Cut Down On Moving Stress with These 5 Tips

Moving can be a very stressful experience. Even if you have a long runway to sort, pack, and sign the necessary paperwork, there’s always a point when moving feels overwhelming and stressful.

Want to learn how to cut back on the stress of moving? Here are 5 top tips that will smooth out your moving process.

Tips for Organizing Your Packing

When most people think of moving, packing boxes immediately jumps to mind. This is understandable, as packing your possessions into boxes can take the longest time and is physically and mentally taxing.

Here are some of the best ways to organize and pack your possessions.

Tip #1: Pack Your Least Used Items First

If you’ve got an itch to pack but don’t know where to start, the best place to begin is with your least-used items. These include:

• Seasonal decorations
• Seasonal clothes and coats
• Items already stored in the attic or garage
• Items that won’t be missed, like fine china, decorative items, and outdoor equipment
• Books

Even though you don’t use them daily, these items make up the bulk of your possessions! But because you use them infrequently, you can pack them up without disturbing your daily routine. Leave your most-used items, like clothes, bathroom items, jewelry, dishes, and kitchen appliances until closer to your moving date.

Tip #2: Label, Label, Label!

If there’s one thing movers regret more than anything, it’s that they don’t label their boxes. You may think you’ll remember that you put the coffee pot in with the blender, but if you don’t write it on the box, it may be a frustrating hunt to locate it once you’re in your new space.

Instead of writing “Kitchen Stuff” on the box, you can instead write:

Kitchen 

• Blender
• Coffee pot
• K-cups
• Rubber bands
• Spatulas

While it might take a little extra time, it doesn’t hurt to list out everything that’s in each box. Plus, it saves the mental load of determining what you need to label and what you can leave off the list! You might be looking for those rubber bands and be forever grateful you labeled the box!

Tip #3: Get Creative With Moving Supplies

Moving supplies can get expensive! Brand-new boxes, tape, bubble or foam wrap, moving blankets, and more can make a big dent in your moving budget.

You don’t have to have brand-new items to keep your possessions safe and have a successful move. Here are some creative ways to repurpose items you already have or find cheaper ways to buy what you need.

Boxes

• Ask on local social media pages: sometimes neighbors have spare boxes or just finished unpacking from a move themselves
• Call local restaurants: restaurants unpack dozens of boxes every day, and these boxes are especially sturdy to protect the food inside. Some restaurants will give you boxes for free, and some may charge for them, but at a fraction of the cost of buying new boxes.
• Anticipating a move but not quite to the packing stage yet? Save every delivery box! Even better, pack something in the box instead of breaking it down. Chipping away a little at a time can save you hours of packing later.

Tape

• If you’re saving boxes from deliveries, don’t break them down. Save them for later or pack something immediately. This will save you half the tape necessary because you won’t need to reinforce the bottom of the box with tape.
• Buy in bulk from off-brand labels.
• Don’t use as much as you think you need! Unless the box is very heavy, one or two strips of tape should be sufficient.

Packing Materials

• Save every bubble wrap, old newspaper, and packing supply you receive from deliveries. The bubble wrap envelopes from Amazon and other distribution centers are excellent for wrapping delicate items!
• If you work in food service or have friends who do, ask them to save the daily newspapers.

Tip #4: Lift With Your Legs

Whether you are packing boxes or moving them to and from the moving truck, remember to lift with your legs! Countless back, neck, shoulder, and knee injuries occur from poor body mechanics.

It’s always best to take your time with lifting items to avoid injury. Jerking and yanking heavy boxes is almost sure to tweak a muscle!

When bending to pick a box or object off the floor, position your feet about hip length apart. Then, bend your knees while trying to keep your back as straight as possible. This is accomplished by squatting as if you were to sit gently in a chair. Grasping the box or object, focus on using your knees and keeping your back straight as you lift the item. Try to keep the object as close to you as possible.

If an item is too heavy, do not try to lift it alone! Ask for help or let someone else carry it.

Tip #5: Hire an Outstanding Moving Company

A quality moving company will always make your move smoother than doing it yourself! At Peavler Moving & Storage, we take great pride in handling our customer’s possessions with utmost care. We have all the necessary equipment to keep your possessions–and your back–safe! Our skilled team is efficient, and our prices can’t be beat!

Ready to get started? Contact Peavler Moving & Storage today!