Moving Yourself: A How to Guide

Moving yourself is an option that appeals to many people who have to move. It can be more cost effective, keep you in control of the moving process and cut out the middle man. Knowing what to do ahead of time will help streamline the process and help you avoid costly mistakes.

The first thing to consider when moving yourself is how you’re going to get your belongings from one place to another. There are self moving services that provide rental trucks, vans and trailers or you can borrow one from a friend or family member. There are also freight haulers that just move a loaded truck from one place to another. There are also container companies that proved a large container or box that you load with your belongings and is then picked up and delivered to your new residence.

Once you’ve decided how you’re going to get your stuff from one place to another, it’s time to pack your belongings. This is a more complicated process than many people believe and involves more than simply shoving your items into boxes and sealing them.

You’ll need boxes, packing tape and padding material like bubble wrap. All of these items cost money, but you can usually find boxes for free if you check with local stores before hand. Grocery stores, liquor stores and shoe stores are often great places to find free boxes for your move. You can get a better deal on packing materials like tape and bubble wrap if you buy them in bulk rather than at a department store.

Other things you’re likely to need are:

Scissors or box cutters
Labels and markers

A few tips for moving your stuff will go a long way towards making the entire process easier.

Pack each room and label the boxes as you pack them with the name of the room they will go in.
Start packing well before the day you are to move, that way you’re not completely over loaded.
Use packing material like paper or bubble wrap in between layers of fragile items.
Pack heavy items in smaller boxes to cut down on strain and make lifting and moving them easier.
Pack heavy items in the bottom of larger boxes, rather than on top of lighter or more fragile items.
Label all boxes.
When packing dishes and glassware, wrap each piece separately in paper or bubble wrap.
Stuff glasses with paper as well as wrapping them.
Remember that paintings and art require special care. If you’re not comfortable packing them yourself, a wise decision is to use a professional packing service for these items.
Electronics are another item that requires special care. If possible, use the original carton, if not, use an appropriate sized box with lots of packing material and few, if any, other items.
Mirrors should be taped to help avoid shattering.