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scbir1
Community Manager
Community Manager

Share moving day top tips

Packing boxes on a trolley.JPGMoving day top tips

 

 

 

 

Being prepared for moving day can be stressful for many, but don't forget it's exciting too!  There are so many handy tips that we can share with each other to make it run more smoothly.  Everyone does it differently so we would love to hear your tips in the comments below.  

See some other moving day top tips here

15 Replies 15
smnc
Contributor II

Lots of great tips in the other thread, let me add a few more through hard-won experience:

1) Pack a "moving kit" separately and keep it with you, not in the moving van. These are things you'll want on the otherside before unpacking, or if unpacking gets delayed. A flashlight, an extension cord, a charger for your phone and/or laptop, basic tools (incluing hex keys for your Ikea!) a change of clothes and and a clean set of sheets (or a sleeping bag). Even if you're just moving across town, pack the things that you'll need for the first night, just in case.

2) Pack akward breakable items (like vases) with spare towels and sheets. These can act as valuable additional padding and might be the thing that keeps your delicates intact.

3) If there are things that you're not quite sure if you should donate or keep, pack them in a separate box, and when you get to your new home, don't unpack them. Put them out of the way and put a reminder on your calendar for 6 months later. If you manage to go 6 months without missing them, you can feel pretty safe that you can get rid of them.

4) Figure out what's worth diassembling and what's better to keep in one piece. Since you're here, I assume you've got a bunch of Ikea furniture, and much of it is better dissaembled, like LINNMON / ADILS (Desk) or IVAR. But some things like BESTÅ (Frame) travel very well in one piece and aren't worth taking apart.
My very rough rule of thumb is that if it's a chair, or a shelf/cabinet that has a back board (like BESTA, BILLY or PAX), leave it alone. If it it's a table or a shelf with no back (like IVAR or FJALLBO), it's probably easier taken apart. There are exceptions (like KALLAX/EXPEDIT that have no back, but usually travel well assembled), so use your best judgement.

Thre are probably more rattling around my brain somewhere, but it's bedtime.

scbir1
Community Manager
Community Manager

A moving kit is a great idea 😁, as it prevents you having to search through endless boxes to find things 

rachelanncat
New Contributor

My best moving day tip is to stay hydrated and nourished the day of! Moving days are always long and stressful, so it's extra important to remember to take care of your body throughout the day.

So true! Getting hangry or dehydrated during a move makes it SO much worse! 

Love this! a bit of self love, it can often be overlooked during such a stressful process

Marianne112
New Contributor

Label Label Label. Mark all your boxes on the top and at least 2 sides with what is in it (smaller letters), and which room it needs to go into at the new place (big letters) so that everyone knows exactly where it goes and it streamlines the sorting of boxes after!

Get a good crew, but not too many hands, and plan to feed/hydrate them!

Yeah... labelling is good. One day I'll learn that...

Agreed! there is nothing worse then not remembering which box is which 

Ryanewf
New Contributor

Start early! Start packing as early as possible because it almost always becomes a rush at the end. And in the same vein; always leave time at the end to move your very last belongings. The things you leave out at the end “just to get by” always add up to more than you realize so always plan on one last run with your moving van/car/trailer to throw those random odds and ends in any box or bag you can find. 

scbir1
Community Manager
Community Manager

Great idea, as there are always things you forget about or misjudge the size

Misskimmeyc
New Contributor

As you are packing have a donation and trash bin ready. Get rid of anything that you don't love or want anymore. This way you don't have to pack as much and it makes moving/unpacking so much easier!!! 

This is very Marie Kondo , love the things you have had and send them off to a new home or get rid of things that have reached the end of their useful life.

Diane
New Contributor

My top tip is to hire a moving company. Best thing I’ve ever done. The company we hired dropped off totes of different sizes (however many we wanted) 2.5 weeks before our move date and then picked them up a couple weeks after we moved in and unpacked. The tote service was completely free too. No more piles of boxes to source or discard which is great for the environment. And the totes really encourage you to unpack faster. I’m not young anymore and don’t bounce back as quickly as I used to but had I known moving could be that easy I would have hired a moving company way earlier.

Great tip! That tote system also sounds really neat and helpful to making a move a little less stressful.


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scbir1
Community Manager
Community Manager

very sustainable too!