We Asked 12 Professional Organizers How They Made Their Moves Easier

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Moving Checklists & Planning

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

While moving to a new home is exciting, it is also an overwhelming task due to all the things that need to be done before, during, and after you start enjoying new adventures and experiences. Just thinking about preparing for a big move can make you feel anxious. We reached out to expert home organizers and asked them for tips to help you overcome this task.

Read on to check out our list of easy moving and packing tips.

How do you get organized before moving?

Getting organized for a move requires a project management approach. You will have extensive lists and planning to help you keep your sanity.

  • Start with developing a timeline for your move. Work backward on your timeline to include dates the movers will load the truck, packers will arrive, the time you will be off residence while packing occurs, decluttering, change of address, optional items you will sell or donate before the move, and other items coming out of storage for your move. Record this timeline in your planner.
  • Add team members to your project. This includes movers, packers, professional organizers, childcare help, and other resources. It’s much harder to do this project entirely alone. Be sure to add the cost of all these additional tasks to add to your budget.
  • Start decluttering at least THREE months in advance, if you can. You can eliminate what you don’t use or need at your new residence. This saves you money and lowers your stress.
  • Keep your move organized with labels. Have plenty of markers available to write the contents on your boxes. You can label the boxes with a room name or assign a number to the room. Your movers will appreciate knowing that they can unload in the correct room without your direction because you have labeled the rooms and boxes.
  • Remember the “last in, first out” box, and your personal needs during this move. The last in, first out box should contain all the hardware for beds and the remote controls. These are vital to your happiness during the first 24 hours in your new home. Your personal needs items include medications and stuffed animals that must be a part of your first night in your home.
  • Keep calm and carry on! It will take a little longer than you like to settle in, even with every box unpacked. Happy moves happen with a plan!

-Ellen R. Delap at Professional Organizer

How exactly do you make a schedule for moving?

Moving has been ranked as one of the three most stressful life experiences! The good newsit doesn’t have to be. I’ve been helping people with all aspects of moving for over 15 years, and my biggest tip for less stress and a smooth move is to create a moving schedule with specific dates as soon as you decide to move. 

  • Start with an old-school blank calendar. Even if your whole life is digital, there is something about seeing your key dates on paper – starting with your move date and current commitments – that gives you a realistic overview of what to do when. 
  • Search online for “move checklist for a general sense of the steps involved. Most will have a 6-8 week plan. The checklist I use with clients is 18 pages long to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Customize the checklist to reflect your needs and time frame. If you’re moving locally, there’s less to do; there’s more to do if you’re planning to pack and move yourself and not use movers (Pro tip: unless your move is very small, it’s worth getting a free quote from movers – hiring movers is usually money well spent.) 

  • Make appointments with folks who can helpfrom professional organizers to help manage your move and declutter beforehand to movers to handymen to install your TV and window treatments.
  • Block out time in your main calendar to work on your move.
  • Stick to your schedule – and adjust as necessary. Plan for the unexpected!

By creating a realistic, comprehensive moving schedule, you’ll save yourself time, money, and aggravation and will feel in control of the process. Get started!

-Lisa Zaslow at Gotham Organizers

How do you pack kitchen items?

Use small boxes when packing a kitchen and label the boxes with the roomkitchen, dining room, or pantryand with the contents. 

Pare down your kitchen items as you pack. Get rid of any gadgets that only do one thing (avocado slicer, banana saver, lettuce knife, etc.) Movers charge by weight. If you have a set of china, crystal, or silver you haven’t used in years, get rid of that before you pay to move it! 

Use up the food and pantry items you already have and don’t buy anything in bulk for the last few months in your old house. If you come across expired foods and spices, throw those away as you pack.  

Finally, pack your kitchen in phases

Up to 2 months ahead:

Pack entertaining/party supplies or anything you know won’t need before you move. 

If you are moving far away, think ahead of time about who can use your extra food, toiletries, and cleaning supplies when you leave. Women’s shelters often take these kinds of things, even if they have been opened. 

