Woohoo! My first series is moving along swimmingly, and we are not out of ideas yet!
If you are just checking in, catch up at the "Moving Tips" label or the links at the end of this post.
Moving Tip #5: Packing Materials
Here by Tip #5, I have already alluded to several packing materials that you will need. Here is a quick review.
- Boxes (Duh!) - Hopefully you will get those for free because you read Moving Tip #1.
- Stackable Bins - For permanent storage; again see Moving Tip #1.
- Colorful Duck Tape - To distinguish between locations for where you want the boxes placed.
- Masking Tape - To label your boxes clearly.
- Black Marker - You have to write on the tape somehow!
Here are a few additional materials that you may not have considered.
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| Just realized there is a brand name thing going on in this picture. I assure you it wasn't intentional. |
Packing Tape. Buy plenty of tape! Don't skimp. It isn't worth saving money on tape, just to dump all of your goods on the ground as you move into your new home. As if moving day isn't stressful enough, now you have to repair or replace various items. Not fun... now imagine that it's raining on moving day and everyone is miserable already. Yep, that was the scrapbook box that landed in the mud. Grandma's precious photos and notes are now covered in mud. Should have bought more tape!
Packing Tape Dispenser. It seems like it would be so easy to save a few dollars on this item. Just skip it and save a few bucks for something more important. But this little devise takes taping boxes (which you will do frequently), from a multi-handed, frustrating affair between the box, the tape, scissors, and your hands to a simple flick of the wrist. And you don't have to get the heavy-duty version, just the small hand-held version as shown in the picture above. Make sure this item is on your shopping list!
Bubble Wrap. Don't waste your money on bubble wrapping all of your breakables. I will help you with this one later, but there is one area that you shouldn't skimp on the bubble wrap. It is worth every penny to wrap your kitchen glass and china in bubble wrap. You don't want to save $20 on bubble wrap then find out that you have to replace $500 worth of beautiful plates, bowls, cups, and serving dishes.
Box Cutter. Sure, ripping the tape off is an option, but sometimes the tape just won't budge from that cardboard box. That's when a box knife comes in handy. Just whip that puppy out, slice your box carefully. You don't want to cut the contents or yourself. And enjoy whatever is inside the box. Keep this item away from children. That blade is no joke!
Thermal Bag. If you are making a quick trip across town, like my recent four mile move, you probably aren't going to want to empty out the fridge and buy brand new condiments for the new place. If you shove everything into one of those lined thermal picnic or grocery bags right before you leave your old place, everything will still be cold or cool by time you get to your new place. Toss in a few ice packs and you should be golden. I was able to do this with some frozen meat and it made it to the new house just fine. In the summer, during picnic season, stores sell really cute bags. I should have grabbed one from Marshalls or Target when I had the chance.
Bungie Cords. It might seem like an unusual purchase, but it's not. My dad started using these for all kinds of things when I was a kid and I have since personally discovered the benefit of a jar of bungie cords. (I actually keep these in my car at all times.) So picture this... table legs wrapped in a blanket so they don't get scratched. Do you use packing tape to secure it? Isn't that going to ruin the blanket when you peel it off? Now take two bungie cords and wrap them around the legs. Suddenly you have a safe, secure way of transporting the legs without destroying the packaging. Another handy use for bungie cords is to secure boxes that are awkwardly shaped or won't close well with tape. You could also use the bunnies to secure a stack of boxes along the wall of your moving truck or attach the bike to the side of ceiling of the truck.
As I mentioned before, I keep a jar of bungies in my car. They come in handy when I am trying to transport an item in the back of my tiny Honda Civic and the trunk won't close. I can secure the items and the trunk by properly placing the cords. I also store my Christmas tree in the original box, though it no longer closes. The bungie cords seal the box, but allow the tree to expand as needed. That's a freebie. :)
Bungie Cords. It might seem like an unusual purchase, but it's not. My dad started using these for all kinds of things when I was a kid and I have since personally discovered the benefit of a jar of bungie cords. (I actually keep these in my car at all times.) So picture this... table legs wrapped in a blanket so they don't get scratched. Do you use packing tape to secure it? Isn't that going to ruin the blanket when you peel it off? Now take two bungie cords and wrap them around the legs. Suddenly you have a safe, secure way of transporting the legs without destroying the packaging. Another handy use for bungie cords is to secure boxes that are awkwardly shaped or won't close well with tape. You could also use the bunnies to secure a stack of boxes along the wall of your moving truck or attach the bike to the side of ceiling of the truck.
As I mentioned before, I keep a jar of bungies in my car. They come in handy when I am trying to transport an item in the back of my tiny Honda Civic and the trunk won't close. I can secure the items and the trunk by properly placing the cords. I also store my Christmas tree in the original box, though it no longer closes. The bungie cords seal the box, but allow the tree to expand as needed. That's a freebie. :)
Need to catch up? Read the previous tips here.
Moving Tip: Intro
Moving
Tip #1: Where to Find Boxes
Moving
Tip #2: Be Ruthless
Moving
Tip #3: Strategize
Moving Tip #4: Start Big
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