The Ultimate List of Moving Tips That Will Help You Organize Your Local Move

No matter how far or close you’re going, the basics are the same. Learn all the best tips, like where to get boxes and how to organize. But what to do when the big day finally comes? No worries, we have hacks for that too, and we can help you get through it in the best way possible!

Moving Tips to Follow Before You Start Packing

If you’re asking yourself whether you should hire professionals since it’s just a local move, we’re here to tell you: yes, you really should. That is unless you feel comfortable asking all of your friends to help you. Even though they may be ready to wrap things and take them to your soon-to-be place, usually, this doesn’t go as smoothly and simply as it does with professional companies. Of course, you should consider a thing or two before you hire a company.

Organize Your Budget

Be sure that your budget can cover the cost of the move. It’s wise to think about this while you’re looking for a residential moving company in New York or packing services, so you won’t end up surprised with the final bill. However, this is not something to save money on. After all, you will give movers all the items you own, from large items and bulky furniture to the small stuff. They’ll maybe move a piano or even pack books for you, and you want to feel comfortable letting them do so. Better spend more on a reputable company and avoid any stress.

Don’t Forget to Check if the NY Moving Company Is Reputable

You’ll obviously want to avoid any scammers. In order to do that, take time for thorough research. See if they have all the licenses required. Read as many reviews as you can find. Take as long as you need – this is important, and it could determine how the whole process will go. You for sure want the best New York movers by your side.

When You Pick a Company, Start Packing as Soon as Possible

We know that we’re talking about a local move, but that doesn’t mean you should put off work until the last minute. Maybe you think that leaving Manhattan to, let’s say, start living in Brooklyn or Queens isn’t complicated because it’s still New York and you are familiar with the city, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t learn tips because the distance is small. Firstly, we’ll say this – you’ll be happy if you’re ready a couple of days before you need to be so you can relax for a bit and be ready to deal with some unexpected tasks in case you need to. This is one of the moving hacks everyone should know about.

How to Organize and Where to Get Boxes Before You Start to Pack

You must be efficient, but that doesn’t mean you should rush or start panicking. There’s plenty of time for everything – you will learn how to pack plates, you will find a lot of techniques on how to pack pots and pans as well. Once you do a bit of digging on the internet, you’ll see there’s advice for practically everything, even on how to pack shoes. You will be ready in time. It’s always a good idea to make a moving to-do list and stick to it. Here are some essential hacks for planning.

Where to Find a Free Box?

This shouldn’t be a problem. There’s always a place where you can get free boxes. Ask neighbors or check stores – they usually have a lot of those, and they’ll be happy to get rid of them. Another option is to check if you already have boxes from electronics you’ve bought recently or anything of considerable size. You can fill them and take them with you. You’re saving space – it’s a win-win. In case all of these options fail, you can always get them from a relocation company. Those are of higher quality, so you can consider them if you want to be extra careful.

Other Items You Can Use

Not everything can be packed without protection. How to pack fragile items? Be sure to get some of these:

• Bubble wrap is unavoidable, of course, for breakables,
• Foam pouches are also quite useful,
• Plastic wrap can be of use for all sorts of stuff,
• Paper is great for filling empty spaces,
• Magazines and newspapers can be repurposed this way. Just crumple them instead of throwing them away,
• Clothes, blankets, or towels make for good protection for your valuables. Wrap them around delicates, and they can be on their way.

How much protection you’ll need depends on the amount you want to pack, so be sure to evaluate this before you buy tons of bubble wrap you won’t use! You can save a little money and be environmentally conscious. And lastly, you will most definitely have to get the tape to secure all of those cartons.

Why Pack Useless Items? Get Rid of Them

Relocating can be sentimental, even if you’re staying in the same city. If you are one of those people who move rarely, this can be a great chance for you to get rid of old things. Think of it as a big cleaning session that leaves you space for new things in your life! Whatever your reasons to move are, going to a new place should mean a lot of change, and it should be exciting.

Something of no use to you could mean a great deal for someone less fortunate, so be sure to donate whatever you can, rather than throwing it away. There’s plenty of places where you can donate clothes, or if you think bigger, you can ask around where to donate furniture in NYC. Maybe some of your friends could use something you have and don’t find useful, so why not surprise them? Lastly, organizing a garage sale is another option. However, these days, selling online is probably a better solution.

