night box with some sheets, clothing, toiletries, medicines, paper plates, and charges is very useful.

Using these tips will help you perfect your moving skills and make your transition easier. Have any other tips? Let me know!