14 Expert Moving Tips

From Redditor /u/nova828

First, check your place. Estimate the boxes you need. Multiply that number by three. That is the total number of boxes you need.

Next, figure out the move cost: movers, deposits, and power setup. Multiply that amount by three. This is the money you need.

Good luck!

From Redditor /u/Kempeth

Do it if you can afford it.

From Redditor /u/TWWfan

I bought a moving box label sticker system on Amazon last year. It helped a lot. Each room got its own color, and a matching door hanger came with it. My moving company liked it. I just told them the label color and which floor it was on. They knew it in about five minutes and unloaded their truck quicker. It also helped me unpack because things stayed in their rooms.

From Redditor /u/maroonmonday

Unless there is a reason not to, throw away anything you have not used in over a year. This makes packing and unpacking much easier when you have less junk.

From Redditor /u/AwesomelyHumble

Get people to help you. Hire professionals; the guys outside Home Depot are careless, so do not hire them. Check reviews for the professionals. Be ready for them: pack items into boxes that won't break, label them, and decide which boxes go first in the new place.

Do not ask friends. They might help, enjoy cheap pizza and drinks, but no one likes being the person constantly getting calls to use their truck or labor for moving. If times are bad and you are counting every coin, then call your friends and repay the favor somehow. This rule applies to painting and other house jobs too.

From Redditor /u/Spastic_Squirrel

When packing, label the boxes with the room it came from (and what is inside, if you want). At your new place, label the rooms with paper and tape. Then have your friends or movers put the boxes in the matching new room. This helps a lot; you avoid searching every box to find its spot.

From Redditor /u/Kempeth

My dad taught me this about moving: Put a big number on every box or piece of furniture. Tape that number to it. Tape a sheet with the matching number to the door frame of every room in the new building.

For example, boxes marked with a 1 go to room 1, and so on.

Bonus points if the rooms are numbered logically, like from bottom to top and clockwise.

Anyone who helps can just pick something and know exactly where to put it.

From Redditor /u/jerbgas

Pack loose items into boxes two weeks before the move. Pack one box each day. This makes the move seem easier. On moving day, you only have boxes and furniture.

Move boxes gradually first. Last time, I moved near work. Each day after work, I dropped off a couple of boxes. Moving day, I only had a few boxes and furniture.

Moving fails when items are not packed in tight boxes.

Redditor /u/obberdogg123

I own a removal business. This is top advice for people planning a move. Number boxes. Make a list of importance. Number one is the most important. Go down the list. Some folks pack non-essential items into one room. Do things step by step.

Redditor /u/justkilledaman

Throw things away weeks before packing begins. Watch Marie Kondo's show or read her books. She offers good tips. Get rid of shirts you haven't worn in years. Check your towels. Do you need that old college towel? Toss worn-out shoes.

Canned food weighs a lot and is annoying to move. Start eating pantry canned food a couple of months before moving. You can buy more tomato sauce and black beans later.

Redditor /u/TrekaTeka

Hire movers. Friends helping with pizza and beer is not as good as professional movers. What takes all day or days finishes in hours if regional. For cross-country moves, check quality movers. I did not grasp how people still get scammed by low-quality movers online.

Movers pay by weight and distance. You always get written estimates before hiring them.

Redditor /u/Lightsack

My two pieces of advice are:

Discard anything you have not used in three months. Or seriously think about it. Seasonal jackets, for example, are not worn year-round.

Use vacuum bags or packs to remove air from everything. This saves packing space, especially for clothing and linen.

Look into the Marie Kondo method. It works well for general living.

Redditor /u/diegojones4

Have three boxes ready for packing: one for your items, one for goodwill, and one for trash. Spray cardboard boxes with roach spray before packing. Plastic totes work well. Hire movers; they finish in three hours what takes you and friends days.

Redditor /u/lesbianzebra

Moving expense annoyed me most. Hiring a professional moving company costs a huge amount of money. I used Craigslist. I hired two guys with a big truck and good references. They moved my few furniture items. This saved me much money.

After moving, you will need new items for your new space. This includes furniture, rugs, kitchenware, and more. Buy things online smartly. Have them shipped directly to your door. Avoid department stores and hauling bulky items in your car.