Up to 2 weeks ahead:

Pack up everything else in the kitchen by category, leaving out the bare essentials. You want to leave enough plates and glasses, napkins, and sippy cups for your family to cook and eat for a day. Pack all but one pot and two pans, two dishtowels, etc. Think about what you’d find in a rental unit. Leave just the basics, nothing extra. 

The day before you move out:

Pack up these everyday supplies and food (if it’s a local move). Label those boxes “KitchenOPEN FIRST.” Once you arrive in your new kitchen, you can open those 2-3 boxes and make due until you have time to unpack fully. 

Nonnahs at Get Organized Already

Moving far away?

Do it cheaper.

HireAHelper.com can save you up to 40%, compared to traditional interstate van lines.

Compare our long distance moving company options.

Tips for packing your clothes

My favorite tips for packing clothes begin with a plan!

Before I pull anything out of the closet, I make a list of the specialty pieces I may need for where I’m going (e.g., exercise clothes, swimsuit, ski jacket, etc.) I also note if I need multiples, like four pairs of ski socks, for four days of skiing.

Then, I make a note of how many days of clothes I’ll need, how many nights (pajamas), as well as anything else, like underclothes and belts. I’ll also look up the weather, so I know I want to take long-sleeved tops and not short sleeves. I’ll pull out however many of each item and scratch it off my list. I consider myself a “folder”, so I like to fold these items into stacks that will fit neatly into my suitcase or bag. But, if rolling works better for your wrinkle-prone pieces, please do so! Laying out the items in stacks or rolls also allows me to quickly assess whether I need a piece of luggage in a different size. Now that I’ve secured my clothes, I can snugly fit shoes, accessories, and toiletries in the space between clothes’ stacks and other pockets. 

-Amy Trager at Amy Trager

What order should you pack in?

Begin with the home areas that you use the least because you will have to live without these items from now until you have unpacked in the new space. Start with rooms you rarely use or are mainly used for storage, like guest bedrooms, rooms of children away at college, and the basement, attic, and garage. 

Consider whether you really need and want to keep the item. Keep a boxed marked “Donate” by the doorway. Any item that doesn’t make the cut for your new home should go there. As you pack, move carefully stacked, inventoried, and labeled boxes to one side so you can see your progress as items “disappear” and the boxes are filled.

Methodically move cabinet-by-cabinet, or drawer-by-drawer. However, because there may still be weeks (or more) until you move, you will now not only consider whether to move, donate or discard something, but you may need to keep it in place until much closer to moving day. 

If it’s winter, pack the summer clothes and shoes from your closets. In living or family rooms, keep the TV and sound system, but pack up the books, puzzles, photo albums, and games. In the linen closet, pack everything except one change of sheets per bed and a few extra blankets. In the kitchen for your remaining time at home, pack whatever you can live without (e.g., gadgets, small appliances you rarely use, specialty supplies, and items). In your home office, pack all of your files in bankers boxes, and pack office supplies you won’t need daily in a separate container. Box up financial files and essential documents related to the move separately to travel with you; don’t leave them with the movers.

In areas you use most often, envision what you’d pack if you were setting up a vacation cottage for just a few weeks. Only leave minimal cookware, enough supplies to prepare simple meals, and adequate silverware, plates, and glasses to serve your needs for your time away. Then, pack everything else, leaving only your imaginary vacation essentials unboxed until right before moving day!

While packing, if you find something in the “wrong” space, move it to the room that corresponds to where it will go in your new house.

Finally, the only things left to pack should be what you will need for the first few days in your new home. Use a small suitcase or duffel bag for each person’s clothes, accessories, school or work items, toiletries, and medications, plus a box of first-night essentials like chargers, toilet paper, and a new shower curtain. Keep these items and all financial records safely with you during transit.

