Tag: Packing Tips

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Moving Tips

Moving to NJ From Out-of-State Checklist and Tips

Moving to NJ From Out-of-State Checklist and Tips

Many people find a small local move challenging and plan a few weeks in advance. Moving to New Jersey from another state requires even more preparation and planning even if you’re coming from the next state over. That doesn’t mean your out-of-state move has to be stressful or difficult. There are plenty of steps you can take to make your NJ relocation a walk in the park.

Visit the Area

Ideally, you’ll be able to physically visit your future home so you can get a good feel for the neighborhood, nearby amenities, and so on. Unfortunately, traveling out-of-state isn’t always affordable. However, if you can squeeze it into your moving budget, seeing the location first hand is always a great idea.

If you can’t physically visit your new home, the next best thing is to find digital resources. Your new town or city might have its own social media account. If not, they will at least have their own website where you can check out the calendar of events, announcements, and so on. You can also “walk” the neighborhood with Google Maps to find the nearest park, grocery store, library, and whatever else is important to you. The more you research, the more  you will feel comfortable when you actually make the move.

Prepare a Moving Calendar

While you might only need 2-3 weeks for a small, local move, you should start preparing for your interstate move at least a month in advance, if not longer. The best way to make sure you get all your tasks done is to first figure out your move date and then count backwards at least 4-6 weeks. If you know you’re going to be busy with work or travel during that timespan, make sure to give yourself even more breathing room. Find and circle the date on the calendar – that’s the day you start with your moving tasks!

Don’t just fill in the calendar haphazardly. First, create a list of all the tasks you need to complete. For example, hiring professional movers, packing, shutting off utilities, purchasing packing supplies, changing your address, etc. Make sure to personalize these tasks to match your needs and prioritize them based on how many days you have until moving day. If you plan on hiring a moving company, you should book them at least a month before your move date, especially if you plan on relocating between May through September.

Create a Budget

Moving out of state isn’t cheap. The average cost of hiring professional movers for a long-distance relocation is close to $5,000. Unlike local moves that charge you an hourly rate, out-of-state movers generally offer a flat rate fee based on the distance, weight, and volume of your move. Ultimately, it means the further you move and the more stuff you have, the higher your final bill. The price only goes up if you include additional services like storage, packing, unpacking, and buying packing supplies. 

Even if you decide to do a DIY move, you’ll still need to pay money for a truck or container, moving supplies, and other expenses like gas, tolls, parking, and more. Plus, you’ll have to load and unload the truck yourself. At best, you’ll be sore for the next few days from lift and carrying heavy boxes and furniture, but at worst you could seriously injure yourself.

Speaking of budget, don’t forget to include costs outside of the actual moving process like some takeout food for the day or two after you move into your new NJ home, new decorations, and even new furniture. 

Choose a Professional Moving Company

If you can spare the money in your budget, hiring a moving company can make your transition to your new New Jersey home a lot easier. Every move is unique, which is why the most reputable New Jersey movers will walk you through the entire process and come up with personalized moving plans based on your needs and budget. Before you call, figure out what you might need as part of your moving plan. Most movers offer services like packing, storage, and more. If you need a full-service experience where movers do the packing for you, make sure to mention it!

Always do your research before hiring the company. Look up online reviews on a variety of sites including Yelp, Google Business, and the Better Business Bureau. Licensed and insured movers also provide their Department of Transportation number, which allows you to search the number to make sure they are up-to-date with their licenses.

Create a Moving File

Filing all documents related to your move is one of the best ways to stay organized and sane. Sure, it’s not fun and is just another thing you have to remember, but you’ll be grateful you have everything in one place. Documents you should store here include:

  • Moving related documents like your estimate, bill of lading, inventory 
  • All personal documents related to you, your child(ren), and/or pets. This includes birth certificate, school records, pet-related documents (vet records, etc)
  • All related bills and utilities that you will need to call to either cancel or update your address

While you can access many of these documents online, it’s still a good idea to have a hard copy version just in case something happens, especially for places like your doctor’s office. If they don’t have a digital portal, call to get a copy of your health records emailed to and print it out. When you find a new doctor, you can hand over your health history on the first day.

