Moving is a stressful and sweaty time that can feel like the end of the world, but having a few essential tools can go a long way to retaining your sanity. Sure you can probably do without any of them, but throughout our many moves we've acquired all of them and wouldn't move ever again without them!
1. Sharpie: Sure other markers will do the job, but 1 large tip Sharpie will move you and still be around to label all your burned Netflix later on in the year once you're settled in. Not that we would condone such a thing.
2. Rope: With a nod given to the movie Boondock Saints ("You and your stupid %$*&# rope!") we don't leave home without rope — especially when we move. It's almost essential to tie things down. Even if you're not putting anything on top of a car or truck it can still be handy to hold down tarps or section off parts of your moving van to help keep things secure.
3. Tape Gun: If you own more than 10 boxes worth of stuff, a tape gun is a huge (huge!) help. Never again will you search for the edge of the tape that's stuck itself back down or tear packing tape with your teeth (shiver), plus the large sound they make is oddly satisfying.
4. Blankets: If you're moving more than a few blocks, having a blanket or two in your moving truck can come in quite handy to ensure favorite pieces don't get scratched during the trip. We don't use them as often as we probably should (usually they're packed in our boxes of glass goods to keep things safe), but when you need them — you need them!
5. Box Knife: Although you'll be packing things up first, getting back into them quickly can be far less painful, so spend the few bucks and pick one up.
6. Walkie-Talkies: Yes everyone has a cell phone and yes they work just fine, but more often than not, you don't hear ring tones, text message bleeps and bloops when you're busy sweating your face off.
Walkie-talkies always have reception in the area you're working in and make you feel like you're 6 again. Neat.
7. Furniture Dolly: Even if this is the only dolly you own, it can make moving heavy items like sofas, deep freezers or even a large pile of books easier. The bonus is it will slide under your bed or in a closet when you're done moving, not to be seen or heard from again until it's needed again. Hand trucks on the other hand, well let's just say you better have a garage!
8. Plastic Wrap: Use regular wrap from your local big box retailer, like you would use in the kitchen, or order some from a place like Uline, but one of the smartest things we do each and every move is wrap shelving units that might be made from veneer or laminate to keep them safe. It works like a champ and even helps stabilize them from tipping over in the moving truck.
Do you have any moving essentials that didn't make the list? Let us know in the comments below and share your secret weapons for getting the job done without a meltdown!
Image: Flickr member steakpinball, buba69, palindrome6996, certified su, midnightcomm, Liz and PugnoM licensed for use by Creative Commons and Wrigley Video
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Great picks. We used all of these during our last move.
I hated using the plastic wrap because it seemed so wasteful, so we used it sparingly. Instead, we wrapped furniture in old sheets or blankets and taped them in place.
Something that really worked for me was wearing a roll of masking tape around my wrist as a bracelet. It made labeling boxes much easier because I wasn't running around looking for the tape. Sharpies get lost so easily in a moving mess. I wore a workshop apron to keep all my packing supplies organized and accessible.
#2 is also a nod to LOTR :)
That wall full of Sharpies is divine. I love office supplies!
Those sharpies are lovely :)
You forgot the ultimate in "easy moving"--hiring professional movers. Worth every single penny. Last time we moved, even though I was unemployed, we saved up for movers. Never, ever doing it ourselves ever again.
I would have to add the Strap-A-Handle to that list.
Sounds odd I know, but it was a lifesaver!
YES Sharpies are amazing for just about everything. Also I feel like the walkie talkies would be kind of excessive unless you are moving an entire warehouse of stuff...
soquiet - They've been quite helpful on our last several moves as they it usually takes a full day to move and unpack and most likely it involves several flights of stairs. There's nothing more frustrating than standing downstairs to guard a moving truck only to find out the ringer has been off on your phone and your husband (who's 5 floors up in a walk up) has been trying to call you to come up for 30 minutes! ... not that I would know anything about that.
Clear plastic containers. Even if you label stuff, it's helpful if the label / tape falls off or is on the wrong side of the box (who wants to make a label for every side?)