-Julie Bestry at Julie Bestry 

moving tips

The top 3 most important factors before moving

  1. Take time to declutter before moving. Moving is an excellent opportunity to declutter since everything has to be touched anyway. Ask yourself if you use or love each item and have a place to store it in your new home. If you don’t use or don’t love it or you can’t easily store it, now’s a great time to let it go. You won’t have to pack it, move it, and unpack it.
  2. Organize your packing. If you’re packing yourself, group items that go together in a room into categories and pack them in the same boxes. That way, you can label each box with a category. (For example, a kitchen box might also have the label food storage containers.) That will make it easier to unpack in an organized fashion and, if it takes you a while to unpack, you’ll be able to find the appropriate box if you’re looking for something. If you hire movers to pack, take the time to group categories of items together before they pack so that your boxes don’t contain a hodgepodge of stuff. Try to also label your boxes for the destination room (not the origin room) so that movers can get them into the right room. 
  3. Start early. The earlier you start organizing and decluttering, the less likely you will pay to move stuff you end up donating on the other end. Starting early also cuts down on stress and makes the move calmer. You’re more likely to get the dates you want with movers if you book them early. And if you’re hiring a professional organizing company or move manager to help, the earlier they get on board, the easier everything will be.

-Janine Adams at Peace of Mind Organizing

How do you pack valuables?

It’s going to depend on what the valuables are. If you still have the original packaging for jewelry (or anything!), use that. If any of your valuables are fragile, it may be worth hiring professionals to pack them.

  • See if you can lighten your load of any physical paper you don’t need anymore. For example, if you have care instructions for valuables, can you scan them? Or, if you have a valuation and a scanned copy is enough proof, shred the physical paper.
  • You will want to keep valuables like medicines and prescriptions close and in an “Unpack First Night” box, or in your suitcase or toiletries.
  • If you can’t keep valuables close, mark the box by room instead of by content. For example, “Living Room” instead of “Antique Vase”.
  • Keep track of all your valuables with some system. Take pictures, write descriptions and values. Consider an app like Sortly to keep track of everything.
  • If you’re using a packing cube or driving yourself, invest in a disc lock, as they’re a lot harder to break.
  • Use an inexpensive tracking device like Tile or TrackR so you’ll be able to know where your items are if you’re using a truck.

– Julie Coraccio at Reawaken Your Brilliance

What do you unpack first at your new home?

Be sure to unpack the rooms that you use daily first. Necessity is always first when it comes to unpacking. Think logically about the things that you will use first; sleeping, eating, and taking a shower are the essential and first activities you’ll do in your new home.  

The bedroom: After a long day of traveling and packing, you are going to want a good night’s sleep in your own bed. Reassemble the bed frame, unpack your sheets and make up your bed along with the pillows and bedspread. The rest of your bedroom items can wait. 

Set up the bathroom. You’ll feel instantly at-home if you get yourself settled into the bathroom. Hang a shower curtain, fill the medicine cabinet, and hang your towels. 

Next can be the kitchen, or kids and pet items. 

-Betsy Fein at Clutterbusters

How many days before moving should I start packing?

If you are packing yourself, ideally you’ll start packing as soon as you know you are moving! But as far as three months will make things easier (and cheaper) for you.

People often wait until the last minute and then get overwhelmed. We recommend starting to pack non-essential items (e.g., holiday, guest room, memories, decor, etc.) and queue them up in the garage, or a less frequently used space in the home. Make sure to set aside and identify things you’ll need during the move (e.g., clothing, pet care, personal items, linens, chargers, etc.), and as the move date gets closer, start packing more and more. By the time you are a few days out, the only things left should be furniture and a few bare essentials. This gives space to deal with any issues or emergencies and reduces the overall stress of the move. Be sure to label every box with its contents and final destination!

-Liz Jenkins at A Fresh Space

The Most Trusted Moving Checklist on the Web

The Moving Checklist: Everything You Need to Know to Move

How do you move perishable food (i.e., refrigerated/frozen foods)?

Take an inventory of what you have

One month prior to your scheduled move date, create an inventory of the perishable food you have on hand throughout the house (don’t forget the refrigerator in the garage and the deep freezer in the basement).