Declutter

The less stuff you have, the cheaper your move! Take a look at everything you own and filter out anything that you have used in the past year. Chances are, you won’t miss it! After that, try out the 3-second rule, where you must decide in three seconds if you’ll keep an item in your hand or not and you can’t change your mind after. 

If you end up with a lot of things to get rid of, consider hosting a garage sale. Not only will it help get rid of our unwanted items, it’s also a great way to pad your moving budget. Donate whatever leftover items you have that are in good condition. If you still have a few things left after all that, post it on a local buy nothing group.

Pack Early!

Packing is by far the most time-consuming task. Don’t leave the packing to the last minute. If you want to ensure all of your belongings get to your new home in one piece, you’ll want to set aside a few weeks to pack properly. That includes some prep time to ensure you have all the materials you need including boxes of various sizes, packing tape, padding for fragile items, and packing paper to fill up any gaps in the box.

Split up the packing by section or room and start with the location with the least essential items. That might mean your garage, attic, basement, or guest room. Make sure to label each box appropriately with the room the box should go into as well as basic details on what is inside the box. If you have any fragile items in the box, make sure to write FRAGILE so the movers know to handle them with care.

Don’t forget to pack an essentials bag while you’re at it. Think of this bag/box as what you would take to a two night stay at a hotel and include all these items. The last thing you want to do after you have moved into your new home is dig through boxes to find your toothbrush.

Make all Necessary Travel Arrangements

Moving long distances means figuring out how you’ll get from your old place to your new one. And no, you can’t hitch a ride with the movers. Depending on how far you’re moving and whether you are moving with kids or pets will determine your travel strategy. If you’re relatively close to your new location (a couple hours out), you can simply drive to your new location with no issues. For anything further, you might want to plan out meals, bathroom, and other breaks, especially if you’re moving with young children.

For those who live cross country, a flight will be the fastest and easiest option. However, if you prefer driving, don’t forget to make hotel reservations and plan an itinerary to see some cool things along the way during your road trip. This might not be the best option if you have kids or pets, but it’s great if you’re single.

Move to New Jersey with NJ Great Movers!

If you’re ready to make your move to the Garden State, NJ Great Movers can provide all the information and help you might need. We provide standard long distance moving services along with other add-ons like packing, unpacking, storage, and more. Reach out to us and we’ll walk you through the process.

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Moving Tips

7 Steps to Take Before Your NJ Movers Arrive

7 Steps to Take Before Your NJ Movers Arrive

When it comes to moving, you’ve probably heard more stressful stories than trouble-free ones. It always seems inevitable for there to be last minute hiccups or issues that seem completely unpreventable. But is that truly the case? You might not be able to plan for every contingency, but there are some predictable issues that can crop up during a move like misplaced boxes, damaged belongings, narrow doors and halls, and so on. By planning ahead, you can speed up the entire moving process and minimize potential risks.

Not sure where to start? Below are some useful steps to take before the movers arrive on your doorstep.

Declutter Your Home

Your very first step is to organize and declutter all of your belongings. Yes, even tiny items like hair ties, pens, and so on. The less stuff you bring with you, the less you’ll need to pack and unpack. Take a hard look at everything you own and separate it into three piles – keep, sell/donate, and trash. If you want some extra cash for your moving budget, consider holding a yard or garage sale to get rid of unwanted items and then donate whatever is left over. Depending on how much you’re getting rid of, you could make a couple hundred dollars.

Make an Inventory

While you’re decluttering, it’s a good idea to organize all of the items you plan on bringing with you. Your first order of business is to create a detailed inventory. Take pictures of everything as this will serve as proof of the contents and condition of your belongings. For electronics and appliances, list the serial number, brand, and type. Store the inventory and pictures in the cloud but also make sure to have a hard copy on hand during the move. That way if anything goes missing, you’ll have physical evidence.

Once your inventory is complete, share it with the NJ moving company and anyone else involved in the move. Make sure to send out an updated version if you add or remove anything.

