Advice to Keep In Mind When You’re Moving in a Hurry

You only have to make an emergency move once to realize that moving in a hurry is a major challenge. There are times when you have to do it anyway, and you can make the job a lot easier if you keep a few vital tips and techniques in mind when you are preparing, packing, and moving out. Here are top tips for moving last minute:

1. Save Space

You can save time and energy by packing efficiently and saving space. Using less space means that you don’t need to find as many boxes and that you don’t need to waste time packing as many onto a truck. There are a few easy ways to do it.

Vacuum packing is a process that involves sucking all of the air out of a bag. It is a great tool for shrinking textiles and other soft items, which tend to be bulky when packed in other ways. There are specialized devices for it, but you only need your vacuum cleaner and some bags to do an adequate job with the DIY method.

You can also save space by rolling your textiles up, or by using them as cushioning around fragile items in other boxes. You can even wear extra clothes instead of packing them! For other items, make sure that you never ship an empty container when you could put something in it, and throw away old items that you don’t use instead of packing them.

2. Bind Your Cords

It can be tempting to just throw all of your cords and cables into a box to save time, but that leads to a tangled mess. You’ll waste more time untangling them when you unpack than you save in the first place!

Organize your cables while you pack to avoid that problem. A simple set of zip ties can help to keep them neat while you move. For best results, use color coded ties to make it easier to match cables to the right device later on.

3. Plan Your Route

You can save a lot of time by optimizing your route, especially if you are moving across a long distance. Computers are much better at finding good routes than humans, so your best bet is to rely on a program to make the calculations.

There are a lot of options out there, and any of them can get the job done. If you have the time, consider comparing the routes from several different programs to see which one gives you the best results.

4. Make a List

It is all too easy to forget something important when you are in a hurry. Smart movers make a list of things they need to pack and any tasks they need to complete before they go. It can also be a good idea to have someone else look at your list before you get started to check if you have forgotten to put anything on it. Once you have the list, all you need to do is check things off of it as you do them.

5. Get Help

Many hands make for light work. The easiest way to get everything done on a tight schedule is to get some help. Your friends and family might be able to help, but you can also get professional movers. They have more experience and better tools than the average person, so they can get the job done remarkably quickly.

How to Pack Your Stuff for a Cross Country Move

Proper packing is the secret to an easy move. You can save a lot of space by doing it right. That cuts down on the time that you spend loading and unloading your moving truck and also reduces the cost of transportation.

Anyone can learn how to pack their belongings the right way, so it is worth taking the time to figure it out before you get ready to move across the country. Here are the top tips from Kip’s Cross Country Movers:

1. Choose Boxes Carefully

Old boxes are fine for moving short distances, but a cross-country move calls for boxes that can hold up to heavy-duty use. They will suffer a lot of wear and tear during the trip, so older ones are likely to suffer leaks.

That having been said, you can still get most of your boxes for free. Most stores will be happy to hand out their used boxes if they have any, and you can often reuse boxes from any recent deliveries to your home. Simply discard any that have any tears, weak points, or other problems and use the rest.

2. Make Good Labels

It is technically possible to get through a major move without labels or other organizational tools, but keeping things neat makes it much easier. Labels are the most convenient option, but not all labels are created equal. A good label is large and easy to see. It also needs to communicate the contents of the box. You can do that with large text, but it is often better to use a color code because people can process color more quickly than text.

There are other factors that go into making a good label, and it is best to keep them all in mind to make sure that yours can do their job.

3. Heavy Items Go in Small Packages

It is important to make sure that you can comfortably lift all of your boxes when you are loading and unloading them. One way to do that is to put all of your heavy items in small boxes. You won’t be able to store many other items along with them, which will keep the total weight of the box under control. Leave the big boxes for holding lots of lighter items.

Doing this will make sure that the weight of every box is roughly equal regardless of their size, which makes them easier to handle.

4. Pack Fragile Items the Right Way

A cross-country move will have a lot of bumps in the road and other problems that might cause fragile items to break. That makes it vital to pack them with care to maximize their odds of survival.

In general, you will want to make sure that your fragile items move as little as possible. That means packing them fairly tightly and making sure that there is padding around them to fill in the gaps. You should also be careful never to overfill a box since it is easy for them to burst open by accident.

Be sure to remember basic packing techniques as well. Heavy items go on the bottom, both in individual boxes and when stacking boxes, so that they don’t crush the lighter ones. Take your time and check everything to make sure you’ve done it right. That will help with any packing, but it is especially important for items that break easily.

Helpful Moving Tips and Hacks to Make Your Move Easier

Whether this is your first move or your tenth, the truth is that moving is never easy. There are things you can do, though, to make the process a little less stressful. Below are a few quick tips from Cheap Movers Philadelphia that will not only help to reduce the stress of moving but that might even make your moving day a little better for everyone involved.

1. Pay Attention to Timing

If you want to reduce the cost of your move, following this tip is a must. Try to pay attention to and when you schedule your move to not only take advantage of lower prices but also to give yourself more breathing room. Both moving companies and truck rental companies tend to charge more over the weekend, sending the prices of services and goods skyrocketing.

If you can move on a weekday, though, you’ll usually be able to get a great deal. Try moving on a Friday or a Monday if you can, as these days will either give you more time to get settled in or more time to finish packing during the weekend.

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2. Sort Your Stuff

Before you ever start packing, you can start sorting. Sorting your stuff not only helps you to figure out what you should keep and what you should throw away, but it also allows you to pack more efficiently. Perhaps best of all, it ensures that your unpacking process will be easier.

If you sort things out ahead of time, you can make sure that the right boxes get to the right places and that you’ll be able to get what you need as soon as you unload your boxes from the truck.

sorting

3. Get Movers for the Big Stuff

There’s a common desire to save money and move with the help of friends and family, but this isn’t always the most time-efficient way to move. If you are in a hurry, one of the best choices you can make is to leave the biggest stuff for professional movers.

Move all of your boxes and easy-to-carry items on your own, but leave things like big furniture and major appliances for the movers. This will not only make life easier on those friends and family members who helped you move, but it will cut down on the overall cost of moving as well.

4. Use What You’ve Got

While packing everything in boxes is the traditional way to move, it can also be expensive and time-consuming to track down and buy the cardboard boxes you need. If you have luggage, though, you’ve actually got fantastic receptacles for your clothes and other items. Use the boxes and luggage you’ve got around the house to cut down on the cost of supplies and make it easier to move. After all, you’ve got to cart around those items anyway so you might as well fill them up with the other things you need to move.

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Always make sure to use a little extra brain power when you’re getting ready to move. Planning ahead and getting supplies ahead of time will always be the best way to keep your costs down and to avoid the stress that comes with last-minute moving disasters. If you can follow the tips above, you just might make it through your next move without any problems.