Whether you’re relocating for the first time or have done this before, moving can be a stressful process, even for the most organized people. Numerous things can go wrong when you least expect it, which could cause frustration and worry.
The moving process can go much smoother, faster, and easier thanks to numerous moving and packing hacks offered by the best moving and storage companies. Atlanta customers can relocate anywhere and have peace of mind knowing they’ve taken care of everything.
The Best Moving and Packing Hacks
Start preparing for the move long before the actual moving day when possible. The more time you have available prior to the move, the more organized you can be. The moving and packing hacks we’ve prepared cover the period before and during the move and help you stay on top of every detail.
Preparing for the Move
These valuable tips can help you prepare for moving day and ensure you don’t miss anything.
DIY vs. Hiring a Moving and Storage Company
One of the biggest considerations when moving is whether to do it yourself or hire professionals. Both options have their advantages and drawbacks.
Some Atlanta residents decide not to hire a company, intending to save money. Although this can seem like a good idea, it often isn’t. Namely, when they don’t work with moving and storage companies, Atlanta residents risk damaging their belongings and can end up with even higher expenses.
Hiring a reputable, experienced moving and storage company can take the weight off your shoulders (literally!) and help you focus on other aspects of the move. You can decide whether you want the company to pack your belongings and disassemble your furniture for you. Of course, you can always pack everything yourself and have the company handle the transportation.
Before making a decision, make a pros and cons list to ensure you get exactly what you want from your moving and storage company. If you decide to hire professionals, it’s best not to choose the first one you stumble upon. Take your time to investigate a few local companies and their services, check online reviews, and ensure they have the necessary licenses and insurance.
Create a Checklist
A moving checklist is the holy grail that will make moving much easier, especially for cross-country moves. This list contains all the tasks you need to complete before, on, and after moving day. It will serve as a guide through the whole process. As new tasks crop up, you can add them to the list. Remember that the best way to deal with the stress of moving is to stay as organized as possible.
You can divide your moving checklist into several parts. For example, it can contain tasks you need to handle eight weeks before moving day, like researching moving services, creating a budget, giving notice to your landlord, etc. Then, you can start on the tasks that need to be completed seven weeks before the move, such as getting estimates from moving companies or asking friends to help you pack. Continue organizing your tasks by week and be sure to include everything you need to deal with, leaving some buffer time for the unexpected.
Plan Your Packing Supplies
Part of the checklist will be to plan for and purchase packing supplies (unless your moving and storage company will be doing that for you). It’s important to think ahead and get cardboard boxes, plastic containers, bubble wrap, and other material before moving day. Having all the supplies at home will help you pack in time and ensure all your belongings are safe and secure during transportation.
Eat Perishable Foods
Yes, you read that right! One of your tasks before moving day will be to eat as much of the perishable food in your fridge and cabinets, because most moving companies won’t move them. To prevent wasting food, plan your meals ahead using the food you already have. If you can’t or don’t want to eat some of the food, you can always donate unopened, shelf-stable items to a local food bank.
Getting Rid of the Items You Don’t Need
Organizing and downsizing your belongings before moving day will help you prepare for the relocation, cut expenses, and prevent dragging unnecessary items to your new home. Here are a few hacks that can help.
Inspect Every Room
Grab a pen and a piece of paper and go to the living room. Create a list of all items in the room; open closets, drawers, and cabinets, and make notes of what you want to take with you. Don’t forget to consider which furniture is or isn’t worth moving.
Repeat this process for every room in your home.
Check Your Wardrobe
Many people have their closets filled with clothes they never wear. If a piece of clothing doesn’t fit you anymore, haven’t worn in over a year, or out of style, get rid of it. Keep in mind that you can donate clothes to a local charity if they’re in good condition.
Repeat these steps for your bathroom shelves and linen closets.
Get a Short-Term Storage Unit
Some people can’t commit to getting rid of certain items just yet, and that’s perfectly normal. If you’re one of them, consider getting a short-term storage unit for your belongings. This temporary solution will give you time to decide which of those belongings you truly want to keep.
Discard the Items You Wouldn’t Buy Again
One of the best ways to decide whether to keep or get rid of an item is to ask yourself whether you would buy it again. If the answer is no, it’s likely you don’t need the item and can get rid of it. Donate it or toss it.
Make Pickup Arrangements
Many Atlanta property owners decide to donate furniture, clothes, rugs, etc., to a local charity. You can make the donation process easier by making a pickup arrangement with the chosen organization so you don’t have to worry about transporting the items to them. Some organizations limit what they accept nowadays, and some may charge for this pickup service too.
Hire a Professional Junk Removal Company
In some cases, people relocate from a bigger home to a smaller home. The smaller space means they need to get rid of many items. Since clearing out the garage, basement, attic, and other rooms can be time-consuming and grueling, many Atlanta property owners decide to hire a professional junk removal company.
These companies will dispose of your trash and clean up your space. Some will even donate certain items to charities for you.
