The Ultimate Moving Day Survival Guide

The idea of moving to a new place is exciting. The actual moving process, however, takes a lot of time and effort (and usually leads to hair pulling, counting to 10, and wishing you weren’t moving). Spare yourself from moving stress with this guide from Go Store It Self Storage, where you’ll find helpful packing tips and learn how self storage can help simplify your move.

Use Checklists to Prepare for Moving

No matter how good your memory may be, mentally keeping track of your moving to-do list can easily lead to stress. Give your brain a break and write down a checklist of everything you need to do before moving. Not sure what to put on your checklist? Go Store It has put together a list of things you need to take care of before you move:

Notify service providers of your address change. There are quite a few service providers to notify that you’re moving. Avoid missed bills and service lapses by letting the appropriate parties know that you’re changing addresses.
Pack non-essential items first. You should pack knick-knacks, seasonal clothing, and other items that you don’t immediately need as soon as you can.
Figure out travel for your move. No matter how you’re traveling for your move, map out your route, reserve your rental, or purchase your tickets well in advance.
Schedule your move with the moving company or truck rental company. Whether you’re hiring a moving service or packing a truck yourself, confirm dates and schedules for your moving day.
Deep clean your home. Moving is difficult enough without doing it in a messy home. Use this helpful cleaning checklist to prepare for your move.
Prepare your family, pets, and plants. Have a plan for moving your family and pets to help moving day go smoothly. There are also various ways to pack plants for a move.
Fill your prescriptions a week before you move. You want to make sure you have access to your medications while moving.

Packing Tips for Your Move

Packing seems simple in theory, but there are quite a few details and tasks that go into successful, stress-free packing. If you feel lost when it’s time to pack, Go Store It has your back with these helpful tips.

Choose the Right Moving Supplies

The supplies you use for your move can make all the difference between an easy and difficult packing process. You should always make a list of moving supplies you’ll need before you start packing.

You might be tempted to use many different box sizes, but your best choice is to use the same box size for as many of your belongings as possible. Smaller boxes can be lost or damaged during a move, and larger boxes can be difficult to carry. Using uniform, manageable box sizes for everything will make packing your moving truck go smoother.

You’ll likely need other supplies besides boxes for your move. Whether you’re placing your furniture in storage or packing it in a moving truck, protect it from scuffs and scratches with a furniture cover. Luckily, you can find a variety of moving supplies at any Go Store It location.

Make Packing Easier with Decluttering

Why waste your energy by packing and moving clutter that you don’t use anymore? Clutter could be anything from a pile of magazines you don’t read to old toys you keep for sentimental value. Other common clutter items include:

Duplicate items (furniture, clothes, bedsheets, kitchenware, etc.)
Unused exercise equipment (treadmill, weights, etc.)
Old sports gear (knee pads, helmets, hockey sticks, etc.)
Old receipts, coupons, and bills

You’ll save yourself time and effort when you declutter before you pack by following these decluttering tips:

Declutter one room at a time. Going through all your belongings at once will make decluttering seem overwhelming and leave you feeling stressed before even packing.
Ask yourself how often you use an item. Don’t ask yourself how you could or might use an item down the road; ask what you use it for now and how frequently. If you don’t use it at least once a year, you likely don’t really need to keep it.
Donate. If your old toys, bikes, or clothes are gathering dust, consider donating them to someone in need.
Sell. Moves can be expensive. Make your clutter work for you and sell your unused belongings for some extra cash to put toward a move. Consider selling them online with Facebook Marketplace or eBay.
Use self storage. You may have family heirlooms, antiques, or furniture that you don’t use but still want to keep. Place them in self storage during your move. While they’re in storage, you can focus on packing important items.

Make a Packing Inventory

There’s nothing worse than packing your belongings and then forgetting what you put in each box. Rather than tear through every box looking for your sweater, label your boxes and create an inventory of what’s inside each one.

By using a packing inventory, you’ll stay more organized when you pack and less stressed when you’re ready to unpack for your new home. Make sure you keep similar and same-room items in the same boxes (spatulas and whisks in the kitchenware box, shower curtains and bathroom rugs in the bathroom box, etc.).

Pack Everything Before Moving Day

The only thing you should have to do on your moving day is place boxes in your vehicle and go. Packing things at the last minute will only slow down the moving process and leave you feeling frustrated.

For items you need immediately, such as toiletries, medication, and a change of clothes, prepare an overnight bag for moving day. An overnight bag ensures you have access to what you need during your move without having to dig through things.

Other items you may want for your overnight bag include:

Personal documents (IDs, social security card, copy of lease, etc.)
Chargers (phone, laptop, etc.)
Valuables (jewelry, electronics, etc.)
Snacks and a water bottle

Tips for Moving Day

The big day is here: It’s time to move! But not so fast—here are some simple steps you can take to make your moving day a breeze.

Reserve a Parking Space for Your Truck

If you live in a crowded area, it may be difficult to find parking for your moving truck. Whether you’re driving a rental truck yourself or hiring a moving service, it’s important to keep the distance short between your boxes and the truck.

Grab your friends and park all of your cars one after another in a parking area close to your home. Once the moving truck arrives, you can move all the cars and enjoy a convenient parking space near your home.

Organize Your Boxes and Clear the Walkways

Place all your boxes in an easy-to-reach area, such as the living room. The closer you can place them near the door the better. Pack heavier items, like mattresses and couches, in the moving truck first and your lighter items last. Unpacking your belongings from the truck will take less time if you can reach items that are easier to move before dealing with the heavy stuff.

Before you start carrying boxes to the moving truck, make sure you prop your door open. If you have a screen door, disconnect the spring on its hinge so it will stay open while you’re moving.

Moving with Kids and Pets

If you have children, it’s important to help prepare them for your family’s move. Moving can be a difficult transition for kids, as they have to leave their friends and school. Get your kids ready for the move with these tips:

Let them know as soon as possible. The sooner your kids find out they’re moving, the more time they’ll have to process and prepare for the transition.
Share details with them. The information about the move that you share with your kids will vary based on their ages, but the more they know, the less uncertain they may feel about it.
Help them feel excited about moving. Help your kids research the area to which you’re moving and find things they’ll enjoy, such as parks and restaurants.
Help them process their feelings. Moving may cause your kids to feel scared, angry, or lonely. Help them understand their feelings, and reassure them that moving will be a positive experience.

Moving can be especially stressful for pets. From experiencing new sights and sounds to losing their familiar environment, your pets can develop stress that could complicate your move. Tips for keeping your pets calm during the move include:

Introduce moving boxes into your home early. If your pets are skittish around new things, bring boxes into your home soon so they can get used to them quickly.
Get your pets used to their crates. Depending where you’re moving, your pets might be in crates during the move. Place treats or toys for your pets in their crates or kennels to create positive associations.
Give them a safe space. On moving day, keep your pets in a quiet room or at a friend’s house while you load boxes.

Make Your Move Stress-Free with Go Store It Self Storage

No matter how much decluttering you do or how many moving boxes you buy, sometimes you just need extra space during a move. Consider a storage unit with Go Store It. Rather than give away or sell your belongings, keep them in self storage until you’re ready to bring them to your new home.

Enjoy short-term storage leases with no deposit required when you rent with us. We also provide video surveillance and tenant insurance for your peace of mind. Not sure what storage unit size you need? We offer a variety of sizes ranging from 5×5 to 10×30 and beyond as well as parking spaces for vehicles. Check out our convenient size guide to find the best unit for you.

Give yourself some peace of mind—and your belongings a home away from home—with Go Store It. Take your first step toward a stress-free move and find a Go Store It location near you today!