Summertime is moving season, and it’s also the time of year when homes are in the highest demand. The nice weather of early fall makes this month and next the perfect time of year to start the next chapter of your life in a new home. We want to help you out on your moving journey that will hopefully make the chore of packing up your life a little easier. Take a look at these moving hacks to get you started. 

Get Insured 

In order to get approval for your mortgage on the house you’re purchasing, you’ll need proof of insurance. Get this step out of the way early on so you can focus on the more tangible tasks of cleaning and packing. Grab your phone and call your agent, so they can get started on your new insurance quote. If you are renting, let your agent know about your upcoming address change so that your contents will be covered at your new place. 

PURGE

Before packing belongings into boxes, reduce the amount of stuff that needs to be transported across the land. Grab a box or laundry basket and take it room to room. If you have belongings that are no longer useful or don’t fit on your vision board for the look of your new home, toss them in the donation bin. If you want to take it a step further (and have the time to do so), you can host a yard sale prior to moving that may help fund the charge. For more information on downsizing and simplifying your life, check out this blog post. 

Take it One Room at a Time

Depending on how quickly you need to vacate, the more leisure approach to this step may or may not be an option. If your timeline is more flexible, think of your current home in manageable chunks rather than one huge feat. Make a schedule for yourself that spreads these different chunks across multiple days/weeks. And remember to take nights off to enjoy your friends and family, especially if you are about to move far away.  

Pack

Now it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty of moving, which means everything must go. Take a look at these hacks for making sure your stuff arrives safely to your new home.  

• Before packing your more fragile glasses, slide them into clean socks for free protection. 
• Cut out a small hole at the bottom of a few trash bags. Then, slide them over your hung clothes so that the hanger comes through the hole. Tie the bottom of the trash bag, and you’ll be able to transport them directly to your new closet. 
• If you are in the military or were raised by someone who is, you probably know that rolling your clothes is the most efficient, space-saving way to store them. Do this to all of your dresser clothes to make more space for them before you move. 

• To avoid messy spills, remove the lids on all of your liquid bottles and place plastic wrap over the opening. Return the lid to the bottle and tighten.  
• Tape your mirrors, forming an “X,” to avoid shattering. 

Clean

Worried about getting that deposit back? These hacks will help you restore your home back to factory settings for free. 

• If you’re renting, check your leasing agreement or ask your landlord what they would like you to do before leaving. In order to get the most back from your original deposit, you’ll want to follow their steps carefully. 
• Before removing nails, wrap a rubber band around your hammer to avoid making scuff marks on the walls. 

• Rub a white bar of soap over nail and tack holes to fill them. 
• Run a vacuum over all of the carpet to fluff it back up where furniture has been sitting. 
• Place an ice cube on the dents that don’t budge and let it melt. Afterward, use a spoon to lift the fibers back to where they belong.  
• Use a tennis ball to rub away any scuffs left in your hardwood floors. For bad backs, cut a hole in the tennis ball and pop it on the end of your broom handle. 

Settle Into Your New Place

When arriving at your new home, there are a couple things you’ll want to get done first. Here are some tips for your first day. 

• You’ll likely be both exhausted and starving. Pack a “first day basket” with disposable dishes and silverware, so you don’t spend time searching through boxes. Other things to include in this basket might be chargers, purses, bedding, toiletries, and a change of clothes. 
• Before unpacking any dishes, wipe out cabinets and line with contact paper.  
• Walk through the house (especially if you’re renting) and make note of anything that needs fixed. This is much easier to do before the place is filled with furniture. 
• Set up and make your bed first. Don’t exhaust yourself with all of the other tasks before setting up a place to crash when you’re ready to call it a day!