Let’s Get to Packing Your Items

You’ve finally gotten everything organized, and you have prepared yourself mentally – let’s get to work! There are some common guidelines that can do so much for your sanity during this stressful period, and we are going to cover them all. You shouldn’t fear, this can even end up being quite fun!

Waiting Too Long to Start Is a Bad Idea

A lot of people wait for as long as they can. Some just feel like they have more time than they actually do, while others aren’t ready to leave their old home, and putting this task off is helping them put their mind at ease temporarily. Whatever the reason is, they end up having some serious trouble and have to rush and pack to move in a hurry. They fall prey to the commonly forgotten things to pack or just have a lot of stress until the move is complete. So why do this to yourself? Start on time and be totally prepared even before you have to be.

Never Do Everything at Once

You will soon find out that taking everything from your home isn’t as simple as it may sound. It’s sometimes tiring and boring, and it takes a lot of energy. This is why we suggest that you work in stages. What should you move first when moving? Start from the least used rooms and then go from there. Best to set yourself a goal for each day. For example, decide to pack for an hour or two on workdays, and on weekends you can do a bit more.

Label Your Boxes

It’s a good idea to mark all boxes somehow, so it’s easy when you get to unpacking in the new home. Nobody wants to have trouble finding something and then to go through every single box until they locate it. You may like this little hack: instead of plain old writing, just label them with different colored tape. Give each room another color, and you won’t be bothered later. If you want to be extra creative, you can get some stickers instead of colored tape. In addition, know this: you should never overpack a box. Use as many of them as you need, that’s better than having extremely heavy ones. For more packing and moving tips, check out the video below!

Make Work a Bit More Fun

Who says this has to be boring? If you’re doing this with family members, it could be a great opportunity to just chat or reminisce about all the fun you had in this home. The same goes for those who ask friends for assistance. Put on some cheerful music and get a lot of snacks. It will all be done before you know it.

The Big Day – Going to Your New Home

Are you wondering – how can I make moving easier? Everyone is, but don’t worry since that is not a mission impossible. Here’s what you can do to ease everything.

Take a Big Bag With You

Before you leave, be sure to have some essentials in a bag that goes with you – items like toothbrushes and other basic hygiene products, medications, laptops, important documents. It is always wise to take expensive jewelry with you rather than worry if it would get lost. A common mistake is forgetting to buy water bottles and snacks. You’ll feel all that moving stress, and the last thing you want is to be running to the grocery store, so try to get food and drinks in advance. Basically, the bag should be packed an evening before leaving. Also, you should have some money on you so you can tip the NY movers. What is a good amount to tip movers? Usually, people tip 5-10%, but it’s optional.

Have a Plan for Kids and Pets

If your children are too young, it’s better to make a plan for them so they don’t slow down the process. You can organize a playdate with their friends, maybe leave them with grandparents or a person of trust. Kids will be happier, and you will have one less worry. You better do the same if you’re moving with pets. If you have both kids and pets, they are bound to have a fun day together. You can be sure of that!

Unpacking: You’re Home, Now What?

It’s not over. Hold on a little longer! You can give yourself a short break – chances are you’re going to be tired, and you’ll leave the unpacking for the next day, but you shouldn’t wait too long. The more you wait, the more you’ll be keen on procrastinating.

Unpack in Stages

No way you can unpack everything at once! Why torture yourself? Our tip is to start from the kitchen, so you have a place to gather the family as soon as possible, and you can have friends over for coffee. In case you meet new neighbors, you can invite them to come over too. Before the kitchen is ready, we suggest you just order yourself the best takeout in NYC.

Box by Box

Unpack in order of importance. You’ve labeled everything, so there’s no problem finding things. Do one box at a time, take breaks, and eventually, you’ll empty them all. If you want to motivate yourself to be faster, decide on a date for a housewarming party, so you must get everything unpacked by then!

Ready to Move?

There’s an unlimited number of moving tips and tricks out there. What is the most efficient way to move? There isn’t just one answer, but we covered some of the best tips for moving that will get you smoothly through this. There are a lot of movers in New York, but you will find that the relocation services by Twin Brothers Movers are simply extraordinary. Contact us for information on a wide variety of services we offer!