The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Rachel at Useful Beautiful Home.
Over the weeks of packing, I slowly add to our moving day essentials “kit”, a.k.a. the pile of common items we’ll need the first days in our new home. The goal is, when we approach moving day everything I need is at my fingertips and everything else is {hopefully} already packed and inside the moving van.
I’ve read about everything from a tupperware bin to a labeled box works to contain all your must-haves on moving day while transitioning from one home to the next. I don’t discredit those ideas, as they’re all good choices. That said, below is what works best for me.
I pack almost everything into a suitcase with wheels. It’s easy to pack and easy for me to maneuver. My typical list includes:
- sleepwear for the whole family
- a change of clothing for the whole family
- toiletries (don’t forget the toothbrushes!)
- restroom essentials (toilet paper, hand soap, towel)
- shower supplies (shampoo, soap, etc.)
- body towels
- bed linens for each family member’s bed
- iPad (my temporary computer access)
- cell & electronic chargers (grouped together if possible)
- prescriptive medications & pain reliever
- scissors (wrapped carefully so I don’t stab myself on accident reaching for my PJs)
- hard drives (protected in a case)
- pillows (which may not fit inside the suitcase, squeeze in the car instead)
The suitcase gets packed into whatever vehicle I’m driving along with other fragile items I didn’t want mainstreamed in the truck. Simple meal options, snacks and drinks are all subject to the moving situation. Those things are easy to grab at any store, so I tend not to bother packing them within our suitcase. However, I keep snack bars and water bottles in my purse (or car) during the interim between houses. That’s especially helpful if we’ll be signing mortgage papers or doing other time consuming transactions.
Side note: I am carful to keep my hard drives in their own durable case along with pertinent attachments/cords. I also keep all chargers coiled up and grouped together in one zippered cloth baggie. I’m not a fan of scraggly cords tangled up in my suitcase.
I keep all important documents together in one zippered binder. I like it zippered to avoid rogue papers falling out and getting lost… or worse. Experts suggest keeping documents such as these handy:
- recent tax returns
- pertinent bank info
- drivers licenses
- a second valid form of ID for adults
- passports/visas if applicable
- car insurance, health insurance
- lease or mortgage documents from old home
- lease or mortgage documents from new home
- list of important phone numbers (in case cell battery dies or cell gets misplaced)
- contracts with any moving company or services (storage units, etc.)
- moving related receipts
- master list of your color coded box labels
Some of the pages get three hold punched and placed directly into my binder. Others I place inside a pocket divider or folder that’s also secured inside the binder’s rings (as pictured below). I don’t carry around hole punchers on moving day, so it helps to have durable pockets (like THESE) for tucking last-minute pages into the binder.
My wallet (containing drivers license & credit cards), a pen, etc. all remain inside my purse. Some people transfer purse items over to their document binder or essentials kit in order to keep everything together. I’d rather keep it simple. And simple to me is keeping everything where it normally lives in my purse, less to rearrange now and less to rearrange later.
That about wraps up my short series on household moving tips and timelines. Review all related tips here…
DIY Moving Tips: Color-Coded Boxes
DIY Moving Tips: Pillows & Linens
DIY Moving Tips: Make a Packing Station
DIY Moving Tips: Time Budgeting (6 to 8 weeks out)
DIY Moving Tips: Time Budgeting (the FINAL 6 weeks)
Entire Collection of Moving Tips on OrgJunkie
In the professional world, I’m a nurse by trade. But, around our house, I’m known as Mommy to our young daughter. My two worlds collided and began shaping into a blog. Useful Beautiful Home represents the hours I’ve dedicated to managing my household as efficiently as possible. I offer you motivation to keep your home healthy, organized, and welcoming. My goal is to share what I’ve implemented in my home to inspire you with fresh ideas and to encourage you to keep up the good work in yours! Learn more about me HERE or visit me at UsefulBeautifulHome.com.
- Please note that affiliate links are included in this post to make it easier for you to find what is being referenced. A small commission is made should you purchase product using these links however, as always, any and all opinions are genuinely my own – or the author, in the case of posts by my guest contributors.*
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