Packing
Packing your belongings is perhaps the biggest and the most exhausting part of moving. Besides ensuring you pack everything, you need to check whether your belongings are safe and secure to avoid damage. Here are several packing hacks for saving time and reducing stress.
Find Room for Your Packing Station
Set up a packing station anywhere inside your home. The station will be the headquarters for packing, taping, and labeling.
Start by deciding which part of your house you can convert to a packing station. This can be your guest room, dining room, or the floor in your living room, whatever works best for you.
Then, grab your packing supplies and take them to the packing station. Include essentials like small and large boxes, packing paper, scissors, markers, bubble wrap, tape, color-coded stickers, garbage bags, etc.
By keeping everything in one place, you’ll have more control over the packing process and ensure you don’t miss anything.
Remember that you should pack your packing supplies last because it’s likely you’ll need them on moving day.
Use Towels, Linens, and Clothes to Protect Fragile Items
If you want to be more efficient and save money on packing supplies, you can use the items you already have to protect fragile belongings like glasses, vases, lamps, and perfume bottles.
For example, you can use towels and socks to cushion sharp objects. Or, you can use dish towels to protect knives, mugs, or glass bowls.
Use Suitcases for Heavy Items
Since suitcases have wheels that make them easy to move, you can use this to your advantage. Fill your suitcases with books, serving dishes, and other items that aren’t transported easily in boxes.
Organize the Boxes
Many Atlanta property owners rush the packing process because they can’t wait to be done with it. However, they regret this when they reach their destination and realize their belongings aren’t well-organized. That’s why it’s best to take a few extra minutes when packing and put a destination room on every box with a marker. You can also color-code the boxes according to their importance.
Another great hack many people aren’t familiar with is QR code apps for packing. These apps allow you to take a photo of the items in a box and create a QR code that you can print and place on the box. When you scan the QR code, you’ll see the content of every box.
Have a Moving Essentials Bag That Goes With You
Pack a small suitcase or a duffle bag with items you’ll need to use during your move. These items can be important documents, phone chargers, extra clothes, personal hygiene products, medications, etc.
Prepare a Moving Essentials Box
When you arrive at your destination, you’ll probably be too exhausted to start unpacking. That’s why it’s a good idea to prepare a moving essentials box that contains items you’ll need right after you arrive at your new home.
The box can contain water, toilet paper, paper plates and utensils, extra clothes, and pajamas. If you have children or pets, ensure you’ve packed their essentials in the box as well.
Take Pictures of Your Electronic Devices and Label the Cords
Take pictures of your valuable electronics like your TV, computer, Wi-Fi router, etc. If hiring moving and storage companies, Atlanta residents can use these pictures after they unpack in order to plug everything back in correctly. Taking pictures can be convenient for reassembling the equipment.
Besides taking pictures, don’t forget to label every cord so you don’t have to waste time trying to figure out which cord goes where.
Moving Day
Congratulations, you’ve made it to moving day! These tips will help you make this day less stressful.
Wake Up Early
Your moving day isn’t the best time for sleeping in, regardless of when you’re leaving the house. There will always be last-minute errands to run or unexpected issues that can disrupt your day if you don’t have enough time.
Have a Plan for Your Children and Pets
If you have small children or pets, you’ll need to figure out the best way to take care of them. For local moves, some people leave their children and pets with family members, friends, or day care on moving day to reduce stress.
Clear the Path for the Moving Company
If you decided to hire a moving company, ensure the path to your belongings is clear before they arrive. Remove all extension cords, wires, cables, and anything else that could present a tripping hazard.
Charge Your Phone
Don’t risk running out of battery juice just before the movers are supposed to arrive. You’ll need your phone to communicate with the movers before and during the move, as well as find directions to your destination and call family and friends.
Greet the Movers
It’s a good idea to give the movers a quick walkthrough before they start loading the truck. You can point out boxes that contain fragile or high-value items, show the furniture that needs to be disassembled, etc. Be sure to stay there while the movers load the truck in case they have any questions.
Prepare Refreshments
Have water available for you, your family, and the movers, regardless of whether you hired professionals or asked a few friends for help. You should also consider purchasing snack bars or preparing sandwiches for the road.
Do the Final Walkthrough
Once everything’s packed, take the final walkthrough and inspect every room to ensure you didn’t forget anything. Check the cabinets, closets, drawers, and outdoor spaces.
After you finish the final walkthrough, take pictures of your utility meters. This can come in handy for checking the accuracy of your bills. If there’s a mistake, you can use the pictures as evidence.
Moving Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful
Hours and hours of preparing, packing, and organizing can take a toll on even the most organized individuals.
Fortunately, there’s a way to mitigate the stress related to moving by hiring moving and storage companies. Atlanta residents have numerous options, so it’s important to know how to choose the right company. Check the reviews, ask for recommendations, and ensure the company is experienced and professional.
