Over the years Secure Moving has helped thousands of people move in Vancouver BC, so we’ve learned a lot of moving tips and tricks along the way. Our goal is to make your move as stress-free as possible and to help you every step of the way, so read on for just a few of the top packing hacks we want to share with you.
Tips Before You Move
1) Stock Up on Moving Boxes
Before the packing even begins, spend time collecting moving boxes so you’ll be prepared with enough when the time comes to fill them. And, FYI, you’re probably going to need more than you think!
There are a number of places to get moving boxes for free, such as liquor stores, grocery stores and other local businesses. Inquire inside the business as there are often piles of cardboard boxes in their back rooms or alleys waiting to go to recycling.
Or, if you want to skip the hassle of finding boxes and choose to purchase them, there are a number of routes you can go. Secure Moving sells bunches of cardboard boxes in various sizes, as well as other packing supplies. You’ll also be able to buy boxes and moving supplies from other moving stores and businesses like UPS, Home Depot, and Staples.
If you dont want to buy boxes and wanting boxes for free then go through a guide of How to get Moving boxes for free.
2) Plan Meals
Leading up to moving day, you’ll probably be trying to use up the food in your refrigerator and pantry to reduce the amount of stuff to take with you. You’ll likely also be making fewer trips to the grocery store during that time. These are good ideas, but don’t forget that your family will still need to eat, and constantly ordering in or eating at restaurants can be less healthy and more costly.
Instead, make a meal plan for at least the last week before you move, as well as the first day or two in your new home. Pre-making things that are easy to put in the oven or microwave, like lasagnas and casseroles are great meals that you can keep in the freezer until you need them. And, of course, the classic moving meal – pizza – is also something you can prepare and freeze or buy frozen, for a quick meal option.
While You’re Packing for Move
3) Small Things that Make a Big Difference
As you disassemble things like dining tables, bed frames, and TV stands, put the nuts, bolts, Allen wrench, and screws into a ziplock bag and tape them directly to a main piece of the item you took apart. It’s very easy to lose those small parts in the chaos of your move! By doing this, you’ll have everything you’ll need to re-assemble the piece when you get to your new home right at your fingertips.
Similarly, when disconnecting electronics with removable chords, label each cable with a piece of masking tape so you know what they belong to and how they reconnect. It’s also a good idea to take a picture that clearly shows the connections in case you forget.
Taking a little extra time to do small things like this will make a big difference when you get to your new home!
4) Use Your Luggage
In addition to cardboard boxes, don’t forget to use your luggage while packing.
Luggage is perfect to hold all the clothing and toiletries you’ll need right away after arriving to your new home, but suitcases and duffel bags can also be useful to have for the last few items you find while in the final stages of packing. There always seems to be more stuff after you think you’re done!
5) Colour Code Your Boxes
Colour codings your boxes can be very helpful, and you can do it in a few different ways, here are a couple of ideas:
Assign a colour to every room in your new home and use those colours to label your boxes. Create a master list that clearly indicates the colour assigned to each room. This way, anyone helping you unpack will know where each box needs to go in your new home.
If you’re using a moving container for your move, you’ll have plenty of time to load it. So, you may choose to colour code based on importance upon arrival to your new home. For example:
•Red Tape – Not Important (Example: board games, Christmas decorations)
•Yellow Tape – Will need within a few days or weeks once moved in
•Green Tape – Items needed right away (Example: toothbrushes, coffee maker, dishes)
This method will also help you decide what to load first and last in your moving container. Less important items should be packed first so they’re at the back of the container, and necessities should go into your BigSteelBox last, so they’re the first items to come out of it.
Check out this page, Tips for Packing and Loading a Moving Container, for more information and a video with tips for loading your BigSteelBox.
Before You Move Into Your New Home
6) Clean Before You Unpack
If possible, leave yourself some time to clean your new home (especially bathrooms and the kitchen) before you unpack.
Things make look as though they were left fairly clean by the previous owners, but it’s still a good idea to wipe down the inside of kitchen appliances, shelves in cupboards, drawers and pantries before you fill them with your things. This is the last chance you’ll have to clean them without having to take everything out first!
This goes for floors as well. If you have time to professionally clean carpets, great, but if you don’t it’s still a good idea to vacuum each room before bringing in furniture so you aren’t trapping in dust, dirt or pet hair. Luckily, cleaning goes a lot faster in a clutter-free home!
7. Office Equipment
Office equipment like printers and copiers are bulky, heavy, and awkward to move. To make it easier on you and your team, rent several dollies or four-wheel flat movers. Aside from lifting the equipment onto the dolly, try to let the wheels do most of the work to prevent injury and reduce the risk of damage.
Remove the equipment from the dollies once loaded into your mobile storage unit or moving truck to prevent them from sliding around during transit. However you move these items, make sure they are securely tied down once loaded.
Computers and Electronics
Computers and other electronics should be packed in their original packaging as often as possible. If you no longer have the original boxes, follow the instructions for electronics for home-owners above. Before packing any computers, be sure to backup any documents and other information stored on the hard-drive.
These are just a few of the many moving tips our Storage Consultants can offer you as you plan your move! Give Secure Moving a moving company in Vancouver a call at +1 604-500-3003 today to see if we can help make your move easier or request a quote online.
