Moving without a plan is the best way to raise your blood pressure. It’s also a great way to lose valuable possessions and stress out everyone involved, including yourself. No one likes moving all their belongings, but we can make the process much easier with just a little planning.
You don’t need flowcharts or spreadsheets to plan for your move. All you need is some organization and a plan of attack. At Fox Moving & Storage Knoxville, we know how to relocate our customers. You can bypass most of the steps below by simply giving us a call to get a free quote. But let’s assume you have your heart set on doing everything by yourself.
So, how do you plan for your move? Let’s look at a few lifesaving tips…
1. Identify Your Essential Items When You Plan for Your Move
You will have plenty of time after relocating to sort through the things that don’t matter, but you need to know where your most important items are located throughout the entire moving process. Think about what you would pack if you were traveling. You would want a basic wardrobe, toiletries, important medication and any electronic devices you can’t live without. When moving, keep these same items readily available and easy to find.
Pro tip: Load the most important things last so they will also be the first things you unload.
2. Tackle the Least Important Items First
You won’t really be needing that antique set of salt and pepper shakers your grandmother gave you for Christmas anytime soon. Feel free to start packing anything currently gathering dust ahead of your scheduled moving date. In fact, you can begin packing these items as soon as you find out that you are moving.
3. Better Labeling = Easier Unpacking
The more time you spend labeling your boxes, the simpler unpacking will be. If you want to make your life even easier, keep a marker pen nearby to label every box you pack, designating not only the contents of the box, but also the room in which the box should be unloaded. Always mark “FRAGILE” in big letters on any box containing dishes, glass or electronics.
4. Pack Your Boxes Tightly
Pack all your boxes as tightly as possible without tearing the containers or the breaking the contents themselves. When packing clothes, vacuum-sealed bags can help you save even more space and fit more of your clothes into a container.
Pro tip: Pack heavy items in small boxes and small items in large boxes.
5. Keep Your Wires Straight
Taking apart and reassembling electronic equipment is a hassle, but it will be easier if you have a frame of reference to guide you. If you want to remember which cable goes in which slot, take some pictures with your phone before disconnecting your electronic devices. Wrap each wire or cable individually with a rubber band or twist tie so you won’t waste time untangling them when it comes time to unpack.
6. Track Down Moving Containers Before You Get Started
You’ll save yourself a lot of stress if you track down some moving boxes before packing up all your belongings. We can give you endless tips on how to plan for a move, but if you don’t have enough boxes available, you’ll risk losing or breaking some of your possessions. It’s worth noting here that we provide moving boxes to all our customers, including those for wardrobes, mirrors and dishes.
7. Know Your New Neighborhood Before You Relocate
If you have the luxury of spending time in your new neighborhood before your move, dedicate a couple hours to finding the nearest convenient stores, groceries, hospitals and other locations you’ll need to know. If you have children or pets, they might enjoy an introduction to the area before the big move, too.
Pro tip: When you’re planning a move to Knoxville, check out our primer on your new favorite city.
Let Fox Moving & Storage Knoxville Plan for Your Move
As you can see, moving by yourself isn’t easy. You can save yourself stress, time and energy by working with professional movers at Fox Moving & Storage Knoxville. We’ll take care of all the details so you can focus on settling into your new home. We help individuals and businesses relocate to Knoxville with services including residential moving, commercial moving, packing, storing, warehousing and white glove moving.
We make moving as simple as possible. In addition to handling every aspect of your relocation, we also provide a free downloadable checklist to help you plan for your move.
If you aren’t sure whether you want to hire a professional mover, give us a call for a free quote. You’d be surprised at how much you might end up saving by working with a moving company. Call Fox Moving & Storage Knoxville at 865-437-5555 to learn more about our services.