Moving to a new home can be both an exciting and stressful experience. You can be eager to make a fresh start, but the logistics of packing, transporting, and unpacking is often overwhelming. Fortunately, there are a handful of clever moving hacks that can make the process smoother and more efficient. Check them out!

Simplify Your Move with These Helpful Tricks

Whether you’re a seasoned mover or a first-timer, these seven moving techniques will help you prepare for your new move—and get settled into your new space—with ease.

1. Pack an Essentials Box

You’re packing up everything you own. Yet some things are more useful than others, especially on your first night. Putting together a box that contains those essentials can give you easy access to what you’ll need immediately upon arrival at your new home.

Think of your essential toiletries, a couple changes of clothes, important documents, chargers, and basic kitchen utensils that you reach for on a daily basis. Then put them in one box that’s easily accessible during the move.

2. Take Advantage of Suitcases

Maximize the use of your suitcases by filling them with heavy items like books. Suitcases typically have wheels, making them easier to transport than heavy boxes. This hack not only saves space but also makes moving those heavy items more manageable.

3. Snap Photos of Electronics

Before disconnecting electronic devices, take photos of the cords and connections. That way, when it comes time to hook everything up, you won’t be left second guessing what goes where!

4. Bag Your Hanging Clothes

Instead of removing all your clothes from hangers and folding them, keep them on the hangers and slip them into large garbage bags. Then tie the bags at the bottom. Your clothes will stay on the hangers and remain covered up during the move. It’s a great way to save time on packing.

5. Use Other Clothes as Padding

You can save money on packing materials by using your clothing as padding for wrapping up certain types of fragile items. Wrap breakables in soft clothing items like sweaters or socks to provide extra cushioning. This not only protects your fragile items but also maximizes the use of space in your boxes. It’s a win-win.

6. Prevent Leaks When Packing Toiletries

Grab some rubber bands and small pieces of plastic wrap to keep things secure when packing and moving your toiletries. Just place some plastic wrap over the bottle opening, and then screw the cap back on. After that, you can secure the cap with a rubber band for an extra layer of protection, helping your toiletries arrive at your new home mess-free.

7. Coordinate with Your Professional Movers

If you’ve opted to hire local movers, be sure to coordinate with them effectively. Provide clear written warnings on fragile items, and add labels to let the movers know which rooms need which boxes. It’s great to have movers help do the heavy lifting. A little extra care can make the moving process go even smoother for everyone!