Tips From the Small Move Experts Before You Start Packing
Written by Paul Fleming


If you're preparing to move, whether long or short distances, big or small, doing it right can only mean one thing... preparation.

Moving can be very stressful and as a moving company we have refined our processes for easing a customer's stress levels. We've compiled our top six tips for this article.		 Woman in Box

1. Start with one room. Do not proceed to the next room until you have determined what you don't need. Decide what you REALLY use and what is just taking up space.

2. Take a good look at those big items. You probably have one or more pieces of furniture cluttering up your rooms. If you're not using it, someone else can. If you don't know anyone local who needs the item(s), you can ship large items to a friend or relative in another state - or make some money by selling on eBay.

3. Don't pay a full-load mover to send large pieces. Instead contact a small move specialist. Small move specialists will move a single sofa or a room full of furniture a lot cheaper than a full-load mover. (They combine pickups from a given area and transport multiple shipments on one truck to reduce your cost). You get full service from a professional mover, including inside pickup and delivery and blanket wrapping, but you pay less.

Uhaul Trucks

Image courtesy Uhaul

4. You can box up and ship clothing the same way. Or give it away. Get rid of anything that you have not worn in the last two years. There are many charities that would be more than happy to have them.

5. Clean floors, walls, windows, curtains, blinds and baseboards - now that you can get to them!

6. Clean up and organize your personal and work files. Now that your home is clean, start cleaning up your personal and work paperwork. Remember to organize and clean out your electronic files too - including email.

When your small move is long distance, a full-load moving company charges you for a full truck- regardless of how small your move is. Small move experts will charge only for the room the items in your small move require. Make sure to get an exact small move price quote including inside pickup and delivery. There should be no surprises and no hidden charges for your small move.

Take advantage of the move to declutter. Be ruthless. A change like moving house can also be an opportunity to change other aspects of your life (like the wardrobe you've had since the '80's). Hire some help to decrease the stress levels. Aside from tips they should also help with small moves and can supply anything from boxes to moving quilts.


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Essential Moving Supplies

If you plan on moving anytime soon, you won't want to start without these extremely useful supplies that not only save you time and money, but they can also help you to keep from injuring yourself or damaging your property.

1. Dolly (Hand Truck) - Provides 'leverage on wheels' to move especially heavy and bulky items.

2. Furniture Sliders - Placed under the legs and casters of furniture, these gems allow you to push heavy and ackwardly shaped furniture and applicances around.

3. Motocycle Tie-Down Straps - Extremely strong straps used to keep large items (like refrigerators, dishwashers, sofas) secured and balanced when being transported by hand trucks.

4. Forearm Forklift® Moving Straps - A simple, yet remarkable way to carry bulky items from point A to point B without having to drag them. Just wrap one end of these durable straps around your forearms and the other end under your furniture.

5. Wrapping Film - Often underestimated, a roll of wrapping film helps to protect furniture from stains while also helping to keep multiple items secured together.

6. Moving Pads - Extremely versatile, moving pads can be used under heavy items to reduce friction when pushing them around. They also keep delicate furniture from getting dinged-up.

7. Sharpie® Pens - Use these pens to mark boxes and labels in an instant without worrying about smearing.

8. Peel-n-Stick Labels - Label everything! It makes unpacking so much faster.

9. Cotton Cloth - Keep one in your back packet as they are great for wiping off slippery sweat and annoying dust.

10. Bubble Wrap - For smaller, delicate items (like glassware and dishes), you can't beat these. You can cut them to size, and they really help to keep things from breaking inside of packing boxes.