Create a plan to shrink your inventory

Your plan for dealing with perishable food will depend on a few factors:

  • Whether your move is local vs. long distance
  • Whether you are using a moving company

It’s important to understand that there are sometimes laws that prevent movers from transporting perishable items. So whatever you plan to move will need to be transported by you. Given these limitations, your goal should focus on reducing the volume of refrigerated and frozen food you have as much as possible before moving day.

With your inventory in hand, create a meal plan for the next few weeks that incorporates the food you want to consume. When you’re a week away from your move date, reassess what you still have and determine if anything can be given away to neighbors, family, or friends.

Locate your portable coolers and make sure you have plenty of ice packs on hand if you plan to transport any perishables on move day.

Prepare food for move day

On the morning of your move, set aside whatever food you need for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that day. If you are moving locally, pack whatever food remains in your coolers with ice packs. If it’s a long-distance move, you’ll need to toss whatever perishables remain.

By planning, you can avoid wasting food (and money!) during the move process.

– Natalie Gallagher at R​efined Rooms

Love Your Long Distance Move

Happy Moving Customer

We’ve helped over 450,000 families move nationwide.

Join our long list of happy customers who loved making a long distance move with HireAHelper.

Is there a packing system you recommend for a move?

Make a checklist of your items! – It is the one thing you need to prepare for a move and the best way of not forgetting anything. List all the things you need for your move, for example, purchasing boxes and tape. Include all the rooms that still need to get packed. Don’t forget to add a list of what you need to do before and after moving, like any spaces in your home that need to be repaired or painted. You won’t regret having a list!

Color code boxes and rooms When it comes to packing systems, I am all about setting up color-coding systems for each room, such as red for the kitchen, blue for the bathroom, yellow for the bedrooms and, so on. Then when you start packing, you can tape the box with the corresponding room color. It does not have to be the entire box, but enough to see where the boxes will belong. By giving each room of your new home a designated color with tape or even a sign on the door, it makes it super easy for your movers to put boxes in those areas.

Label boxes by room and sub-section – You can keep it simple with the name of where it will go. However, I like to take it a step further. For example, for the bathroom, instead of writing just the location of where it is going to, I would write “Bathroom Shower Items” or “Bathroom Under The Sink”. This will make it easier to unpack those items in the new home.

-Shanice Bannis at City of Creative Dreams

Should you pack by room or item category?

When packing, you should go room by room. However, this is also a great opportunity to first move items that are in the wrong room to the room that they belong to. Mark each box with the room it will go to in the new space and what types of items are packed. If you don’t have the same number of rooms in the new home, consider that as you label your boxes. Unpacking is much easier the more organized you are during the packing process. 

Start by packing the rooms that don’t have as many daily use items in them. On our last move, I started with the garage. After that, the dining room and the living room. Then came the kitchen; I kept out a small number of dishes and utensils we would need before the move. I continued with the bathrooms and bedrooms in much the same way. I boxed up the items we weren’t using daily and labeled each box for where they would go in the new home and what types of things were inside. When we got to the new house, I put papers on the doors saying which room was which, so the movers knew exactly where the boxes should go. It made our move a much smoother process.

-Julianna Poplin at The Simplicity Habit 

Now you are ready for your big day! Follow these tips (and to shave off tons of time, consider hiring a professional mover) to have a way less stressful move.

This Is How I Made My Living Room Into a Cheap, Secret Gym

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Apartment Life, Home Improvement

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Like many people during the month of January, I’m vowing to clean up my diet and add more exercise to my weekly routine. But there are a few challenges I’m already running into when it comes to working out.

First of all, the gym is packed! All of my workout classes are filled to the brim and each cardio machine is taken. Second, the temps have been in the single digits here in Chicago, and the thought of freezing my buns off on my walk to the gym is enough to make me hit the snooze button instead of getting in that a.m. workout.

So, what’s a gal to do? Improvise!