Get Organized

Making an inventory is great, but you still need to organize and pack everything so that they are protected and easy to find. It might seem tedious, but you should set some time to:

  • Pre-pack small items in a sealable bag. This is great for items like desk organizers, jewelry, small decorations, etc.
  • Label your boxes – use color-codes or simply write what items are in the box. Make sure to write Fragile on boxes you want handled with extra care.
  • Separate items – there are some items you want to have access to immediately and/or definitely don’t want lost like personal documents, valuables, your essentials like clothes, toiletries, medication, pet food, and small electronic devices. Keep these away from the other boxes so the movers don’t get confused

You should also measure all doors and hallways to make sure the boxes and furniture you have will fit comfortably through any and all entryways. You don’t want to back a big box and not be able to get it through the front door of your new home, do you?

Get Insurance

When you hire professional movers your belongings are automatically covered by the basic valuation coverage which covers you for $0.60 per pound per item. While this might be fine for basic things like your clothes, it doesn’t really provide much help for items that are expensive, but light like cameras, TVs, jewelry, etc. If you own a lot of high value items, consider springing for the full valuation from your NJ moving company. You will need to alert the movers of anything that is valued at over $100/pound, otherwise they cannot be held liable if it is damaged but not claimed.

You can also spring for third-party moving insurance. Your premium is based on the value and weight of the total items you want to insure, so it’s in your best interest to only cover the very expensive or irreplaceable items. Be forewarned that if you pack the items yourself and it gets damaged during the move, the moving company and/or insurance won’t pay out unless there’s obvious evidence of improper handling during the move.

Plan for Your Pets and Kids

Depending on how old your child is, it might be beneficial to have a friend or relative watch them during the moving process. You want them to stay away from all the commotion and tension that comes with moving day so that you and the NJ moving crew can focus on the task at hand. If you can’t find someone to help out, look for a babysitter or see if you might be able to have them wait in a separate room. 

For your pets, put them in a kennel or cage away from all the noise. Many people lose their pets during a move since dogs and cats are prone to running away from unfamiliar people and loud noises. Keep them safe by putting them somewhere they can’t escape. Include their favorite toy or cushion as something familiar can help soothe their anxiety. And don’t forget to pack some weewee pads in case they end up urinating or defecating in their cage.

Prepare Your House for Movers

Sure, most moving companies will put down some supplies to prevent damage to your house, but it’s up to you to make sure your old and new house are clean and undamaged. This is especially true if you are moving between NJ apartments since you’ll have to worry about getting back your security deposit. Some small steps you can take include:

  • Putting down doormats and plastic coverings over floors and carpets to prevent dirt buildup
  • Wrapping banisters and corners with some bubble wrap or blankets. 
  • Cover stairs with anti-slip coating
  • Protect door frames with foam pad dings or remove doors from hinges if necessary. Don’t forget to put the doors back up!
  • Remove paintings, mirrors, and clocks from walls

 Don’t forget to take pictures of your old place before the movers arrive. You want proof of the condition your apartment or home was in during move out so in case something gets damaged, you can show that you were not responsible. Don’t forget to do this when you move into your new place, too!

Think of the Moving Crew

Not all moves are strenuous, but if your move is expected to take more than four hours and/or you have a lot of bulky and heavy items to move, consider getting some snacks and water to replenish the movers’ energy levels. This is especially important if you’re moving during the summer! You should also make sure to leave some soap and disposable hand towels in your old and new home just in case someone needs to use it.

And don’t forget to take out some cash for tips. While tipping isn’t required, it’s always a good idea to show appreciation for a job well done, especially for something like moving. Add some extra dollars if the crew had to move very heavy items, walk up stairs, or navigate tight corridors.

Have a Stress-Free Moving Experience

While no move is easy, you can reduce potential issues by preparing in advance. Once you’re ready to move, make sure to give NJ Great Movers a call. We can help walk you through the process and provide a customized moving plan that fits your needs and budget.

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Packing Hacks and Guides

How to Pack Your Clothes for Moving

6 Hacks to Pack Your Clothes for Moving

Packing is not easy. In fact, it’s the task that most people dread because it takes up so much time and energy. It’s all too easy to forget something since you’re spending time disassembling your furniture, organizing your belongings, and prepping your fragile items so they don’t break during the move. Who has time to think about how to pack clothes?

While it might be tempting to just throw your clothes into a bag or box, this haphazard approach can lead to wasted space and time when unpacking. Plus, it leaves all your clothes wrinkled or, in the worst case scenario, damaged. If you want to make sure your clothes arrive in good condition, the following tips can make that possible.

