Life Hacks to Make Moving Easier
Moving out of a home and into your new one can be all kinds of daunting. There are services to disconnect and connect. Movers to book, kids to wrangle to help with packing, mortgages to close—and the list certainly doesn’t stop there. With that in mind, we wanted to put together some ideas that can ease the transition from old to new. Some moving hacks—if you will.
Before packing—Take pictures of the back of your electronics!
Why? Because it saves you the hassle of trying to figure out which cord goes in what hole. With a documented photo on your smartphone, you’ll know how to hook all those devices up at your new home without the headache of trying to remember what went where. BONUS HACK: When unplugging these cords, pack them all together! Put them two-by-two in small boxes or ziplock bags and remember to label them appropriately.
Make your beds ASAP!
This one is easy. Well, unless you’re the type that never makes your bed in the first place! Once you’ve got your bed frame and mattress set up in your bedrooms, spread out those bedsheets and comforters and enclose those pillows in their cases. You’ll thank yourself later—when it’s time to crash after a long day of moving.
Free Boxes!
Okay, we aren’t referring to actual boxes here. Containers is the more accurate term. But whatsoever do we mean? You should make use of containers you already have! Tupperware for silverware? Yes! Laundry hamper for clothes? Why not? It might lead to some messy packing if you resort to using things like trash cans, but when it comes down to it, take advantage of the space you have to allow for effortless unpacking later. So fill that trash can with the household cleaners and sponges that you keep under your kitchen sink.
Actual Free Boxes!
Okay so now we mean actual boxes. Hoard those Amazon packages. Call your friends and family to see what they have in their storage sheds and attics. Inquire at your local bookstore. Free [actual] boxes are everywhere! Don’t pay for the cardboard. If you get started early enough, you’ll have no worries when the time comes to get packing.
Holy Color Coded Labels, Batman!
Our final hack is to label those boxes and up-cycled containers with some smartly organized color. Colored post-it notes are an affordable option you could use to slap on your boxes to make it easy to identify what rooms they need to be placed in. Blue? Master Bath! Green? Living Room! Yellow? That’s the bathroom. Whatever color options you decide upon, the visual cues will be a quicker way to identify what needs to go where. Less strain on your brain. That said, if you go the post-it route, either buy the ones that have a full sticky back—or apply some extra clear scotch tape on top for extra security—so that they don’t get pulled off in transit.