Relocations are never easy to organize, but since, on average, Americans tend to move 12 times in their lifetime, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn how to move efficiently on your own. If you still can’t keep track of all the things that have to be done, the following few tips will allow you to have a much simpler experience.
While these tips will help you prepare for the trip a lot quicker, you will likely still have to hire one of the local relocation companies to assist you with the process. After all, hiring a professional is the most efficient way to move.
How Can I Make Moving Easier? Start By Creating a Checklist
There’s no better way to start your relocation preparations than by creating a moving to-do list. It makes keeping track of all your tasks relatively easy, allowing you to organize the entire relocation very efficiently. Whether you write down everything or use a task management platform, always deal with essentials first, including transferring utilities, getting supplies, hiring professionals, and so on. If you’re prone to misplacing your keys and chargers, make sure you also have a list of the most commonly forgotten things to pack.
Consider Hiring Local Orange County Movers Early on Before You Start to Pack
Organizing a relocation is not an easy task, so unless you’re planning to do it entirely on your own, consider hiring professional movers in Orange County, CA, to assist you. You won’t have to go through nearly as much moving stress, and you’ll have much more time to finish some other vital tasks. How do you move efficiently if you’re on a budget? Well, if you don’t have many resources on your relocation expenses checklist, you can always hire some more affordable movers in Orange County, CA. Just make sure that they are not a part of a moving scam. Otherwise, you can book a company in advance or move out of season to get a more attractive offer.
How Can I Move My House Faster and Efficiently? Getting Rid Of Things You Don’t Need Will Surely Help
While we’re often taught to keep things that are still usable, it makes no sense to move anything you haven’t used in a while. Preparing for relocation takes a lot of effort, so it’s always a good idea to find a way to make the process less time-consuming. If you want to move everything you currently have, the process will most likely take a lot longer to complete than you might think. That’s why it’s crucial to declutter your inventory before you pack even a single item. There are several ways you can deal with all the belongings you don’t need. Items that are in good condition can be sold, given away, or donated to a charity, while you should throw out anything you wouldn’t use yourself.
Deal With All Your Remaining Food Before Moving Out
Although you might not think of throwing out groceries, it’s always better to use up all the food you have at home before relocating. While unopened cans are good to go, everything else is a hazard waiting to happen. Besides attracting vermin, the food can easily spill in the truck, making it one of the few goods movers won’t move. If you don’t want to throw anything away, avoid buying new groceries about two weeks before the move or use the leftovers to prepare some snacks for your going away party.
Using What You Have in Your Home Is One of the First Steps in Learning How to Move Efficiently
Learning to utilize your everyday household objects will help you move a lot more efficiently. Before you go out to buy new supplies, try to pack with what you have in your home first. For example, clothes and towels can be used to secure all kinds of fragile belongings, including dishes. Doing this will enable you to save some money for supplies you genuinely have to get.
Where Can You Find Some Relatively New Supplies for Free?
Once you’ve exhausted all the options in your home, you still have a few places where you can look for free supplies. If your close ones don’t have anything to lend you, you can find plenty of relatively new materials at one of the local stores. Try looking for supplies online, as websites like The Freecycle Network offer plenty of stuff for free.
What Is the Most Efficient Way to Pack for a Move?
Finding the most efficient way to pack for moving will significantly reduce the time it takes you to prepare everything. If you’re unsure what needs to be done, using the following tips will allow you to secure a majority of your belongings quickly:
- Leave the clothes on the hangers – Avoid folding clothing individually by wrapping it in trash bags while it’s still on hangers.
- Put smaller items into larger ones – You can save a lot of storage space by placing some of the smaller belongings into larger ones. For example, you can stuff most of your shoes with socks, saving you the trouble of having to pack them in the first place.
- Wrap drawers without emptying them – While taking things out of the drawers makes dressers and tables easier to load into the truck, it will also significantly increase the time it takes you to prepare everything. Unless they become too heavy to lift, it’s often better to leave them as they are and secure their contents with plastic wrap.
