Time-Saving Moving Tips

Between packing, loading the moving truck, and unpacking again, moving takes many hours. Saving an hour may not seem like much, but what if you could save several hours by following seven different tips? Each of the time-saving strategies below will save you a significant amount of time. Employ them all, and you could save an entire day or more.

Finding the end of the packing tape is a tricky endeavor. The time you spend doing this after every box adds up quickly. Invest in a packing tape dispenser, which unrolls the tape as you pull it and then rips off the tape at the end. Such a dispenser will save you time with every box you pack, and it will also save your fingernails from damage.

2. Clean the New House Before Moving Boxes In

If possible, make plans to visit your new house and clean everything before you move your items in. This way, you won't be tripping over boxes and stumbling over half-unpacked furniture as you are trying to clean. Vacuuming floors, especially, is a lot easier when the house is empty.

3. Measure Everything

Why waste time trying to shove a sofa through a door frame, only to discover it's way too small to fit? Spend a little time measuring both the door frames at your new house and any larger pieces of furniture. Donate or sell any that are too big to fit. You will not only avoid wasting time trying to move in items that don't fit, but you'll also save time by not loading them and securing them in the moving truck in the first place.

4. Color-Code Your Boxes by Room

As you unload boxes, your helpers will inevitably ask you which room each box goes in, and you will spend time answering.

Save time by color-coding your moving boxes by room. For instance, label the living room boxes in green and the kitchen boxes in red. With this strategy, nobody will have to stop and wonder where the boxes go - they can unload them straight into the rooms where they belong.

5. Use an Assembly Line to Load the Moving Truck

The time you spend opening and closing doors, wiping your shoes, climbing up into the moving truck, and climbing down again can add up. To save time, station one of your helpers in the truck. Have a second helper walk between the moving truck and the door, and have other helpers carry items from the house to the front door. Just hand the boxes from person to person.

6. Take Apart Big Furniture

Strangely shaped furniture takes a long time to maneuver through doorways and secure properly in the moving truck. Depending on the furniture, disassembling it may be a faster approach. You can load the pieces into the truck with ease, and one person can typically carry each individual piece, leaving your other moving helpers to work on other tasks simultaneously.

7. Bag Trash as You Go

Getting rid of trash and unnecessary items before you move is definitely a good idea. But if you try to sort out all of the trash before you start packing, you'll be going through everything twice. A more efficient strategy is to toss trash and unwanted items into a separate bin as you pack, rather than trying to sort them out first.