5 Sweet Garage Upgrades That Up Your Home’s Value

Garage additions and upgrades like the five in this list can produce an estimated 65 percent return-on-investment.

Instead, I’m getting my workouts in at home in my “secret gym”. And since we live in a small spot in the city, there’s no buying a huge “Total Gym” machine (sorry, Chuck Norris). How did I manage? I got creative with a few workout items that I can easily store and hide in our condo.

To open my gym, I push my table aside.

Take a look at my family room. Little did you know it doubles as an at-home gym space! I simply move the coffee table and chair … and boom! I’ve got plenty of room to spread out and get sweaty.

“Home gyms” actually take a very small amount of room. Take a look around your home and find a comfortable spot where you have space for an at-home workout. Just give yourself enough space so you don’t break anything or hurt yourself. If you’re looking for a new home right now, it goes without saying: make sure there is accumulative space to make one of these in your home.

I concealed all my workout equipment.

I designated a cabinet in the room for all of my workout equipment. This ensures that I have everything I need right on hand, plus it’s less of an eyesore because it’s hidden. No need for one of those big racks.

I’ve got all of this stuff in one cabinet:

  • Yoga mat
  • Foam roller
  • Weights
  • Resistance bands
  • Printed workout plans

They’re all easily accessible right in here. I used to just throw all of my resistance bands in a random drawer, which actually meant I rarely used them. Now, they’re all organized neatly in the box on the top shelf, so I can grab them and get to work!

You might love our:

Moving Cost Calculator

If the quote from your movers felt expensive …
Make sure it lines up with the costs reported by other Americans.

I suggest maybe also investing in a few baskets or a container to organize your workout gear. Sometimes it makes it easy to just grab the entire basket and have access to everything you need at once.

I printed and organized my favorite routines.

I’ve dabbled in various workout routines over the years. I love changing things up to keep myself motivated. You can find lots of awesome workouts online (they’re seriously everywhere) and can print them right at home. I printed off a few of my favorites and put them into this workout binder.

Now, I simply flip through my $2 binder and find my exercise routine for the day. It’s super easy and I no longer have to dig through drawers to find these crumpled sheets of paper in my desk.

Personally, I’ve also run into a few injuries over the years and have had success with physical therapy. Those trips to the therapist left me with lots of random sheets of paper outlining the exercises I needed to do to keep those injuries at bay. You can bet they’re all organized nicely in my at-home workout binder.

I just use a stepping stool, and it works great.

Some of the full-body workouts I do require a step, to get in some cardio. Since I have absolutely zero space for a workout bench to step up on, I improvise with a step stool. This little guy easily fits into a closet and I bring it out when it’s time for my sweat on. Consider buying one with two steps so you can always make things more challenging as you progress with your workouts.

If you don’t believe you can get a good workout with just a stool, you obviously have never tried it!

A Closer Look at the Supplies

Instead of running to the sporting goods store for tons of crazy equipment, I invested in the essentials.

Smart Dumbbells

Light weights and heavier weights should do the trick for most routines. My husband actually purchased these smart dumbbells that can start at five pounds and go all the way up to 52.5 pounds … all in the same dumbbell. Definitely a space saver!

Inexpensive Yoga Mat

A yoga mat is another must, even if you’re not a yogi. I love using mine to cushion my knees for push-ups and when I lay on the ground. It’s also great to dampen the sound made when you’re working out! I don’t want to disturb my neighbors downstairs when I’m doing jumping jacks or jump lunges, so I always try to do those exercises on my cushioned mat.

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are incredibly effective, can be used for just about anything, and are super cheap! (Here’s some from Amazon.) What’s not to love about this gym supply? We have a variety of tensions and use them for full-body workouts.

Finally, I watch stuff on Youtube.

To round it off, a TV or computer that can connect to YouTube is a must for at-home workouts! There are so many free exercise videos online, it just takes some searching to find ones that are right for you. This blog post outlines some of our favorites workout programs that you can do from the comfort of your home.


