Have you ever started to clean your house on a weekend morning, stopped, looked around, and thought: I wonder how the professionals get thing so clean! Well, those pros have secrets that you just don’t know about – secrets that you can’t know about, really, because you don’t work in the cleaning industry. Well, the same can be said about the moving industry.
There are certain tricks of the trade that movers know but other people don’t. We want you to have the best move possible, so we’re going to let you in on some of the tricks we use at Exodus Moving and Storage (and, hey, it’s the holiday season, so think of this as a gift from us to you!). Here are 5 ways to move like a pro.
1. Tape is your friend. When you take down anything that’s hanging on your wall, grab a piece of tape. Why? Because you should be taping all nails, wires, and any other hanging hardware to the back of that item. This way, you can simply turn over that mirror or picture, grab the nail or other piece of hardware, and put it back on the wall when you arrive at your new home – no need to search endlessly for nails!
2. Don’t use your knees. Wait, aren’t you supposed to use your knees to lift things? Technically, yes, you are, but you shouldn’t be using your knees or back to lift something very heavy up a flight of stairs. A better idea is to place that item on its back and slide it up the stairs. If there’s no padding on the stairs already, make sure to wrap the item in a moving blanket (or any old blanket) before you start the slide. This works going down stairs too!
3. Make a map. Devise a map of your new rooms, and think about where each item you’re packing will go. Then, label the boxes and map with corresponding labels. When movers arrive, simply hand them the map, and ask that boxes be put directly into the right room. This way, you won’t have a giant mess of boxes to unpack and move around. Instead, you can go room by room and unpack in an orderly fashion.
4. Clean each new room before you move in. This is the simplest moving rule, but it’s one that is often ignored because most people simply don’t have the time. If you’re thinking something like “I’ll paint or clean after I move in,” try and find the time to do all of that before you move in. It’s a lot simpler to clean or paint a room before you move in!
5. Plants! Plants are great things. But, moving plants can be rough, and many movers won’t even touch the green things. So, how can you move your plants without damaging any leaves? One tip is to make a cone shape out of some cardboard, and then place that cone around plant leaves. Another tip is to simply move your plants very carefully before movers arrive on the big day. If you’re moving really far, you may want to consider giving your plants to a friend and buying new ones.
Additional Moving Tips
When you get ready to pack up your home, there’s a fun game that you can play to determine whether or not you need to pack an item. What’s the game? It goes something like this: if you can’t decide what to do with that item in 5 minutes, toss it. For example: if you pick up an old pizza box and can’t decide whether or not to keep it, throw it out!
Okay, you probably don’t have any use for old pizza boxes, but many items just aren’t worth the move. If you have some times before moving day, go through the stuff in your home and figure out if you really need it. Clothes, shoes, books, and kitchen items can be given to shelters or donated to people in need. In fact, almost anything in your home can be given a new home. There’s no sense in moving something that you will just throw out in a month or two!
Moving doesn’t have to be stressful, confusing, or difficult. In fact, we make moving as simple as possible, and you can make it even easier by following the tips listed above. When it comes down to moving, there’s no better way to do than to act like a pro – well, other than hire one, of course!
Need some moving help or looking for a way to move something in particular? We’d be happy to answer any question that you have, just give us a shout. We’re not just another one of those Denver moving companies, we’re experts at heart!