Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – Moving Tips and Tricks
Spring is just around the corner, and for many of us it’s moving season! There are many ways to make the move that much easier, especially if you’re doing the move yourself and not using professionals.
A month or so before the move, go through each room and purge, purge, purge! If you have been in your present abode for more than ten years, you have no doubt accumulated an astonishing number of useless items. Of course, donate gently used items to charities like Goodwill and enjoy the tax write-off too! Unfortunately, many of the items will be junk. I recently went through a small bedroom and came out with 3 garbage bags full. Be merciless, everything you throw out is one less item to pack and move. Do the same in the kitchen. A few weeks before moving stop buying groceries and eat out of your pantry; canned goods are heavy!
Make sure to pack heavy items like books in small boxes and light items like linens in larger ones. Packing fragile items can be scary, so be sure to use cushion sheets (available at Amazon). Place one or two sheets between plates, and you can also use these sheets to wrap smaller items.
A large roll of bubble wrap is indispensable as well when it comes to moving. Cut to size, and it can wrap a small, fragile glass or cushion a coffee table to prevent scratches. For large pieces of furniture, plastic bags can do the trick to keep off dust and dirt and protect from dinks (again, Amazon).
Shrink-wrap comes in rolls and is another great help. Use it to wrap small cushioned fragile items and overwrap large boxes. Do use real packing tape with the big handle for ease of use rather than duct tape. Electrical tape in different colors is useful for labeling as well. Use a different color for each room. Do be specific with your labeling, especially in the kitchen, as this will help tremendously when searching for utensils or plates.
Another excellent moving hack is to leave clothes on hangers and poke a hole in the bottom of a heavy-duty garbage bag. Now drape the bag over the hangers with the hooks out the hole. Tie the top of the bag closed.
Moving day is here! Give each family member a couple of large or medium totes. Fill these with essentials like clothes, toiletries, and medications. Don’t forget devices and books or magazines—everything you’ll need for the first night. Add a sleeping bag for everyone, so no bed linens needed!
Pack the truck mindfully. Place the heaviest items closest to the cab, less shifting this way. Place moving blankets in between large pieces like dressers and appliances. Pack the rest of the truck room by room. Pack as you will unpack. Rooms furthest away from the truck will come off the truck first, therefore packed in last. This way will save precious steps on that busy day.
Have a great move!
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