I’m convinced that you don’t need a huge home or tons of supplies to get in a great at-home workout. Until the new gym members lose motivation, you’ll find me getting my exercise in right from my secret gym at home.

DIY Tricks to Make Sure You Have the Best Dorm Room

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: College Moves

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We recently shared a list of the essentials (and not so essential items) to bring with you to college. Today, we’re taking things up a notch with dorm room ideas that really personalize your room and make it one-of-a-kind.  When every dorm room looks almost identical, it may seem impossible to really put your personal touch on this space. But these DIY room decor ideas will make your dorm the best one in your hall!

Make a Bulletin Board Out of an Old Shutter

Dorm Room Ideas: DIY Room Decor - Shutter Bulletin Board

Why buy a generic magnet or bulletin board from a big box store when you can create a unique piece instead? We found an old shutter from Habitat for Humanity Restore and spray painted half of it white, then the other half teal. Then we bought some clothes pins to tack up cute photographs and notes.

Hang this on your dorm room wall or simply lean it on top of a dresser for a one-of-a-kind picture board that is bound to stand out to anyone who walks by your door.

Cover the Ugly Beige Walls With a Tapestry
Dorm Room Ideas: DIY Room Decor - Cover those Dorm Walls

So many dorm room walls are a yucky beigey-yellow color. Not the most flattering color in the world, and it’s certainly not something you can change (no painting allowed!). We suggest covering those lackluster walls with a giant wall tapestry. You can find some great ones online (we love this one!) and you can use command hooks to hang it from the ceiling. The best part is a large chunk of your wall will be covered and you won’t have to stare at anything boring all year-long.

Use Washi Tape to Jazz up Your Door

Dorm Room Ideas: DIY Room Decor - Door Designs
crabandfish.blogspot.com

Washi Tape is the stuff of legend. The fact that it leaves minimal residue means it’s perfect for designs, lettering or anything else creative you can put your mind to. Geometric shapes like the one pictured are always attention grabbers, but sideways lettering or origami shapes look great too. For best results, grab a few different colors from the store.

You might have to ask your RA first before you start, or if you’re like us, ask for forgiveness instead – door designs are so cool and memorable once you see them that it’s hard to say no!

Marker Up a Personal Doormat for the HallwayDorm Room Ideas: DIY Room Decor - DIY Personalized Doormat

This is a project we love for homes, apartments and yes.. .even dorm rooms! Take a plain doormat and carefully add a personalized message using a sharpie marker. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing: Write “Dorm Sweet Dorm”, write your room number or even write the initials for you and your roomie. Get creative with this simple DIY project and you’ll be proud to put this doormat in the hallway for all of your guests to marvel over!
Here’s the full tutorial for this one.

Play Scrabble on Your Mini FridgeDorm Room Ideas: DIY Room Decor - Scrabble on the Mini Fridge

This DIY room decor project is one of our favorite dorm room ideas because it’s so budget-friendly. Simply take some small ceramic tiles (you can find them at a Habitat for Humanity Restore or your local home improvement store) and turn them into Scrabble tiles. Use a ceramic paint pen to write the letters and numbers directly onto the tile, and then glue a magnet on the back. Create a bunch of these for your mini fridge and you’ll have fun all semester playing large games of Scrabble right in your dorm room. Here’s the full tutorial for this easy DIY project.

Fake It Til You Make It with a Succulent PlanterDorm Room Ideas: DIY Room Decor - Succulent Planter

We truly believe every room looks better with a little greenery in it. But we get it… there’s probably no way you can keep any real plants alive and thriving in your tiny dorm room. Instead, use the ultimate “plant-hack”: faux succulent planter! Pick up some fake succulents (which look pretty real these days), a clear vase and some pebbles so you can create this succulent planter in minutes! Check out the full, simple tutorial for this one.
Dorm Room Ideas: DIY Room Decor
It’s the personal touches that make a space extra special. Stand out at college this year with some of these DIY projects and crafty dorm room ideas!