- Transport heavier objects in suitcases – While their primary purpose is to move clothes, suitcases are a much better option for packing books and other heavier things.
- Use larger boxes for lighter things – Trust us, you don’t want to pack plates or other heavier objects in larger containers. Firstly, you won’t be able to lift the box off the ground. More importantly, if it can’t handle the extra weight, there’s a high chance you might lose some if not all the items from it.
To see some of the hacks we mentioned above in action, check out the video below.
When Should You Start Packing to Move?
Assuming you’ve gathered all the necessary supplies, you should start packing about three weeks before the moving day. This should give you enough time to pack fragile items, as these are usually the hardest to deal with. Starting any later forces you to speed up the process to the point that most of your belongings aren’t even appropriately packed, exposing them to a higher risk of damage during transport. If you can’t find the time to do everything right, hiring local movers in Orange County, CA, and investing in their residential relocation is going to be much more affordable than having to repair or even replace your expensive furniture.
Labeling Is One of the Best Packing Tips Out There
When it comes to organizing the packing process, very few relocation hacks are as helpful as labeling. Properly marking each box will allow you to get anything you need pretty quickly, saving you the trouble of having to open all the containers to find an item you misplaced. There are several ways to label your containers, ranging from writing down the contents and room to using colored sticky notes or even keeping a detailed inventory. All the options are very applicable, so feel free to experiment before focusing on a single labeling system. If we take packing dishes as an example, you will label the box as “fragile” in three places, so it can easily be seen from multiple angles.
Labeling Each Box Keeps Your Belongings Safe When Loading and Unloading the Truck
Having a visible label on each container will keep your belongings safe from damage due to mishandling. This is particularly important when loading the truck, as heavier sturdy boxes are the first to go, followed by large furniture, with fragile and lighter objects going in last. If you failed to mark all the containers properly, even the best movers in Orange County, California, won’t be able to tell what’s packed in any of them. Be aware that professionals are not accountable for any damage during transport if they weren’t the ones to pack the broken item in question.
Avoid Unpacking All the Boxes on Your Move-in Day by Preparing a Bag With Essential Items
Now that you’ve finally moved to one of the best cities to live in the OC, the last thing on your mind is to start unpacking right away. Fortunately, preparing a bag with essentials will give you a few days of rest, as you’ll have everything you need readily available. Whether you’re relocating on your own or with family, you will likely have to bring most of the following items:
- Personal toiletries and medication,
- Sleeping essentials like bedding, blankets, and pillows,
- Crucial documents,
- Kitchen essentials, including some snacks and water,
- Bathroom necessities,
- Baby products and toys,
- Pet food when relocating with pets.
Use These Unpacking Tips to Open All the Boxes in Any Room Quickly
While preparing essentials separately allows you to relax for a day or two, not having to unpack right away will often cause you to delay the unpacking process indefinitely. If you’re having trouble dealing with a lot of unopened boxes, the following tips will help you make the unpacking process a little less daunting:
- Set a deadline – Nothing will stimulate you more to unpack quickly than organizing a housewarming party or a friendly gathering at your new home.
- Unpack little by little – Emptying a single box at a time makes the entire process a lot less overwhelming, as you won’t have to spend more than 15 minutes at once.
- Make the process fun – Since you’ll have to unpack most of your boxes anyways, playing some music or including the entire family in the activity makes the process a lot more enjoyable.
Now That You’ve Learned All the Basics, Our Orange County, CA Movers Are Here to Help
See, that wasn’t too complicated. If you create a solid plan and keep at it, you should be able to move efficiently and without any significant problems. After you write down your essentials, searching for the best movers in Orange County, CA, is the next logical step. If you want an affordable, reputable professional that can make your entire relocation significantly easier, Orange County Moving Services is just the company for you. Our team is well-trained to provide all sorts of local moving options, suitable for even commercial relocations, and including excellent packing service. If you need to move a piano or any other heavier furniture piece, we’re the guys for you. Contact our customer support for additional information about any service that interests you, and don’t hesitate to ask for a free quote.