All the Moving Essentials and Necessities You’ll Need

If you want your relocation to end successfully, a lot of planning and organizing is ahead of you. After all, a good system shortens the road to the goal, as author Orison Swett Marden said. Creating a moving essentials checklist must be a part of that process. Don’t let your move go wrong just because you didn’t think about moving necessities on time. And so you don’t forget any, keep reading and write them all down.

Deciding where to live can be a fun experience, but planning a move to another city is the dull and stressful part of each home relocation. However, keep in mind that some of the most common relocation mistakes are made because of the lack of organization. Every aspect of the move should be carefully thought through. The process of gathering items you will use during the move is not an exception. But what are the necessities when moving and how to choose them?

What Are the Essentials for Moving Out for the First Time?

An average American relocates more than ten times in a lifetime. Have you relocated before? If so, you already know how important it is to think about and gather all the relocation necessities before all the boxing up and heavy lifting starts. But what if you are relocating for the first time? All this will be new and unfamiliar to you. The necessities for every move are more or less the same, whether it’s your first or tenth one. Just follow our relocation tips, and you won’t have to stress at all – at least when it comes to this part of the process.

In the beginning, remember that you have two options. On the one hand, you can decide to get long-distance moving services by contacting cross-country movers. They will bring all the necessary materials and equipment and execute the move spotlessly. However, if your relocation budget doesn’t allow it, or for some other reason you decide against it, know that the DIY option is possible. Still, it demands a lot more work, so before you start, answer honestly what is more valuable to you – convenience or finances.

Packing Necessities You’ll Need So You Can Avoid a Nightmare Scenario

Boxing up belongings will be one of the most demanding items on your relocation to another state checklist. Not only will you have to learn how to pack glasses and other fragile objects, but you will also have to research more packing tips to box up the rest of your stuff. And after you learn everything, from how to pack bathroom items to the right way to pack shoes, it’s action time.

Relocation Boxes and How to Choose Them

Boxes are considered a basic storage option when relocating. The catch is in picking the right ones for your needs. That choice will depend on many factors. Relocating from home to a college dorm, for instance, will demand less boxing up than relocating your entire household. Also, you will use less storage space when relocating to another state alone than with a family of four. That is why it is crucial to go through your inventory list and determine the number and sizes. On average, count on at least 10 to 15 cartons of each size – small, medium, large and extra-large.

If you are already calculating the toll it will take on your wallet, don’t. Boxes don’t have to be new – there are places where you can find cheap or free ones. However, remember to reserve them for less important and less delicate belongings. A used box can never be as strong as an unused one. Look at places like:

• Your garage, attic, or basement – even if you can’t remember storing any boxes there, there is a high chance you will find something you can work with.
• Your friends’ houses – the same thing goes for them, so ask if they have some you can borrow.
• Online – many people don’t know what to do with boxes and just throw them out. However, some who care about the environment want to give their unneeded cardboard away, and they post about it online. Don’t be lazy – search for them.
• Local stores – in most cases, cartons that inventory arrives in end up thrown away as well. Ask the clerk of your local grocery store if they can spare some and keep a few extra bucks in your pocket.

Different Choices for Wrapping and Padding Supplies

Many of your belongings won’t make it through the relocation day if you don’t wrap them properly. It’s crucial when packing fragile items and other easily breakable objects. And there is plenty to choose from concerning wrapping materials. Packing paper and bubble wrap are commonly known wrapping materials, and they will provide you with excellent protection. However, to save money on relocation costs, consider the stuff you can find in your own home. Everything from blankets and pillowcases to T-shirts and rugs can be used.

Simultaneously, you must ensure that there is no free space in the carton. To do so, some of your supplies must be used for padding. That can be excess bubble wrap or any other material mentioned above. You can also purchase foam peanuts made precisely for this purpose. Whatever your choice is, ensure that the stuff inside of the box doesn’t move.

Decide What You Will Need for Labeling

So you don’t end up running like a headless chicken after the relocation day trying to find where you put your stuff, labeling is a must. And depending on which labeling tactic you choose, you will know what your labeling necessities are. You can pick color-coding or simply write down the name of the room those belongings should go in. In the first case, you can use color-coding materials (different colored tapes or stickers, for example). In the second, a simple marker is the best and the easiest option.