Declutter Your Old and Unnecessary Clothes

This step might be one of the longest, but there’s no better time to start purging your closet and wardrobe than when you move. While this step might take some time, it’s a lot better to reduce how much you bring with you as you will have less to pack and unpack.

In order to properly declutter  your closet and wardrobe, empty everything so you can see what you have. From there, sort your clothes into three categories: clothes you wear often and want to keep, items you don’t wear but are in good condition, and damaged clothes. Take the time to look carefully at each piece including dressy and seasonal outfits. With dressy items, unless you are constantly going to fancy parties, you can probably get away with one three-piece suit or black dress.

You can choose to donate or sell the lightly worn items you have. If these items are from a brand name, you can probably fetch a good price for them online. Whatever you earn, you can put towards your moving budget. For anything that didn’t sell, donate to a goodwill store.

Wash Dirty Laundry Before Moving to Your New Home

It might be tempting to leave your dirty laundry in a bag and forget about it until you’re in your new house, but the last thing you’ll want to do is a load of laundry while unpacking. More importantly, stained or soiled clothes will only get worse as time goes by and, if some of your clothes are particularly stinky, the smell can spread to the rest of the dirty laundry and suitcase.

It might seem like a waste of time, but do all of your laundry the day before you move. It will make unpacking a lot easier. Plus, you’ll need to wash the clothes you donate anyway, so might as well do another few loads while you’re at it!

Sort Your Clothes

Once you’ve figured out what you’re keeping, the next thing you should do is start sorting your things by season. That way, you can start packing away the clothes you don’t need as early as a month before your move. So if it’s summer, pack away your winter clothes and vice versa.

While you’re at it, sort pieces by type to help you organize your closet better after the move. Put all your pants together, shirts, together, dresses, etc. Just make sure to keep all of these items separate for each person in the house. Then label and identify the various boxes and bags with the name of the person and type of clothes for easier unpacking.

Find the Appropriate Packing Method

Sure, you can throw your clothes into a box, and that might not be the worst idea for more casual items like jeans and t-shirts. However, for items like button-down shirts, dresses, dress pants, etc. you might need to take a different approach. Some options include:

  • Standard cardboard boxes – these are great for folded clothes like your sweaters, t-shirts, etc.
  • Wardrobe boxes – perfect for clothes on hangers! You don’t even need to take the items off the hangers, just put them in these boxes. Many professional moving companies in NJ provide one or two wardrobe boxes for free
  • Suitcases and bags – if you don’t have enough cardboard boxes, these are great alternatives
  • Vacuum bags – perfect if you need to save space and condense clothes like bulky sweaters and jackets. It’s also a great way to store seasonal clothes so it doesn’t take up too much space in your closet once you’re settled into your new home.

Organize Folded Attire for the Move

If you’re someone who has trouble folding the laundry when it comes out of the dryer, you might balk at folding your clothes during your move. There’s no getting around it, folding clothes is a labor-intensive process. You can make it easier on yourself, though. Unless your dresser is in very bad condition, you can leave all your foldable items in the drawers and tape them up tightly. You’ll save money on cardboard boxes and time spent packing. Plus, professional NJ movers know how to carry and maneuver large pieces of furniture.

However, if you’re not keeping any of your furniture, you will have to pack it. There are two methods of folding your clothes that are easy and efficient:

  • Flat fold – these are perfect for your sweaters and jeans and pair well with cardboard boxes and vacuum bags and the most traditional way to fold your clothes. Lay the shirt flat, fold the bottom up a few inches then flip it around. Fold both sleeves toward the center then fold the bottom half of the shirt.
  • KonMari Fold – popularized by Mari Kondo, this method is similar to flat fold, but it allows you to see any designs on the shirts so long as you pack it properly. It’s a fairly straightforward process where you fold one side of a shirt towards the center and repeat on the other side. Then fold the shirt in half lengthwise and then finally fold the shirt in half or this. You will want your shirt to stand upright to maximize space.
  • Military roll – use this method for delicate items like shirts and dresses or if you’re using suitcases or duffle bags. Follow the flat fold method, but instead of folding the bottom half of the shirt, roll from top to the bottom.

