Moving Hacks! How to Make Your Move Easy and Stress Free
If you missed the big reveal on Instagram, my husband and I are officially homeowners! I’m so proud and grateful of this accomplishment and the next chapter in our lives. I’m going to be sharing more about our journey to home ownership and what millennials need to know about purchasing their first home. But for now let’s talk about moving!
Packing, moving, and unpacking are total beasts! It can be super stressful and overwhelming, especially for a big move or a long distance move. It was really important for me to make our move as efficient as possible, especially since my husband and I are both working from home. The only way that was going to be possible was to get creative and enlist professional help. I partnered with TaskRabbit on my move to help make things as seamless as possible. If you haven’t heard of TaskRabbit, immediately check them out.
TaskRabbit is an online platform and app that saves you time by connecting you with skilled “Taskers” who can help with everyday to-dos, such as furniture assembly, handyman work, moving help, cleaning, and waiting in line. TaskRabbit is available in more than thousands of cities across the US, Canada and Europe. Keep reading for my moving hacks and how the TaskRabbit pros helped save the day!
Start Downsizing before a Move
My husband and I are fans of a seasonal purge, and I strongly suggest it a few weeks before a move. Donate any old clothes, throw away expired beauty products, and do a thorough audit of things around your home that you no longer need. We got rid of about 6 huge garbage bags of junk before we even started packing. That helped streamline the process and made prepping for the move so much easier. Make sure you do some pre-move organizing a few weeks before the move so you can take your time and not feel overwhelmed. You can hire a Tasker to pick-up and drop-off your donations at a local charity of your choice.
Order Your Packing Supplies in Advance
In the weeks leading up to our move, I ordered an assortment of shipping boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape and paper. I really had no idea how much we would actually need so took a guess for the first round. It’s important to get some supplies in early so you have time to get more if you run out as you start packing. Plus it gives you time to comparison shop and look for sales/coupons.
I also started keeping the packaging for anything we ordered online and saved a few boxes that I found in our apartment building. The cost of packing materials can add up fast so I wanted to save! I also ordered a few of the classic Ikea blue shopping bags. They are perfect for packing your groceries right before you leave and throwing in any miscellaneous items that you find at the last minute.
Pack all Your Non-Essentials a Week before You Move
This is probably the most important packing tip! Leaving everything to the last minute is a recipe for disaster. We packed up about 70% of our kitchen items and clothing a week before the move, then spent a little bit of time each day tackling a section of the house. It made things run a lot smoother. Plus when we started running out of our stash of packing supplies we had time to replenish before move out day.
Schedule a few Buffer Days In Between Moves
We were lucky enough to close on the new place about 4 days before we had to vacate our old apartment. That gave us a day to map out a layout in the new apartment and a day after the move to go back to the old apartment in case we forgot anything or needed to clean up. We got to spend time planning out exactly where we wanted the movers to place the furniture, where we wanted our art hung, and labeling cabinets to make unpacking easier. I also wanted to hand carry my wedding dress and make sure it was safely tucked away!
Hire Moving Help for More than Just Heavy Lifting
A lot more goes into moving than just hauling furniture in and out. We used TaskRabbit to help us with a few major steps in the process of moving and getting settled. Taskers can do everything from organizing and packing items; moving and loading boxes and heavy furniture; picking up and dropping off unwanted donation items; deep cleaning; and more. We found an expert handyman to help us mount our TV and hang up our art collection. We both wanted to see the visuals come together quickly and have our relaxation space set up before the end of the day. Our Ttasker helped make that possible! The next morning we had another Tasker come over to finish unpacking and organizing. She specialized in home organization and helped us get our kitchen, bathroom, and closets together in a single afternoon! It’s amazing to have our space feel so settled and lived in after just a day; that wouldn’t have been possible without TaskRabbit.
Hiring a Tasker on TaskRabbit just makes moving and tackling your to-do list easier. You can search for the best Tasker for the job based on cost, skillset, availability, location and past client reviews. It’s moving season, so if you have one coming up, definitely check out TaskRabbit for support.
Pack an Overnight Bag with Your Essentials
This is another super important and often overlooked packing hack. I always pack a duffel bag with a change of clothes, comfy loungewear, pajamas, toiletries, and all of my electronics and chargers. Having that ready makes it easy for me to unwind after a long, stressful day of moving and get ready the next morning. No need to dig through boxes looking for your PJs or face wash!
It’s been about a week since we moved and we are about 90% perfect. Follow me on Instagram and stay tuned to the blog for more updates on home ownership for millennials and home décor. And be sure to check out TaskRabbit at taskrabbit.com and @TaskRabbit on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