Additional Materials That Will Make Your Life Easier

You can’t cut bubble wrap and paper without scissors, and you can’t reinforce or close any boxes without tape. Ensure to have them by your side before you get down to work. It would also be nice to have a tape dispenser so you don’t end up always looking for the beginning of the tape. A scalpel will also be helpful, especially if you wish to resize cartons or cut the cardboard so you can hold it more easily.

How Long Before Moving Should You Start Packing?

If you want to move efficiently, it is essential that you pick the right day to start boxing up. It will mainly depend on the number of belongings on the inventory list, but don’t underestimate your breakables. The more fragile stuff you have, the more time you will spend. Just be careful not to start too early or too late. A couple of weeks before the move should do the trick.

Checklist of Essential Supplies You’ll Need to Move Furniture

After you finish with all the small objects in your household, prepare for heavy lifting. Disassembling and lifting closets, cabinets, sofas, beds, and appliances will demand considerable effort on your side. Fortunately, certain supplies and equipment will help you do it without a hitch.

The best way to move furniture is to disassemble the pieces first. Go through all of them beforehand to determine which parts can be disassembled at all. Next, you will have to determine what kind of tool you will use to do so. And that brings us to the next relocation necessity – a tool kit. Get ready for pliers and screwdrivers to become your new best friends in the days to come. And so you don’t end up losing all of those tiny furniture pieces, like screws and nails, have several ziplock bags prepared. Remember that marker we mentioned above? Use it to mark which tiny elements belong to which furniture piece.

You also have to come up with the best way to protect your furniture and appliances from getting damaged. Relocation blankets can be a good solution. They are not only easy to put on and remove, but they do a great job protecting your belongings. You can also opt for a simple stretch wrap – just keep in mind that it is not considered an eco-friendly solution.

Moving Out Essentials to Help You Lift Kitchen Appliances and Other Heavy Objects

To avoid possible injuries during the move, consider renting or buying:

• Furniture dolly – it’s the four-wheeler of your dreams when the relocation day comes. All you have to do is place bulky and heavy appliances on it and roll them off to the relocation truck. You can also use a utility dolly for smaller pieces or even cartons, but keep in mind that they have a smaller base.
• Lifting straps – of all the relocation hacks we can offer, this one will probably be the most beneficial for your health. This is your solution if you want to avoid having back pain from all that lifting and carrying. You will have to get one more person to carry the weight with you, so contact your friends and ask them for help. If you, for any reason, can’t get a hold of straps, try using ropes or get familiar with proper lifting techniques.
• Stair-roller – carrying heavy furniture down a set of stairs can get tricky, even with straps. If your home has more than one floor, or you live in an apartment building without an elevator, this will become a relocation necessity.

Leave Some Time for Cleaning the Home at the End

Cleaning supplies can also be considered relocation necessities because you’ll have to use them before leaving the house on the relocation day. Leave the house as clean as you wish for your new home to be. It shouldn’t be hard with all of your belongings packed and out of the way. And if you are an advocate for more natural cleaning products, the video below might help you find some:

Move-in Essentials for Your New Apartment

One of the most common things people forget to do when relocating is sorting out the items needed during the relocation day and for the first few days after the move. Make sure that a checklist for your necessities for a new apartment contains:

• Toiletries and toilet essentials such as toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, deodorants, and the like,
• Change of clothes (the most important thing to remember is underwear),
• Medicine – both the prescribed ones and the ones that can relieve you of pain or nausea,
• Masks and wipes,
• Important documents,
• Essential electronic devices (laptops and phones) and their chargers,
• Snacks and beverages for the road, and the like.

If you plan to pack a relocation truck, keep in mind that you have to organize, not improvise, the loading process. Pack and load large stuff first, and then add smaller items so that the weight in the vehicle is balanced

Don’t Want to Think About All Those Moving Essentials? Contact a Long-Distance Moving Company and Be Worry-Free

We completely understand if you get an urge to google the best long-distance movers near me after reading everything above. Relocation requires a lot of effort and time that sometimes you are not able to provide. If that is your case, don’t hesitate to contact a cross-country moving company and get packing services. Let the professionals think about all the equipment and technicalities so that you can focus on other important aspects of relocating to a new home. And there is plenty – you will find out soon enough.