Congrats! You shopped around and found NetMOVE, the perfect moving company for you and your move. You got the estimate, and now what? Where do you start, and what do you expect? In this guide, we’ll go over some of the best tips, tricks, and hacks on how to pack, what to pack, and steps to take after booking your move! 

1. Do you pay a moving company to move clutter?   

Don’t pay for movers to pack and move, never to touch it again, or to stuff it into a hiding place. We all have things like clothes we say we will wear again or paperwork that we *might* need again (no, that coupon expired 2 years ago, and that restaurant that you are keeping the takeout menu for is out of business).   

2. What do you not want to go in a moving truck? 

Your expensive jewelry? Maybe not something you wouldn’t want to pack and put it in the back of the truck. That goes with important paperwork, absolute essentials you need to survive, like clothing, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. However, trust your movers! Their whole job is to make sure the transition goes smoothly and easily. 

3. How do you create a system to determine where everything is going in your new house? 

How many times have we found a box that was not labeled, found in the bedroom, and turned out to be a kitchen box? You can list everything in the box on the side, or you can invest in some colored tape and assign a tape color to a room, like the kitchen is blue, the living room is red, etc. It could also be a number system and then add a number to each room in the new place; thus, the moving guys know where everything is going based on the numbers. Also, don’t forget to label those boxes as heavy or fragile. Your movers will appreciate it 

4. When do you make payments and sign all the paperwork? 

Don’t wait until last minute! This is the most important thing. Make sure to get your payment into the office. Sign all the paperwork. Make sure everything is ready for packing, or make sure everything is ready for the movers when they get there on the day of the move. This makes the move go smoothly and makes it less stressful for you and your family.   

5. What if it goes to a storage unit?   

Determine beforehand if there is anything going back to storage! For local moves (one house to another in the same area/city), if you already have a storage unit, move the things that need to go back in the storage unit. For example, the Christmas decorations that you don’t need for another 8 months? Probably can go back into storage if not already. 

6. How do I pack for different seasons/holidays when moving? 

If you know you are storing things in storage during the times of August to February, maybe don’t pack those winter coats or label the box accordingly. Every storage place is different but if you can’t get your items and need them, you don’t want to have to buy new things either. 

7. Where do I start packing first? 

When there is so much to pack, this can be the most overwhelming question. Start with any off-season or decorations first. Any off-season clothing (winter gear) can get packed first if you are moving in June. The extra knick-knacks and decorations you have in your living room or any other room. These are the things you don't use every day. Pack them first and then move on to the next stuff. 

8. Do I tip my movers? 

This is a huge question for everyone when they are getting ready for moving day. A tip shows how much you appreciate the hard work your movers did to make your move smooth and efficient. They also do all the physical work like packing and moving, so you don’t have to stress too much. Thus, having some cash on hand so you can tip accordingly! You can also make sure to get the name of your movers so you can mention them in a Google review! 

Moving is stressful, and everyone does it at one point in their lives. Having somewhere to start will not only help take some of the stress off but will also make the day of the move go smoothly. Just know that having NetMOVE there to help puts ease not only to you but to your family.