9 Time-Saving Tips for Your Residential DC Move
Moving is a mess, literally.
Every item must be collected, ordered, securely packed, safely mitts to transportation transported after it’s (safely) moved to its final destination, before being unpacked. If that weren’t enough, every stain, crumb, and dust mite must be cleansed; all on the same day.
Making this massive act of coordination go smoothly is not easy. For DC area residents planning a move, follow along with these time-saving moving techniques.
1. Assess the Scope of Your DC Residential Move
Before we begin, you may need to assess the difficulty of the job ahead of you. Large-scale moving projects can take months of preparation, while smaller local moves can sometimes be done in a matter of days.
It all depends on:
- How large your home is
- How many rooms are currently occupied
- The length of time you’ve lived in your home
- How long its been since your while home was cleaned or deep cleaning
Each of these factors significantly increases the difficulty of the job, so build in extra lead time to accommodate for all your added effort.
2. Get a Little Organized Before Your DC Move
A little organization goes a long way. Of course, spend too much time planning, organizing, color coding, and strategizing, and you may find yourself wasting that advantage.
We recommend a simple, intuitive, and easy-to-remember system. Label boxes with the room they’re destined for.
3. Get Rid of Stuff You Really, Seriously Don’t Need
Before you start tossing items in boxes, it’s essential to take a step back and assess how many of your possessions you truly need to keep.
This is a job for Marie Kondo-style decluttering.
The longer you’ve lived in your current home, the more stuff you’ve accumulated.
Take three sets of trashbags around your house, and fill them with items you don’t wish to keep. One should be for trash, another for recycling, and a third for donations.
4. Pack an Emergency Survival Kit for Your DC Move
Moving never moves as fast as you’d like.
Whether you like it or not, you may spend a few days—or longer—without the vast majority of your possessions. You’ll be surprised with how few of them you’ll genuinely need, but the ones you do need, you’ll need badly.
Pack a small moving survival box for all the essentials:
- Three days’ worth of clothing
- Shampoo, hair conditioner, shaving, trimming, and other bathroom accessories
- A compact makeup bag
- Clean towel(s)
- Medication(s)
- Phone and laptop charger
- Work devices, books, and any electronic time wasters
5. Spruce up Your New DC Home Before Moving Belongings
If you’re moving locally, give yourself a few days to give your new place a clean. You may find a lot of dust or other matter has accumulated between you and the last occupant, and it’s especially hard to clean efficiently when it’s filled with your stuff.
6. Make a Moving Folder; Digital or Otherwise
If you’re moving, there’s a good chance you have a small mountain of paperwork to track. Keep it all together in one location to avoid the frustration of losing them.
Include new addresses, lease agreements, purchase papers, your moving company itinerary, or any needed documentation for your transportation plans.
Whether you have printouts in manila envelopes or in files on your phone or laptop, you’ll be prepared no matter what.
7. Make Your Boxes Especially Easy to Unpack
This is less of a time waster and more of a stress saver (Which, in the end, will save you time).
Cut yourself several two-inch long string pieces; you can use old shoestring, pipe cleaners, or even rubber bands—leave one sticking out of every stretch of tape you roll.
That way, all you have to do to open your boxes back up is to pull on the string and gently lift off the tape.
8. Get Your Packing Materials In Advance
The best way to avoid getting a task done is never to get the needed tools.
Get your boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and other materials ahead; pack in bits and pieces as you navigate your home in your everyday life.
Before you know it, you’ll have half your move already done.
9. DC Moving Technique: Leave Your Clothes on the Hanger
This one has saved us hours. You’ll be tempted to use boxes for all your possessions, but hung clothes take extra time to pack and unpack—and—what’s more—often get roughed up in boxes.
Instead, line up your closet’s hung items by type, group several together in one bunch, and then pack bottom-up into trash bags—we recommend using two layers of the tougher stuff. Remove from the closet bar, and then fit one final garbage bag over the exposed clothes hangers.
Having Trouble? Hire Movers and Give Yourself a Break
Moving is tough no matter what. Make it easy for yourself by planning ahead and packing in small increments. You’ll be kicking your feet up in your new digs in no time.
HuberWilmot Moving & Storage’s vetted and qualified relocation specialists are experts in all manner of last-minute moving challenges We ensure the longevity of your most valuable possessions with award-winning service, ensuring a safe, secure, and efficient move. Request a residential move quote today.