Protect and Pack Footwear Like a Pro

Don’t throw all your shoes into a duffle bag! Shoes quickly lose shape and can get damaged during the move. Plus, if you have worn all of your shoes before, you’ll be getting whatever dirt, etc. on all of your shoes.

It’s in your best interest to pack your shoes properly, especially your dressier shoes. Stuff the shoes with some packing paper or socks so they keep their shape and wrap them in paper to prevent scuffing. If you have the original shoebox, place them in there and put everything into a small or medium box. It’s okay if you don’t have the original shoebox, you can place the shoes gently in a cardboard box without it.

And don’t ever pack your shoes with your clothes!

Accessories

Don’t toss these in with your clothes! It’s all too easy to lose small accessories like rings, necklaces, neck ties, etc. Instead, back these separately in a small bag or box. If these items are very valuable, you will want to keep these possessions on your person.

Pack Bag or Suitcase for the Moving Day

Don’t pack away all your clothes in boxes. Unless you are super motivated to unpack immediately when you move into your new place, chances are you’ll take a few days to go through all your boxes and bags. In the meantime, the last thing you want to do is root around your boxes to find your pajamas and a change of clothes. This is doubly true if you moved on the weekend and have to go into work on Monday.

So before you tape up all of your boxes, separate all of your essential items to a suitcase or box. When planning what to pack, consider what you would bring to a 2-3 day hotel stay. Items like socks, underwear, shirts, pants, pajamas, tooth brush, toiletries etc. are all necessary, but you might have to pack other things like bedding, pillows, toilet paper, towels, silver ware, one or two cups, etc. Don’t overload yourself, of course! Remember this should be enough for two to three days not a full month! The hope is that you will be finished unpacking the essentials within that time frame.

Get Ready to Move!

The tips above should help make packing your clothes a lot easier. If all else fails, you could always contact NJ Great Movers and request a partial packing option for your closet and dresser. We’ll handle all the hard work so you don’t have to!

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General

The Best Packing Strategies for a Stress-Free NJ Move

The Best Packing Strategies for a Stress-Free NJ Move

It doesn’t matter if you’re moving from an apartment to a house or vice versa, there’s one step that you cannot skip and that’s packing. For most people, packing is the task that they dread the most because it’s time consuming. Doubly so if you want everything to arrive in one piece to your new home. Luckily, you can make the process easier on yourself by following the packing strategies below. Now only will you save time, you’ll also save yourself some money in the process.

Set Your Old Belongings Aside

Moving is the perfect time to take stock of everything you own and keep the items you truly want even if you’re moving from an apartment to a larger home. Unless you’ve lived an incredibly minimalist lifestyle, you probably own a lot of stuff that you don’t need or use that often. The less you have during a move, the cheaper it will be since less boxes = less time it takes the NJ movers to load and unload their truck. This is especially important for long-distance moves as these get calculated by volume, weight, and distance.

While it will be hard to part with your stuff, it’s important to set aside a few days to sort through your belongings. When choosing what items to say goodbye to, ask yourself how often you’ve used it in the past year or two. For expensive items like furniture, you should take into account its condition, whether it will fit in your new home, and if it will match whatever aesthetic you want for your new place. Buying a new couch isn’t cheap, but lugging one to your new home and realizing there isn’t a place for it is even more expensive.

Once you’ve separated out all of the items you don’t plan on taking with you, host a garage/yard sale. It’s a great way to make some extra money to pad your moving budget. Of course, you won’t sell everything, so try and donate whatever you can. Items that aren’t in good condition you should recycle if possible. If not, then throw it out.

Have All the Supplies You Need

There’s nothing worse than starting the packing process only to realize halfway through that you don’t have everything you need. You might think that boxes and some tape are enough, but for a smoother move you should consider investing in the following:

  • Bubble wrap, packing paper, packing peanuts to secure fragile items
  • Plastic bags to group smaller items together like toys, pens, etc.
  • Sharpies to label your boxes
  • Stretch wrap to secure your dressers drawers or keep items together
  • Mattress bag to keep your mattress from collecting dust and debris
  • Packing tape to close up your boxes. Don’t skimp, get more than you think you need!
  • Boxes to pack your items. While you can always try and find free boxes, it might be worth it to purchase boxes specifically designed for moving as they are more durable. You should also get a variety of sizes to account for the different items you are moving.

