An average 8-bedroom household relocates approximately 7,400 pounds of personal belongings, packed into 100 boxes. But don’t let the numbers intimidate you – moving can be made much less nerve-wracking, and much more manageable, with a few simple tips. Use the following essential moving tips to ensure your move is a smooth one.

Make Use of Checklists

There are few things in life that are not made easier by the use of one simple organizational trick: the checklist!

A good checklist, designed to help you throughout the moving process, can help tremendously with organization. Our step-by-step checklist for moving helps prepare you for the process, starting two months before your move-out date.

Lighten the Load

Minimizing the amount of things you need to pack up and move will help make the entire process easier – and more affordable.

Keep a large trash bag on hand as you pack up your belongings, and lighten your load by weeding out items that you don’t need, separating them into three different piles – throw out, sell, or donate. If you have a large surplus items in the “sell” pile, consider holding a garage sale a few weeks before moving day.

Hiring Movers? Wait until Mid-week

For many homeowners facing a move, going the DIY route is simply not an option. For those looking to hire movers to help them relocate, it’s wise to wait until the middle of the month and week in order to get a better rate. This is because many moving companies charge higher rates during weekends and at the beginning and end of the month.

Use Proper Packing Technique

There is a right and wrong way to pack those cardboard boxes! Putting lighter items (such as linens) in bigger boxes, and heavier items (such as books) in smaller ones will make lifting and transporting your boxed-up belongings much easier.

Packing heavier items on the bottom of your boxes, then putting lighter items on top, will help distribute their weight more evenly and keep lighter, more fragile objects from getting crushed by heavier items. What’s more, avoid loosely-packed boxes: fill in gaps with packing paper, towels, or clothing.

Avoid mixing items from various rooms into the same cardboard box – this makes packing (and unpacking) easier and faster. Keep all those boxes organized by labelling each one with a list of its contents, and the room for which it’s destined.

Avoid Injury – Heed Moving Safety Tips

If you’re rushing through the moving process without taking the proper precautions, you may very well be putting yourself at risk of physical injury.

To avoid hurting yourself amid the hustle and bustle of moving day, heed a few safety tips – and make sure helping friends or family do the same. Remember to stretch before and after moving, and lift from the knees rather than the back. When transporting heavy boxes, use gloves with padded grips to make lifting much easier, and use dollies to facilitate their transport.

Load Heavier Items First

Once you’ve packed up all of your belongings, and are ready to load up your moving truck, it’s wise to tackle larger, heavier items first. Begin by loading furniture, appliances, and other large items, then continue with heavier boxes. Move onto lighter boxes next, and then place breakable objects on the very top.

While proper packing technique helps to protect your belongings, the best way to protect your new home after the big move is with the right insurance coverage. Choosing a home insurance policy from Desjardins means protecting what’s important – your new home and your family. Get a quote in just a few clicks to get started today.