Moving Day Hacks: Tips, Tricks And Options

By Megan Patiry on March 27, 2014

This article is brought to you by CORT, a subsidiary of Berkshire-Hathaway and the world’s largest furniture rental and relocation services company. To learn more about how we can help college students like you, click here.

Exploring a new city, redecorating your apartment and meeting new people is exciting. Wrapping valuables, filling boxes and lugging them for what always seems like the mile-long trip from car to apartment, however, is anything but.

While everyone has a certain moving “style” (in my case, packing totes so heavily I can barely carry them, yet I have less totes to deal with–a win for me) here we’ll break down moving into its simplest form to take some of the stress off the process.

Photo courtesy of MintLife.

Preparation

Preparation is key to making the moving process as smooth as possible. Be sure to fill out your change of address form online and change the address for your credit and debit card statements as soon as you know the address you’re moving to. After that, start contacting utility companies, since they can be unpredictable; you may think that they can always come out the day beforehand to turn on your water and electric, but it isn’t always the case. It’s best to make contact as early as possible to avoid hassles and delays.

Your first step in securing utilities is to make a list of all the services you’ll be using along with the companies associated with each. Go down the list and set schedules for when you would like each service activated, and then put a check beside each one. If you receive any confirmation numbers or names, write them down next to the companies, and be sure to keep the paper for future use should any snags pop up. It would be best to designate a folder to all of your apartment paperwork–that way everything is ready and at hand should you need it. Disclaimer: you probably will.

Stop Paying for Boxes

Boxes and other packing supplies can be expensive for many, but in our steps to keeping moving simple, we won’t accept anything more than free.

Craigslist

According to an article featured on Apartment Therapy, “A quick search in the free section (found underneath the ‘for sale’ heading) offered up at least 20 sources for free boxes.”

Starbucks

Lattes and boxes: the perfect combination. Starbucks receives shipments 1-2 times per week, and since they aren’t on every mover’s list of where to get boxes, they’ll likely have them on hand. Also, because of their varying product sizes, their box sizes will also vary.

Grocery Stores and U-haul Box Exchange

Apartment Therapy recommends asking your local grocery store for their apple boxes, as they’re great for packing fragile items. You can also find free boxes in your area from people looking to get rid of theirs through U-haul.

Pack for Efficiency

It might take a few extra minutes to categorize and label each box, but it will surely take more than a few minutes to drag each unlabeled box from room-to-room once you discover, for instance, that you’ve toted the kitchen box into your bedroom and the bathroom box into the laundry room. Make life easier by labeling and grouping, and be sure to label with tape (color-coded tape works wonders); that way you can remove the labels and give the boxes to someone in need, effectively taking them off your hands.

Find a Truck

Depending upon your needs, you have the option of using a friend’s truck to move or renting one. You can also rent trailers, but be sure it’s going to be a sunny day if you’re going to risk to having a roof over your valuables. Take into consideration that companies such as U-haul usually charge around $1.00 per mile, although they may include a certain number of miles if you’re going a longer distance; calculate which would be cheapest for your drive. Also be sure to book in advance, since trucks can go quickly, especially during summers and weekends.

Unload Efficiently

Remember labeling and grouping?  Be sure when you unload to set boxes and furniture in their designated areas so there’s less rearranging and moving again once you start unpacking. Also, a box cutter works much more efficiently than scissors or a knife, making opening a breeze instead of a pain.

Keep in mind that some trucks come with a dolly, or can be rented for a fee. If you might be moving again in a year, consider buying one to keep for future moves, as they’re handy for rearranging furniture and other large objects, and negate the need to rent for the next time.

Additional Miscellaneous Moving Hacks 

- According to Buzzfeed, packing plates vertically, like records, makes them less likely to break.

- Be sure to pack an overnight bag with essentials in order to avoid digging through boxes your first night (however, if you labeled and categorized efficiently, your essentials shouldn’t be too hard to find).

- Take photos of your empty apartment beforehand, if you’re renting. This saves headaches when it comes to receiving your deposit.

- Don’t shop for groceries two weeks prior to the move; it requires less waste.

- Take photos of the wires connecting into your TV and electronics to refer back to when you need to connect them again.

Looking for a more convenient way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Rent stylish furniture from CORT and save time and money. For more information on furniture rental packages, click here.

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