And now in order to be a big hypocrite, I will say, plastic wrap can be replaced by something more eco-friendly. We have tablecloths and spare towels that work just fine.
A wall of Sharpies...sorted by color...each color in its own little bin...is this heaven?
We used colored duct tape in the last move and it was amazing. Helped all of our friends/movers to make sure that the boxes ended up in the correct rooms. Best $20 we spent!
We used walkie-talkies on our last move. We had to drive separate vehicles from Southern Cali to Washington. Me with three little boys and hubby with the moving truck and car trailer. It was a great purchase.
There are these slider things, you just put them under the corners of your heavy furniture and you can slide it all over the place. They look like Plinko chips! And they are life-saving!
Meredith, that's a great idea. I wish I'd read this a week ago! Instead, I bought bright oversize post-its (6" x 8" I think) and taped them to 2 sides of every box, then wrote on them which room they go in. I will probably work out fine (moving on Tues) but the duct tape would have been loads easier.
I always make sure I have a friend with a truck.
@ a.hidden.bird: another lotr nerd... yes! :)
During my last move I took a suggestion from Martha and made a move binder, with all my checklists and stuff. It helped a lot. Plus I love any excuse to make a binder.
Wardrobe boxes with a bar for hanging clothes. If you hang a large portion of your clothes, as I do, having these cuts down immeasurably on the time it takes to unpack.
Clean newsprint. Clean paper to wrap stuff makes such a difference--you wrap clean things and they come out clean. You can then refold and reuse or pass it on. It is worth every (not very many) pennies.
I've used plastic wrap for a lot more than protecting furniture.
I've wrapped dishes and silverware. Books. computer cables and accessories. Toiletries. Using the smaller 6" tube of plastic wrap, of course. But its very useful. A lot of places tape is used, plastic wrap works just as well if not better.
Movers. Movers, movers, movers. I used them to move cross country (company paid) and they were great. Then my roommate hired some to move crosstown (again, company paid), and they were wonderful. Since I have a library, I used them to move within the same neighborhood. And my friends, who all know about my book problem, didn't avoid me around moving time *grin*.
I will say one variation that won't work, and that's colored electrical tape. I figured I'd color-code the boxes with a set of electrical tape that came in 5 different colors. 5 rooms - 5 colors - Perfect! Trouble is electrical tape didn't stick to the plastic bins I was using. d'oh! So while the colored tape is a great idea, make sure you get duct tape.
Gosh, I want a wall of colored sharpies now.
One tip - don't just buy one sharpie. When you're moving it somehow magically gets moved by pixies about every ten minutes, so if you only buy one you can never find it. Buy at least three!
Uh..."stressful, sweaty and stressful"?
I taste the Sharpie rainbow.
Coloured masking tape is a great idea!
My last move, I printed off coloured stickers - I wanted bigger ones than I could find so I just made a screenful of colour and printed them off onto address labels. Each room had a colour code (helpful because most of them ARE different colours) and I stuck an appropriately coloured sticker above each door, as well as the key at the back door. Meant I didn't have to write on each box or run around after the movers.
It was the first time I'd ever used movers, and OMG it was worth it! We wouldn't have had time to do it ourselves, pack AND unpack that weekend and would have had to ask for another week at the old place. What with hiring the truck and the extra rent that would have meant, I figured I actually SAVED money.
I'd add a dolly.
I thought, "Someone besides me thinks a CAT makes moving easier?!" No matter what, a home is homier with a cat - even with all of your crap in boxes.
LOL Kaete - I couldn't agree more. But the same tends to happen with the roll of duct tape.
Where oh WHERE did you find all those sharpies?
Shredded paper! I have a shredder and kept the paper around since I knew I was moving. Great for cushioning items.
Not just Sharpies -- RETRACTABLE Sharpies to save the cap on/cap off step (and my teeth because I use them to hold the pen cap far too often). Mine didn't last long enough for Netflix, but I didn't care. I have plenty of others from my Sharpie addiction.
Making labels is too time consuming,unless you are starting a month ahead. Just mark the boxes,takes a lot less time, and less $$$$.
Wearing an apron with pockets to keep up with th markers is an awesome idea!