Moving is always a little stressful, but it’s also true that the smaller your move, the less stress you have. It means you’ve got less to move, and it also means you could get a better deal on moving services.
For example, did you know you could pay less if you have less than 2,000 pounds to move? It’s especially helpful to spend a little less on professional moving services in big cities, like Los Angeles, where getting around can be difficult and renting a truck can be expensive.
It doesn’t matter if you’re moving out of a small apartment or you’ve got a three-bedroom house worth of stuff; there are things you can do to make your move a little bit smaller and a lot more manageable.
Have a Yard Sale
One of the best ways to downsize ahead of your move is to have a garage sale. Not only does it allow you to get rid of stuff you no longer need, but you’re also able to make a little extra money that you can use to pay for moving costs.
A few tips for having a successful garage sale include:
- Pick a Friday and Saturday a few weeks ahead of your move
- Price your items as you gather them
- Advertise your garage sale with signs and on places like Facebook
- Make sure you haven’t packed essential items, like a calculator and grocery bags, so you can use them during the sale
- Consider negotiating for lower prices in the name of getting rid of items so you don’t have to move them
Donate Items You No Longer Need
You can still donate your items if you don’t have enough time for a garage sale or if you had a sale but were unable to get rid of everything.
You can donate just about everything that’s useful and still in good condition, like gently worn shoes, dishes, clothing, and more.
There are some things you will want to avoid, though. They include:
- Baby gear, like swings, with safety standards that may or may not have been recalled
- Potentially hazardous materials, like paint, batteries, and cleaning solvents
- Some old electronics, like TVs and microwaves
- Use toys and games with a lot of pieces that haven’t been presorted
Digitize What You Can
Chances are, you’ve got a lot of documents and other information that you’re storing in boxes that you could toss in the shredder if you digitized that information. When you take the time to digitize it, you no longer have to pack it, which means less stuff to move.
Things you can digitize include:
- Tax documents
- Legal documents
- Credit card information
- Insurance policies
- Immunization records
- Bank account information
You can also digitize sentimental items, like photos, greeting cards, and diaries as long as you don’t mind tossing the hard copies once they have been digitized.
Pack Your Boxes Right
Even if you feel like you have a lot of stuff after having a yard sale, donating items, and digitizing, you can still save space when you know how to pack your boxes the right way.
The biggest tip when it comes to packing boxes is to eliminate empty space. Packing things tightly will save space, which means fewer boxes to move, but it has another benefit too. When you pack items tightly so they don’t jostle around, things are a lot less likely to get broken or damaged.
Don’t let the size of the box fool you, either. Packing smaller boxes full of heavy items doesn’t take up any more space than packing fewer larger boxes, and they’re easier to carry.
Rent a Storage Unit
If you’re still searching for ways to make your move a little bit smaller, consider renting a storage unit. It gives you the ability to pack away items you don’t really need, but aren’t ready to get rid of.
It also enables you to move in phases. You can move unessential items weeks ahead of time so that your main move is much smaller. Then, when you’ve had a chance to settle into your new space, you can get the rest of your stuff out of storage.
It doesn’t matter if you can only make your move smaller by a few bulky items or you’re able to get rid of boxes and boxes of stuff so you can go with a smaller mover. No matter how much or how little your move shrinks, it will make the process easier.