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Moving Tips You Really Need to Know

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Capital Properties DC AB15253

If you have moved more than once, you know to put all your clothes into trash bags and tie them off at the top by the clothes hanger hooks - that way you can just hang them easily at your new home. 

You know to color code your moving boxes and to pack an overnight bag of first day essentials.  You are a pro so your coffee, mug and Keurig are some of the first things you will unpack.  Bottled water will be easily at hand and you already have the local pizza delivery service on speed dial to order lunch for your friends helping you get settled. 

But do you know these?

DIY MOVING BOXES

Make picking up and lifting heavy boxes a little easier by cutting handholds in two sides of the box with a utility knife! Leave the top flaps of your triangular cut-outs attached and simply fold them in.

MASKING TAPE ON YOUR MIRRORS

Use masking tape to place a large X on your mirrors and glass frames. It won’t prevent it from breaking, but it will absorb shock and keep the glass in the frame in the case that it is dropped or shuffled in the moving truck.

TAKE A PHOTO OF YOUR TV CORDS AND COMPUTER HOOK UPS

Before you disconnect them to be boxed up, take a quick snapshot of the cords on the back of your television and other electronics so that you can remember where they all go! Maybe you think this is silly, but I’m clueless at connecting things. I might never watch tv again if I have to reconnect it at a new place. 

USE YOUR ROLLING SUITCASE FOR HEAVY BOOKS

The first time I ever moved after my first year of college, I bought big boxes and put all my books into one box.  Naturally, I couldn't move it down to the storage unit in the dorm's basement - Lesson learned! If you’ve got them, use your rolling luggage bags for really heavy items like books. Now you can avoid the heavy lifting and simply roll the bags onto your moving truck.

USE THOSE OLD FITTED SHEETS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Surely you have a closet somewhere in your house with old sheets and blankets. Use those fitted sheets to protect your mattresses on moving day! Put one on just like normal, and then place another on the bottom for complete coverage. This will keep dirt and debris off of your mattresses in the moving process.

DRAIN THE YARD TOOLS BEFORE YOU SHIP THEM

Gas and oil are considered hazardous and flammable. It’s probably not a good idea to pack a lawn mower or weed eater full of gas in with the rest of your stuff in the moving truck. Be sure to drain it out before loading it up. Your lawn mower needs a good tune up every now and then anyway.

DEFROST YOUR REFRIGERATOR AT LEAST A DAY BEFORE MOVING

Your movers will appreciate you! 

UTILIZE ALL THE SPACE AND DOUBLE PURPOSE IT ALL

Think outside of the box! Use your pot holders to safely hold knives, store socks inside of shoes and boots, use the inside of your washer and dryer for storage — anything you can think of to fill up empty space. This will save much needed room on the truck.

Put your spices inside your crock pot.

Put your soft items like comforters in big plastic bags to cushion other things in the trust and to fill in empty spaces. 

Put your stemware in clean socks before you pack them.  You use your socks for a great purpose and protect your stemware. 

PACK YOUR PLATES VERTICALLY - THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO BREAK

and use styrofoam plates between the plates to cushion them.

STOP GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOU MOVE

The less you have in your fridge, the less you will have to move or throw away. You can create some wonderful meals from what you have in your fridge and your cupboard. Use it up! 

At the Lise Howe Group, we know that there is more to a real estate transaction than just helping you buy or sell a home. We want to show you Howe Real Estate Should Be! Please give us a call to find out about how we can help you. 

 

Lise Howe
Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC
Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

Joyce Marsh - I liked the photos of the back of your tv and computer and the one to put tape on your mirror was new to me too

Apr 24, 2016 01:03 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Lise good list.  These are all excellent simple tips that anyone can do.

Apr 24, 2016 07:04 AM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Good morning Lise. I saw a couple of things I had not thought of, so therefore again I learned something new in the Rain.  Priceless 

Apr 24, 2016 07:49 PM
Mary Yonkers
Alan Kells School of Real Estate/Howard Hanna Real Estate - Erie, PA
Erie/PA Real Estate Instructor

Thanks Lise Howe for this post with many useful tips.  Like you I still remember the too heavy box of books.  I will reblog

Apr 24, 2016 10:35 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Very good moving tips. I hadn't heard of several of them!  Great ideas!

Apr 25, 2016 03:33 AM
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Lise. Well done, some great advice for folks that will be moving, hope they pay attention to what you shared.

Apr 25, 2016 08:15 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

Lise, these are great tips. I will share this post with others. 

Apr 25, 2016 09:15 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Have to pass some of these along...like the stemware in socks !

Apr 25, 2016 11:27 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is great advice to share with families on the move. I will schedule a reblog.

Apr 25, 2016 11:45 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

I really like the tip on taking photos of the TV cords. That is what confuses us the most. Good post Lise.

Apr 26, 2016 10:41 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Lise

Your moving tips . . . .  is an useful check list for your customers.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Apr 26, 2016 03:14 PM
Elyse Berman, PA
LoKation Real Estate - Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton FL (561) 716-7824

Lise Howe Great tips on moving.   I didn't know about putting your clothes in a trash bag with a tie.  Great idea as is the one about photographing your cords!

Apr 26, 2016 08:49 PM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Lise Howe - My husband had a 36 year career at UPS so he became the go-to for many friends and all relatives who were moving. Many of your great packing and moving tips were utilized. However, you did a fantastic job organizing the process for all to see.  I will be reblogging this at a future date. This will be a big help to all future customers. If it were not for Elyse Berman who re-blogged this, I may not have seen it.  Thank you.

Apr 26, 2016 09:50 PM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Lise. Moving is really hard and these tipsare wonderful. This would be a great handout.

Apr 26, 2016 11:44 PM
Tony and Suzanne Marriott, Associate Brokers
Serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale Metropolitan Area - Scottsdale, AZ
Haven Express @ Keller Williams Arizona Realty

Hi Lise Howe - thanks for a very comprehensive list of "moving tips".  I noticed that for some reason I wasn't "following" you - so am fixing that now!  CLICK!

Apr 27, 2016 01:33 AM
Lisa Von Domek
Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX
....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Great moving tips Lise Howe and I have taken photos of cords before - saves a lot of headaches on set up!

Apr 27, 2016 12:35 PM
Gabe Sanders
Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL
Stuart Florida Real Estate

Thanks for the great tips, Lise.  Moving is not among my favorite things, but these tips will help make it a bit more palatable.

Apr 27, 2016 08:41 PM
John Pusa
Glendale, CA

Lise Howe These are excellent moving tips you really need to know.

May 07, 2016 06:08 AM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Lise. These tips are so good it makes me remember my recent move.

May 10, 2016 08:00 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

This is a terrific list of moving tips, Lise. There are many things that you can do in advance rather than waiting to the last minute. I always advise talking wtih movers about that items they will take vs. not (e.g., hazardous waste, etc.)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jeff

May 27, 2016 09:41 AM