Moving is expensive and time-consuming, no doubt about it. Your rent or mortgage may be the biggest expense on your mind, but the cost of the move itself can catch anyone off guard, especially first-time movers. And whether it is your first time moving or your tenth, the amount of time you need to carve out for packing can quickly become overwhelming and lead to unnecessary stress. Follow these five helpful tips to make your moving experience a breeze.
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- Reuse Old Boxes – This may seem like an obvious moving tip, but it can cut down on your expenses a lot more than you might think. If you know you have a move coming up, start saving the boxes your online purchases come in, or in-store purchases if they come in a box sturdy enough to reliable hold your belongings. For example, Amazon offers a set of 30 moving boxes for $61.99, which is $61.99 you could save entirely by reusing perfectly good boxes from purchases you already made. You can also offer to free up some storage space for your family and friends by taking any of their boxes that they no longer need, provided the boxes are in good condition, of course. Not only will this tip save you money, but by cutting down on the number of additional boxes you will need to purchase, you are reducing your environmental impact as well.
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- Reuse Old Newspaper, Tissue Paper, and Packing Material – Not unlike the first tip, reusing whatever you have on hand to aid in packing will give you a bit more of a cushion in your moving budget. If you make a purchase that comes with packing peanuts, bubble wrap, etc., save that material to use when you pack up your own belongings. You can also ask around to see if anyone you know has anything you can use. Old newspapers or magazines are a fantastic way to free up some space and keep your things safe during a move. Wrap glass items in newspapers, stuff magazine pages and tissue paper in between items, and pad everything with reused bubble wrap and packing peanuts. The less money you need to spend on things that you will only throw away after the move, the better. This tip is also helpful for reducing your environmental impact, which is something we can all feel good about doing.
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- Throw A Packing Party – Even if you are only moving down the street, a move is a big moment in anyone’s life. It is a moment worthy of celebration and a time when you could surely use a hand or two as well. Grab some snacks and drinks and invite all your friends and family over to help you pack. Ask them to bring any packing supplies they have on hand and come over for a day of spending time together and getting things done. Nobody enjoys simply helping someone move, but if you make a fun event of it, it not only saves you a ton of time, but gives you a chance to spend time with your friends and family when you may not otherwise get to see much of them due to how busy you are. What better way to liven up your moving experience than with a party?
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- Sell Some Stuff – It is no secret that the less you need to pack when moving, the better. If you have any items you are willing to part with, you can make some quick cash and save yourself the hassle of moving big, bulky items such as furniture by having a yard sale or selling your things online. Facebook Marketplace is a fantastic way to sell your things to people who live right in your area so you can avoid the trouble of packing up and shipping the items to whoever buys them. Cutting down on the number of belongings you need to move with will save you a ton of storage space, and the extra money you make from selling things you no longer need with put even more padding back into your budget.
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- Try Some Light Yoga or Meditation – The moving experience is always stressful, at least to some degree. Stressing can halt your progress and make the moving experience needlessly difficult. Take some time to pack up all those thoughts of packing, storage, moving companies, travel, and expenses in a mental moving box and store it in the back of your mind for a bit with some easy relaxation techniques. It may seem like you have no time to slow down and appreciate life, but if you neglect your mental health during the moving process, you could find yourself so overwhelmed that you need to stop packing every thirty minutes to sip a glass of wine for an hour just to escape the madness.
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