Whether you’re hiring movers or doing a DIY move (and if you need help making that decision, check out our post here), there are tools you should have on hand that make a move easier. From tools to disassemble furniture to a few extra supplies to resolve unforeseeable hiccups, this list will prepare you for the most common moving problems. You can add to this list as you see fit for your move, but we highly suggest using this as your starting point. Here’s our 10 tools for an easier move, 6 for every kind of move and 4 for a DIY move.
Tools For an Easier Move: 10 Essentials
1. Tape
Chances are, no matter how well you plan and prepare, there will be a few boxes left to pack the morning of your move. Keep tape handy just in case. And you never know if you’ll need to open and re-tape a few boxes.
2. Scissors
From cutting tape to opening boxes, scissors will come in handy in ways you didn’t expect on moving day. Keep a pair on hand and don’t let it get packed away before arriving at your new home.
3. Ziplock Bags
Keep plenty of these handy, especially if you’re disassembling furniture on the day of your move. Place all the furniture hardware into a Ziplock bag. Label it with what piece of furniture it belongs to, and keep all the baggies either with you or in one place. You can tape the bag to the piece of furniture itself, but if you choose the first option, you won’t risk it falling off between your home and the moving truck.
4. Sharpies
Sharpies will come in handy for any last minute box packing as well as labeling the Ziplock bags of furniture hardware. Much like scissors and tape, you never know how badly you will need a sharpie until you’re scrambling around on moving day trying to find one.
5. Plastic Grocery Bags
Plastic bags are one of the most important tools for an easier move. No matter how actively you try to avoid it, bits of trash will pop up on moving day. Your trash cans are probably already loaded or waiting to be loaded onto the moving truck. Rather than being stuck with a pile of trash, have a few plastic grocery bags on hand. (You know you have a bag of bags somewhere.) Place all accumulated trash into a grocery bag, tie it up, and throw it away when you’ve arrived at your new home.
6. Set of Tools
If you’re disassembling furniture before moving, you’ll need a set of tools. Even if you don’t plan for any disassembly, a basic set of tools will probably still come in handy. You might need to remove the refrigerator door so it can fit through the doorway. You may have forgotten the tv screen and base need to be separated to properly fit in the tv box. Even if you’re sure you won’t need any tools on moving day, keep a set around just in case.
Tools for an Easier DIY Move
7. Hand Truck and Floor Dolly
Both of these furniture moving tools will come in handy and are useful for different pieces of furniture. Floor dollies are made of a flat square on top of 4 wheels. You place boxes or pieces of furniture on top and roll it out the door. Hand trucks (or utility dollies) are shaped like an “L”. They have a short flat bottom you slip under the piece of furniture, two wheels to lean the piece back, and metal bars that form the handles and back to lean the furniture against. These are ideal for things like washing machines or a heavy dresser. While you can purchase floor dollies and hand trucks, you can also rent them from some moving companies. To learn more about hand trucks and floor dollies, check out our post here.
8. Moving Blankets and Movers Wrap
Moving blankets and wrap are essential for protecting your furniture during your move. No matter how careful you think you’ll be, you can never go wrong with extra protection. Simple jostling in the moving truck can cause dings and scratches. And don’t try to use your own blankets. Moving blankets are specifically designed and created with a heavy duty material to maximize protection. Purchasing these blankets can be expensive, so we recommend renting them from a moving company.
While you can use rope or cords to secure the movers blankets, we recommend using movers wrap. The wrap will put less strain on the furniture, especially if you need to secure the blanket around a table or desk legs.
To learn how to prepare furniture for your move, here are a few of our furniture wrapping tutorials:
9. Ratchet Straps
Once the furniture is loaded onto the moving truck, it needs to be secured so it doesn’t slide around and fall over during transportation. Moving trucks have metal bars with notches around the walls. To prevent furniture from moving, attach the ratchet strap to one wall, run it in front of the furniture, and attach to the other wall. To learn how to use ratchet straps, check out our tutorial.
10. Gloves
If you’re moving yourself and haven’t done your own move in a while, it’s easy to forget how harsh moving can be on your hands. While summer weather won’t dry them out, you will probably get some scratches or blisters if you don’t protect your hands. Carrying a piece of furniture puts continuous and repeated pressure on the same parts of your hand multiple times throughout moving day. Pick up a pair of durable, heavy duty gloves from any hardware store to protect your hands and wrists from potential pain or injury. They range from $2-4 and are absolutely worth every penny.
Now that you have your tools for an easier move, if you’ve decided to hire movers, it’s time to start looking for a moving company. We at Moving U & Junk U believe we’re the movers for you. We provide packing, moving, and junk removal services. Whatever you need help with, we’ll tailor our services to meet your needs. Looking for us to only move the bulky items to your new home? We can do that. Are you interested in a hands off, full service packing and move? We can do that too. Our professionally trained, friendly movers are here to make your life easier on moving day so you can focus on a fresh, well rested start in your new home.
To get your free estimate for packing, moving, or junk removal, give us a call or text at 484-301-2442 or email us at info@movingujunku.com.
