This weekend we helped John’s sister and brother-in-law move into their beautiful new home, which they designed themselves. Along with a few sore muscles, we picked up some reliable moving tips worth sharing. First, a photo of their stunning new kitchen:
Moving Tip #1: Clean top to bottom. When cleaning areas of your new home—like kitchen cabinets before loading dishes or closets before adding linens—start at the top. Any dust or debris will fall downward, so cleaning from the highest surfaces first prevents you from dirtying lower shelves you’ve already finished.
Moving Tip #2: Touch things once. If you’re carrying a heavy box of bathroom supplies, don’t drop it in the entryway and plan to move it again later. If an item is already in your hands, take it straight to its final spot. It saves time and spares your back the extra bending.
Moving Tip #3: Save seated tasks for last. Reserve activities that can be done while seated—folding clothes, organizing drawers, or sorting small items—for the end of the day. After lots of heavy lifting, these tasks let you rest while still making progress. For example, I installed dish dividers in their island’s deep drawers while perched on a stool.
Moving Tip #4: Don’t bother unhanging clothes. Unless you’re shipping garments long distance, keep clothes on their hangers and slide them into large black garbage bags. This avoids wrestling hangers into boxes or spending time unhooking and rehanging everything. When you arrive, drop the bag in the closet and you can put everything back up in about a minute.
Moving Tip #5: Get rid of what you don’t love. You’ll likely uncover items you never used in your old place—no reason to let them clutter the new one. As you unpack, set aside things to toss or donate: extra glassware, mismatched silverware, worn clothes, or expired toiletries. Clearing out while you unpack makes the new home feel fresh and organized. We even helped Emily and Todd leave a few items for the garbage pickup.
Now it’s your turn—share your best moving tips for the next time we get recruited by our perpetually relocating friends and family. Stay tuned for the “after” photos of their gorgeous new home in the coming weeks.