What are the 2 most important boxes in a move?
Reading time – 3 minutes
Where are those 2 special boxes?Planning a move takes time. Moving is stressful. The packing of all the boxes, the day of moving and then the unpacking. It is easy to misplace something you need on moving day or soon after you arrive. Consider having those important things with you in your vehicle.
What are the 2 most important boxes?
When you are moving pack 2 boxes that have everything you need for moving day and the first night. Keep these 2 boxes with you and not in the moving truck. These boxes should include:
- Glasses – plastic or glass for drinks or water.
- A roll of paper towels
- A roll of toilet paper for each bathroom
- A bar of soap or container of liquid soap for the bathroom
- A hand towel in the bathroom
- Dishcloth, dish soap and tea towel for cleaning dishes that may be dusty from moving
- Sheets for the bed and pillows so you can go to sleep at the end of a long day moving in
- Towels for a shower and basic cosmetics to clean up after the move
- A change of clothes as well as medications
- Chargers for your phone, tablet and computer
What supplies are important?
It is handy to pack a pail of basic cleaning supplies so you can do a quick clean before things are unpacked. Bring:
- Cloths
- All-purpose cleaning supplies
- Broom and dustpan
- Mop
- Pack it all in a pail
Pack a toolbox with basic tools. You may have to reassemble beds, bookcases or electronics. Have:
- a screwdriver with multiple heads
- hammer
- plyers
- adjustable wrench
- tape
Where is that paperwork?
Lastly, have a bag with vital papers. You will need your purchase/rental documents for your new home. Carry memory sticks, backup drives, passports etc that you don’t want to be misplaced or stolen If there is work, assignments or agendas you will need the next day add them to the bag.
With these things easily accessible you can clean up and get a good night’s rest before you continue to unpack and make your new place a home.
Share your moving hacks in the comments.
If you need help with an 8-week packing/moving plan contact me julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She uses her love of physical activity to reduce clutter, in your home and office. She guides and supports you to manage your time. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
Click here to learn more about her online course Create an Organized Home.
Twitter – Facebook – Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space
I agree! I love your suggestion about setting up two moving boxes in your car for moving day to use immediately.
I would also add valuable small pieces. You don’t want your favorite gold jewelry pieces or watchs lost.
Thanks for sharing!
That is a good addition to the box. Put the valuables that you don’t want to lose or misplace in the box.
These are great suggestions for moving. As you said, moving is stressful no matter how much planning and organizing you do. It disrupts our daily routines and sense of being settled. So having a few things that you can easily identify during the day of and after the move, will help take some of the stress away.
If you’re moving with kids, also consider packing a few special toys, stuffed animals, books, or snacks that will help them feel settled quickly. And if you’re moving with animals, if you can have the pets stay elsewhere during the move, it will be less upsetting for them. It’s not always possible. But worrying about if a dog or cat will “escape” with all the movement and doors open is definitely something you don’t want to add to your worry list if you can avoid it.
There are many details to think about in moving. Having the right toys, activities and people to watch your children will make that day go smoother. This is true when moving an older adult. You will need someone to take care of that adult. Making sure your pets are safe and taken care of will make moving safe for the pet and for the people moving around the home.
These are great suggestions, Julie. I agree with Linda and Sabrina. There are a few other important things to bring along if you’re moving with children and/or pets. I have always boarded my dogs before the move (as the house is being packed up) and during the move (as everything is being delivered) because I worried the dogs would either escape or get nervous, barky, and stressed.
I would also add the coffee pot, coffee and mugs to important items to have on hand. There’s nothing like that cup of coffee in the morning to get you motivated to finish unpacking.
Great suggestion about the coffee pot. I would need items for tea. Having those things around that help you feel great in the morning makes you feel good. Starting the day with a good mindset makes moving a positive experience.
Love the idea of having special “open first” boxes.
I think my best moving hack is to label the boxes with where the boxes should go in the new house, not where they are coming from in the old house. Sometimes these differ, and you don’t want to be hauling boxes around unnecessarily.
Also, a practical reminder, retract the blade of your box cutting knife after each use. Every. Single. Time. AND, open wrapped items over the box, so if something fragile falls out, it lands on soft paper instead of a hard floor.
I like your practical tips. Unwrapping the items over the box or table does help to prevent breakage. I love the safety precaution of closing the blade on the box cutter every time very important. Moving is a more complex task than people think. Considering pets, children, older adults, unpacking, and timelines are all important.
This is all excellent advice. It’s too easy when moving to forget the little things that prove essential to our lives. I might add: caffeine in your preferred format (coffee for most people, diet Coke for me), a First Aid kit if you’re going to be using those tools you added, and a SHOWER CURTAIN (or at least a liner) and rings if your home has a standard tub/shower arrangement. 35 years ago, I helped my boyfriend move into a summer apartment, and all went well until the next morning, when we realized his rental had no shower curtain. A small flood (and a soaked roll of toilet paper) ensued.
Thank you for the shower curtain advice. In the past, I have checked with clients to see if the shower has doors and if not talk to them about taking their shower curtain. Thank you for the reminder.