Now that you know my top 14 tips to make moving day a breeze.. you are ready to go shopping & prepare for the big move! If you are like me.. you have mixed emotions about moving day. I will say I do always love getting the chance to audit my stuff, organize it all, & get creative in styling my new home. However the stress of the move, the physical labor of it all, & the looming hours of unpacking ahead can be daunting… but it doesn’t need to be.
As a REALTOR who has helped 100’s of clients move & as someone who has moved 4 times in the last 6 years (the curse of being a real estate broker & finding the coolest homes is you want to move into them all..) I consider myself a moving expert. Whether it’s a rental, you’ve purchased your first home, or your 10th home; you will absolutely need everything below & will thank yourself later for having it organized & ready to go! As we know, I prioritize convenience so below are directs links to amazon for all of my moving day must haves – ‘add to cart’ & get it delivered right to your doorstep, couldn’t be easier!
Cleaning Supplies: I cannot stress this enough, clean your house from top to bottom BEFORE moving in. While we hope the previous owners or landlords would have the courtesy to leave the home clean, that isn’t always the case. Be prepared to make your new space sparkle & start out this next chapter on the right page. The below products are absolutely necessary with the most important products first. Do not move into your new home without these!!
- Multi-purpose cleaning spray and bleach wipes to sanitize & disinfect all surfaces. Tip: First thing to do when you arrive is clean the inside of the fridge/freezer with bleach but be sure to unplug the refrigerator & freezer prior to cleaning, prop the doors open to air out
- Handheld vacuum for baseboards, vents, cupboards, etc. Tip: Clean literally from Top to Bottom in every room to catch all of the dust, dirt, etc. Finish with the floors once you are all moved in!
- Washing Machine cleaner – TIP: ALWAYS clean your washing machine before doing your first load of laundry
- Dishwasher detergent
- Dishwasher cleaner
- Toilet brush & cleaner
- Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
- Bi-Fold Paper towels
- Washable dust cloths – Wipe it allll down
- 60 gallon trash bags for each room to help keep it tidy when unpacking
- Bar Keepers Friend – If you don’t already have this, you need it. Not moving specific, but it’s truly amazing. Check out this article in Taste of Home to see all of the ways to use it.
Moving Supplies: Most of these items you will want before you move! I would suggest getting boxes from home depot but definitely place an order for the below items about 2 weeks before moving day!
- Dolly/hand truck to move boxes from one room to the other
- Mattress Bags
- Wardrobe boxes – Uhaul has the best ones
- Boxes of all sizes. Tip: Specifically Banker’s Boxes for small/fragile items, office files, books, etc. because they are so easy to carry, easy to break down, but great for long term storage as well
- More packing tape than you’ll think you’ll ever need
- Color coded labels
- Heavy duty storage bags
- Foam sheets/pouches + packing paper
- Utility knife
- Stretch Wrap for furniture
- Tool set for taking apart & reassembling
First Day & Night Bag: YOU DID IT, YOU ARE READY FOR MOVING DAY!! or are you.. The last thing you want to do now is search for your pillow case, tooth brush, & pajamas. Make sure you pack an ‘overnight’ or weekend bag with all of your necessities so you aren’t scrambling to find what you need.
- Anything you’d take for a weekend getaway including pajamas + additional clothes, toiletries, etc.
- Snacks
- Reusable water bottle
- Phone chargers
- First aid kit + prescriptions
- Paper plates, cups, flatware for easy dining & clean up
- Bath towels + shower curtain if applicable
- Diffuser & essential oils because some aromatherapy is needed after this stressful day #calm #chill #restore
There ya have it! You are ready to rock this move. If you haven’t already, check out my post on my top 14 tips for moving day.