Buying all these supplies can put quite a dent in your wallet, so ask around to see if you have friends or family that might have some of these items.

A Fully Organized Inventory List

Before you start packing, you’ll want to know exactly what you plan on bringing with you. A well organized inventory can help you manage what’s in each box, where each one needs to go in the new house, and keep track of valuable items. If you’re hiring professional movers, they will always request an inventory of items to make sure they don’t forget anything during the move.

Creating an inventory might sound difficult, but it’s a relatively straightforward process. It does require you to keep track of everything you plan on moving right down to the last nail. For best results, you’ll want to do this while you pack. A good moving inventory lists the following:

  • Box number to keep track of boxes
  • Contents of each box
  • Room where each box came from
  • Whether items are fragile
  • Whether items in the box are valuable
  • Color code/label used for each box
  • Picture of fragile/valuable items in specified boxes and market value
  • Take pictures of your electronic setup so you know how to set everything back up in your new home

Pack Everything in the Best Way

It might sound funny, but there are proper ways to pack a box. In fact, you can train yourself on the best way to pack a box to make the most use of the space while still keeping your items safe. Plus, a well packed box also makes unpacking a lot easier as everything will be properly organized. If you’re not sure where to get started, below are some useful packing tips:

  • Use the right box size – heavier items should go in smaller boxes and lighter items should go into larger boxes. You should also put fragile items in smaller boxes as you want to reduce the amount of pressure you put on the fragile items.
  • Put heavy items on the bottom – this sounds like common sense, but many people simply toss everything into a box without considering the weight. If you put heavy items on top, they will crush and/or break the lighter items. So, pack heavy and bulky items carefully.
  • Don’t leave gaps in the box – these gaps can jostle your belongings, which can lead to damaged items. Fill any holes with packing paper, towels, etc.
  • Tape boxes securely – use more tape than you think you need and tape both the top and bottom. Then wrap a couple times around the edges. You really don’t want the boxes opening up on the top or bottom during the move.
  • Buy speciality boxes – They might cost a bit more, but things like wardrobe boxes, speciality boxes for art, dishes/glassware, and televisions are designed to provide an extra layer of protection. If you don’t know where to find these boxes, the NJ moving company you use might have some.

Another useful hint is to pack similar items together – books with books, toys with toys, etc. Go a step further and organize by room. So if you have books for the living room and books for your bedroom, put them in separate boxes. It might seem like a hassle, but you’ll be able to unpack a lot faster when you put the effort into the initial packing.

And sometimes the right way to pack is to not pack! For example, if you have clothes on hangers, don’t take them off. Instead, bundle the clothes together and then wrap it in a garbage bag to protect them. For clothes in dressers, simply wrap the drawers tightly with stretch wrap.

You’ll also want to back a separate box specifically for essentials like clothes for 2-3 days, toiletries, bedding, toys for children, food for pets, etc. That way, you won’t have to dig through all the boxes to find exactly what you need and you can take your time unpacking since you already have the essentials easily accessible.

Need Expert Assistance

If you’re strapped for time, you can’t go wrong with hiring professionals. Luckily, many moving companies also offer packing services. Naturally, it will cost you more money, but if you simply don’t have the time or energy, it’s a great option. Plus, you can have them pack up certain rooms or areas instead of the entire house to save some money. Sure, you’ll still need to do some packing if you choose this option, but it can reduce your overall workload significantly.

The reason it’s better to hire professionals than asking friends is that they know exactly how to pack your boxes and will handle each item with care. Your friends or family members won’t have as much experience and knowledge so could inadvertently pack your boxes incorrectly. Or perhaps they’ll simply jumble all of your belongings together so you don’t know where anything is. Obviously, those who volunteer to help mean well, but they don’t always know the best practices. It’s well worth it to find some money in your budget to hire packers.

Make Packing Less Stressful

Following the packing strategies above does mean you’re putting in more upfront work. However, it is well worth the time and effort as you won’t have to worry as much when you’re unpacking. And if you don’t want to deal with the hassle, then you can call in professional NJ packers like us!