Moving soon? Make sure you’re prepared with the right supplies

Moving can be a real headache. In addition to having to pack your life into boxes and live in a state of limbo until the move is complete, moving can also be expensive—even if you decide to do it yourself. To help make sure you’re prepared for your next move, True Homes, a leading new home builder based in Charlotte, North Caroline, has put together a list of supplies you’ll need as well as some helpful tips to save you money and ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible.

Recommended Moving Supplies

Moving Boxes. Whether you’re planning to move yourself or hire professionals, you’ll need plenty of moving boxes to pack your belongings into. It’s always better to have more boxes than you think you’ll need as certain items will inevitably take up a lot more space than you planned for. Buying new boxes can get expensive, but you can save a lot of money getting creative here. Supermarkets and liquor stores have more boxes than they know what to do with, and are usually happy to give you a few extras. 

Bubble Wrap/Packing Paper. You’ll want to make sure your items arrive at your new home undamaged, so be sure to wrap everything up in bubble wrap or packing paper. Packaging peanuts are also good at protecting your valuables, but they can be messy to deal with. To save money on these packing supplies, start saving old newspapers before your move. You can also ask friends and family to save their old newspapers for you too. Unless you know someone who moved recently, you’ll probably have to spend some money on bubble wrap to protect your fragile items like glassware and china, but you save a lot of money by repurposing old materials.

Packaging Tape. Packaging tape is essential for keeping your boxes closed, and securing items with multiple pieces. Clear box tape is strong enough to make sure the bottom of your boxes don’t fall out, but isn’t ideal for taping things together. If you need to keep things together during the move, masking tape is your best bet since it won’t leave a sticky mess for you to clean while unpacking. 

Carpet Film. Carpet film is a great way to protect your floors during the move. Different than saran wrap, which can be good for protecting sofas and other upholstered furniture, carpet film is stick on one side. Before your move, plan out which areas of your home will be used as moving corridors, and put some film in place. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure here, and picking up carpet film is a lot easier than having to shampoo your carpet or deal with unsightly scuffmarks on your hard floors.  

Moving Tips

Moving is going to take a lot longer than you think, so it’s a good idea to start preparing for your move at least two months before your scheduled move-out date. 

Get Moving Estimates

If you’re going to hire a professional mover, you can start getting estimates before hand to get a better idea of the cost of moving. Also, booking a mover early will ensure that one is available when you need them. And if you’re going to move yourself, you should also shop around for a moving truck before the move. Locking in rates early will help you better budget for your move.

Pack Early

Whether you’re hiring a professional or are going to move yourself, you should start packing well in advance of your move-out date. Packing early takes a lot of the stress out of moving as you can do it at your leisure, instead of being rushed all at the last minute. For example, you can pack up all your out of season clothes without sacrificing any creature comforts in the mean time. Books, and decorative items are also good candidates to pack early.

Do Some Spring Cleaning

Moving provides you with an excellent chance to get rid of some unwanted clutter. When going through your belongings, decide if it’s something you really want to take with you. You can also have a garage sale before the move to help offset the costs. Craigslist and eBay are also great places to sell your unwanted items. You can also donate all the items that you’re unable to sell.  

While every move is a little different, the above list of supplies and tips are applicable to almost every type of move. Before you move-out, you’ll also need to update your address at the post office and let friends and family your new address. Likewise, be sure to transfer your utility accounts to your new address so you don’t move into a house without electricity or water.

If you’re planning to move into a new home in Charlotte, North Caroline or Charleston, South Carolina, why not consider a True Home? Our newest community in Charleston, South Carolina offers a range of affordable, environmentally friendly new home designs. For more information on building your True dream home, visit www.truehomesusa.com or contact us at 704-937-2307.