How-To Guide for Getting the Best Rental Truck For You

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Moving Trucks

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You’ve spent weeks packing up. You’ve spent days cleaning your bathroom and your floors. You’ve spent hours tying up loose ends and your last few spare minutes posting about how crazy your move is making you. Now all you have to do is rent a truck.

A truck! Crap, I forgot!

If you planned well ahead and reserved your truck, you’re part of an admirable, enviable minority. If you’re moving tomorrow and haven’t started comparing rental trucks for moving? May the gods of the move be with you. (But seriously, we”re here to help.) Deciding what size truck to get to searching for a decent deal, renting a truck blindly can be as bumpy as driving one, so here are some key areas to focus on for smoothing things out.

Properly Measure How Much You Need to Move by Trying This

For most people, it’s hard to believe how much stuff they really have. It’s even harder trying to figure out how big a truck they’ll need. If you’ve rented a truck before, your experience will be invaluable, but if this is your first time, don’t underestimate how bulky your world has become!

Not a blind endorsement for Penske, but it’s a valuable tool
General packing guidelines, based off a typical move

Penske’s online “Truck Wizard can help determine what size truck you’ll need. Inputting items like furniture and appliances is easy. But estimating how many boxes of varying sizes you’ll have is tough if you haven’t already packed up. As an experiment, I tried it out using my own place. At first, I couldn’t believe I’d need that big a truck. But the next size down ended up being too small. 

Finding out halfway through your move that your stuff won’t fit in your truck is a nightmare you don’t want to live through. So when estimating how much stuff you have, be over the top thorough. And don’t forget all that stuff in the closets and the garage!

Pick Your Move Day Wisely to Get a Good Deal

Do you have any flexibility at all in scheduling your move day? If so, take advantage. When trying to rent a truck, moving on a weekday in the middle of the month versus moving on the last or first day of the month is the difference between heaven or hell.

If your flexibility is limited and you find yourself running into roadblocks trying to nail down that rental, try a few of these tricks:

  • Rent round trip if possible. Dealers need to keep their inventory of trucks in places that are busiest. Otherwise, they have to move the trucks around themselves. Got a car? Leave it behind, make your move, then return your rental and drive your car to your new home. (Or have a friend follow you in your car.) They can help you unload and drive the rental back. (Check with your rental company’s policy on this.)
  • Try a dealer somewhere out of town. The smaller dealers out in the boonies might have trucks hanging around while their colleagues in the city are scrambling.
  • If your move is local, consider making two trips in a smaller truck.
  • If you’re moving long distance, try drop-off points that may not be in your new town. For example, if you’re moving to Eugene, OR, look for a deal that involves dropping your truck off in Portland. Again, inventory logistics can drive a rental company’s truck availability, not to mention the price. You might even ask where they need trucks and try to figure out a deal. Even with the extra day or the cost of getting back to Eugene, you may still come out ahead.
  • As implied in that previous point, it pays off to physically call all the rental companies. Speak to people. Ask about possibilities that don’t show up online. Be friendly. Be inquisitive. Be persistent.

Dealing with Price Differences

The quotes you get from the various truck rental companies out there can vary significantly. Put as simply as possible, there are three main reasons for this:

  • The quality of trucks available that day
  • The quality of customer service
  • Hidden charges

Ultimately, because prices depend so much on where you personally live and who else is moving that specific day, it’s impossible to flat-out say which company has the best deal every single time. However, you can find all sorts of information on truck rental companies online. 

Moving101 is an exhaustive resource with as much information about every moving truck company under the sun, including dimensions, tons of real, up-to-the-day reviews, and a ton more.

moving101.hireahelper.com/

In addition, here’s one fairly comprehensive forum thread that may be of interest that discusses a few tips and warnings that may also be useful. Keep all of these resources in mind, as your personal (and figurative) mileage is subject to local quirks.

