What to Pack in Your First Night Box
From packing to settling, use these hacks to make your move hassle-free
There’s more to moving than cardboard boxes and a leading fleet of moving trucks. If you’ve moved before, you know this all too well. Maybe you’re like George Smith, who found our moving and storage company only after having relocated a whopping 37 times. (And we’re glad he did, because by the time our crew wrapped up, they had made a new friend.)
Besides being friendly and courteous, our professional movers have years of experience and thousands of home and office moves under their belts. So whether you’re in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, or Indianapolis, borrow some of our little-known tips to make moving a breeze.
- The little things:
- Keep rolls of tape accessible and frustration-free with a paper-clip stuck to the end of the tape.
- Wood furniture will inevitably get scratches and dings. You can virtually erase them just by rubbing a walnut over the affected area.
- To keep your stove clean and shiny, treat it with some car wax. Food and oil splatters will come right off.
- If you’re hammering nails to hang decorations, save your fingers by using a clothespin to hold the nail.
- Organizing
- Cables and cords are tough to keep organized and tangle-free. Wrap individual cables and put them inside a cardboard tube. Label each one before you pack them in a box.
- Resist the temptation to pack things from different rooms into the same box. Keeping items separate will make unpacking more intuitive.
- Don’t take your clothes off hangers. Use a trash bag to wrap up to five hangers and tie the top with a tight knot. Hang it up in the new closet, and take the bag off. Done.
- Make sure to have large boxes or bins and label them Recycle, Donate, Sell, and Trash. Moving is the ideal time to cut down on clutter.
- Use a numbering system to identify rooms. Number boxes, track them with a list and note the general contents. Unpacking will be much easier.
- Packing
- Every member of the house should have their own overnight bag with essentials for the first night. This way, you won’t have to search through boxes to make it through the first day or two.
- Pack items you need on move-in day in a clear bin (box cutter, paper towels, cleaning solutions, garbage bags, eating utensils, power strips). This will set it apart from the cardboard boxes and let you see what’s inside.
- If you pack your plates vertically they will be less likely to break and you will be able to pack more plates in the box.
- Use this rule of thumb: the heavier the items, the smaller the box.\
- If you plan on using items within a week of moving, pack them in boxes labeled “Keep Handy.” Seasonal items and non-essentials should be labeled “Pack Away.”
- Driving
- If you’re going to be working in the city, make sure to find out where you should be parking and get a parking pass in advance.
- While you’re getting used to parking in your garage, hang a tennis ball from the ceiling where it will make contact when you’re in the perfect spot.
- Storing
- Tall boots are hard to pack and store. You can keep them upright and in shape using pool noodles cut to size, preventing folding and unnecessary wear.
- Disassemble furniture and put screws and hardware in a sandwich bag. Tape it to the biggest piece so you won’t lose anything you need to put it back together.
- Think twice before sealing items in plastic. Plastic locks in hidden moisture, creating damaging mold and mildew.
- Label all sides of a box, so you know the contents no matter which way the box is pointing.+
- Choose a moving and storage company that prioritizes keeping your belongings in pristine condition. Leaders’ storage facility is temperature-controlled, supplemented with fire monitors and smoke detectors. Our units are also equipped with motion detectors as well as active and passive alarm systems to keep intruders out and your possessions safe.
Above all, choose a moving and storage company that you trust. At Leaders Moving and Storage, we build relationships with our customers so we can provide personalized and trustworthy service. We look forward to taking care of you every step of the way—call us toll free at (800) 481-6843 or get an online quote today.
About the author
LEADERS Moving & Storage was founded in 1994 in Ohio with a pickup truck and a handshake. Since then, we’ve become one of the largest moving companies in the Midwest and have set the standard for others to follow.
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