Many people have chosen to downsize from a home to an apartment and this means that a lot of the stuff that you once had in your house cannot go with you to your new space. It may seem like a big task to downsize your home, but it can be done. In fact, we will go over some tips to help you complete the task with ease.

Tip 1: Take Time and Inventory Your Items

Yes, it seems like a tedious process and yes, it might be, but it needs to be done. You need to know what items you have in your home and where they are. You could simply go room by room and pack up what you want from each room, but this would take more time and you may end up with duplicate items or you may accidentally toss out items you want.

Start out by choosing one room and inventory everything there is in it. You should write down what items are going with you and which ones you plan to toss. If you do not keep a list, you will quickly be consumed by the process.

Tip 2: Measure Your New Apartment

How will you know if your new couch will fit in your apartment? You won’t without measurements. It helps to measure each room in your new apartment. This way, you know what items will fit in there. For example, if you have an entire bedroom set, you need to know which of those items will comfortably fit in the master bedroom of the apartment. You may find that you need to leave an item or two behind for the sake of space.

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Unfortunately, when you move your items from one home to another, you are bound to get hurt, especially if you are not doing it properly. Many homeowners make the mistake of rushing around and this leads to carelessness and missteps to protect your body and your family. Below, we will go over some of the most common injuries that occur on moving day.

1. Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts and scrapes are probably one of the most common, if not the most common, injury that occurs during a move. You may accidentally move your hand the wrong way on a box and cut it or you may try to open a box with a sharp knife and slip.

These types of injuries are preventable and you can avoid cuts and scrapes by making sure all sharp objects are wrapped properly and of course, taking your time when you do move items.

2. Slip and Falls

A slip and fall can occur for a number of different reasons from the ground being wet to missing a step on a staircase or even a spilled drink in the house. You should always be cautious when carrying items and check the pathway to make sure it is clear BEFORE you begin moving items.

You can prevent injuries like this by wearing shoes with grips and closed toes.

3. Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains occur when you lift items that are too heavy or you move the wrong way. These can be prevented by slowing down and avoiding lifting items that you know are too heavy for you. You should always ask for help when you need to move furniture or heavy boxes.

A sprain can occur too when you slip inside your home or go down the staircase wrong. You must pay attention when walking to prevent these kind of injuries.

4. Pulled Muscles

Lastly, pulled muscles occur most commonly in the legs, back, and neck. These injuries happen because homeowners often lift items incorrectly and place too much pressure on their muscles. To avoid pulled muscles, always use your legs to lift instead of your back and never lift an item that you think is too heavy for you.

To avoid these four common moving day injuries, you need to make sure that you are practicing safe moving and that you are utilizing the help you have and of course, dollies to move the items.

If you are planning on having a moving sale, it is important that you properly price your items, otherwise, no one is going to purchase them. If you are unsure of how to price your items for your upcoming sale, we will go over some of the ways below.

1. Know What Items You Plan to Sell

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when it comes to their moving sale is that they price items too high for the average buyer. To prevent this from happening, go through all of the items you plan to sell. If you find something that you are still attached to or something that would be worth more than something you would find at a yard sale, put it to the side and do not sell it.

You want to make sure you offer items for sale that you are actually ready to sell. If you are still attached to an item, you will likely price it too high for someone to purchase.

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If you are planning a small move or you simply need to transport a few items to a friend’s house or your storage unit, you do not need to rent a large moving truck. It wouldn’t make much sense to rent a 14-foot moving truck to simply move a washer or dryer. If you do need to move a few things, you may find that renting a cargo van or pickup truck is a much better option for you then the large truck. Below, we will go over some considerations and tips to help you choose which option is best.

Cargo Van Rentals

Cargo vans provide you with the additional room you need to move furniture and large boxes without being large and overpowering. If you have ever tried to drive a large moving truck, you know what we are talking about. The interior of the cargo van is spacious and will allow you to keep your items close by as well.

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If you thought you could call a moving company and expect the movers who show up to handle a bunch of things for you, they won’t. In fact, there are a variety of things that your movers will NOT do and they are not afraid to say no. But why? If you are wondering why your movers cannot do many of the following tasks, it is because of liability reasons.

If you find that you need help with any of the actions they will not help you with, consider calling a friend or relative to help in place of the mover.

1. Unhook Your Appliances

Your movers will not unhook and disconnect your appliances for you. This is left up to you and you will need to empty out, clean, and unhook the appliance prior to the movers showing up. If you are unable to do this or simple do not want to, you have two options: 1) hire someone to do it for you, such as an appliance company or 2) leave your appliances behind and buy new ones.

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One of the most commonly forgot about items when it comes to a move is your vehicle. Did you know that your vehicle needs to be inspected before you hit the road? Most people never even think about this, but if your vehicle is in subpar condition, then you will find that it may break down on the side of the road or your tire may blow out on the interstate. Below, we will go over some items you need to check on your vehicle before you close the doors and hit the road.

1. Take Your Vehicle in for an Inspection

If you have the time and funds available, take your car in for a quick inspection. Dealerships often offer a special where you can have your vehicle inspected for free with any service purchase. These inspections will look over the main components of your vehicle and the mechanic on site will let you know if he notices any issues with your vehicle.

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So, you have made the decision to rent a moving truck for your upcoming move, but now you are faced with the decision of what size truck to rent. This is one of those things that stumps almost all of those who do rent a truck. When it comes to the size of the truck, you want to make sure you choose a truck that is going to hold all of your belongings, otherwise, you will be making unnecessary trips back and forth to move all of your items.

One of the hardest things for people to determine is the size equivalent of the truck itself. For example, you may look up how many items a 14-foot truck holds and one person may say a one or two-bedroom apartment. But, how many items is this? For someone in one area of the country, a two-bedroom apartment may be the size of a two-bedroom house, but for someone else, a two-bedroom apartment is only the equivalent of a one-bedroom house.

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When you first decide to move and as the day approaches, you are probably starting to think about who you can ask to help you move. The first people you are likely to ask are your friends and family, right? Well, this may not be the best idea and you may actually be doing yourself a disservice by asking your friends and family. If you are wondering why this is a bad idea, we will go over some of the reasons below.

1. Your Friends and Family May Not Stick to Timelines

Since your friends and family are close to you, they may not feel like they need to adhere to the timelines that you set and they may arrive late to help you move. This can cause your day to be delayed and you may become frustrated with them.

In addition, your friends and family may think it is okay to flake out on you and not show up when you are ready to move. This is problematic because it means that you are left without the help that you planned on and needed to get the move done.

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Packing up and moving your home is no simple task. But, if you have the right supplies on hand, you will find that packing and moving your items is much easier than you initially thought. Below, we will go over some of the must-have items you need for packing and moving.

1. Boxes or Plastic Totes

You are definitely going to need some boxes or plastic totes to move your items because without these items, you will not get far. Boxes are ideal for most residential moves and can either be purchased at your local moving truck rental store or home improvement store. Often, you can even find cardboard boxes for free by simply asking stores if you can have the extras once they have unloaded their products from them.

While cardboard boxes usually do the trick, plastic totes are the best option for any move. This is because they are more durable than cardboard and they help to protect your items. You can stack the totes and they keep moisture out in case you plan to store any of your items.

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