Some (Not So Obvious) Protips

  • If you’re worried about insurance on your rental truck… good! It’s not likely that your credit card or your personal car insurance will cover you in the case of an accident. Thus, you’ll want to know exactly what you’d be facing in case of a mishap and what kind of insurance is available to avoid a financial disaster. Rental companies will offer various types of insurance, and sometimes at different levels. Here’s a good rundown by ValuePenguin on the wonderful world of rental truck insurance terms.
  • If you’re worried that the truck you reserved won’t be there waiting for you, you’re not crazy. It happens (maybe with some companies more than others). Trucks break down, people return them late and some trucks just seem to vanish. To increase your chances of getting the truck you reserved, one idea is to get to the rental place early. Another idea: if for whatever reason you are super-concerned you won’t get the best one, arrange to pick up your truck in the evening after people have already (presumably) begun dropping them all off.
  • If you are booking your rental online, HireAHelper does offer discounts on Penske and Budget
  • If you are in a real pinch and you don’t have all that much stuff, think about renting a trailer from Uhaul instead of a truck (from anyone). Even if you have to pay to have a trailer hitch installed on your vehicle, the money you save renting a trailer instead of a truck will in all likelihood more than cover the cost. Plus trailers don’t break down nearly as often as trucks. Just make sure there’s a spare tire!

Price, quality and customer service. Insurance, truck size and availability. It’s a difficult road to navigate – we know – but with knowledge, persistence and a few tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be well-equipped to handle this last, important piece of your moving puzzle.

The Fundamentals of Buying and Selling on Craigslist

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Money Saving

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Craigslist. We used to hear that word and automatically think of seedy transactions and random items. But we’ve since come around and now use it on a regular basis to sell stuff we no longer want, as well as to find items that are one-of-a-kind for our homes!

(more…)

Showing Your Home? These Are the First Impressions That Matter

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Buying & Selling a Home

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

To us, staging your home to sell is similar to going on a first date.

You set up this date in hopes to meet your future spouse. You don’t know if that’ll be the case but there’s always the hope, right? If you’re hoping to land “the one”, chances are you’re going to put some effort into prepping for this first date. We feel the same is true when it comes to staging your home to sell.

(more…)

The Pros Pack Entire Homes With Just 5 Things

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: How To Pack, Moving Boxes & Supplies

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We are sorry to report – in case you didn’t already know – that packing your entire home into moving boxes is no small task. You’ll be happy to hear, however, that the list of packing supplies you need is short.

But while the list is short, there’s a catch; You’ll need a lot more of each thing than you think.

(more…)

How to Use a Moving Dolly Like the Pros

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Loading & Unloading Guides

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Moving house without a hand truck – or a moving dolly – is like riding a bicycle without a seat. It’s technically possible, but honestly, who does that?

A sturdy, reliable hand truck is any mover’s best friend. Used properly, it saves you time, rescues your back and it can singlehandedly keep your stuff from getting damaged.

(Thinking of a square furniture dolly?)

But they’re not as easy to use as they look, provided you are using them in the proper way. With that in mind, here are tips compiled by moving pros as to how to optimize that hand truck you found in the back of your moving truck, or that one your friend let you borrow and you don’t want to return broken.

(more…)

Is Your Move Tax-Deductible? It Might Be for Almost 8 Million Americans

Author:

Publish Date:

Last Modified Date:

Category: Money Saving

Tags: Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Did you move for work last year? Did you pay for any of it yourself?

If you answered yes to both these questions, Uncle Sam wants to help!

(more…)

×

I'm Moving

Moving? Thinking about moving? Whether your move is off in the distance or you already have one foot out the door, you'll learn about everything you should expect through our useful how-to's, cool articles and much more. It's all specially curated for you in our "I'm Moving" section.
Explore
×

I'm a Mover

For rookies or veterans alike, our "I'm a Mover" section is filled with extensive industry news, crucial protips and in-depth guides written by industry professionals. Sharing our decade of moving knowledge is just one way we help keep our professional movers at the top of their game.
Explore