Maricopa County Arizona Moving Tips

General moving tips

• Keep important paperwork (moving contracts, settlement papers, important phone numbers, etc.) in one folder and in one place -- perhaps your glove compartment so it won't accidentally get packed. Save your receipts. Your move might be tax-deductible.

• Be ruthless about getting rid of stuff. Sell it on eBay or at a yard sale, donate it and get a tax deduction (if you itemize), or just throw it out. You'll have less to move, less to unpack, and perhaps extra money in your pocket.

• Get good brand-name tape. I bought cheap tape and spent too much time trying to find the end after it split.

• Avoid overpacking boxes. Mix heavy stuff and lighter stuff to make boxes more manageable. If you're packing the truck yourself, put heavy stuff on the bottom and toward the front, and don't put all the weighty items on one side.

• Pack medicine, perfumes, and other liquids in leak-proof containers.

• Pack mirrors, lamps, pictures, computer, stereos, and TVs in your car, where they won't get squashed by shifting items in the moving truck. Plus, you can keep an eye on them.

• Don't move any food items that could contain bugs, like opened pastas or grains. Not a good house-warming present for yourself.

• Use plenty of blankets to protect furniture. It's often cheaper to buy them from Home Depot or Lowe's -- or even a thrift store -- than renting them from a truck company.

• Get boxes from friends who have moved, from liquor stores (great boxes for glassware if it has the grid compartments), and from office supply stores. Boxes from movers and truck companies are comparatively more expensive.

• Label boxes clearly, and on all sides. If you are re-using boxes from a friends' move, cover over the old labels. Some of our stuff ended up in the wrong rooms because the movers followed the old labels.

• If you have the measurements of the rooms in your new residence, you can create maps of each room that indicate where your furniture will go. Making these decisions beforehand will cut down on deliberation time as the movers or your friends stand in the doorway holding a desk. Post the maps on the door of each room so you won't have to move things later.

• Keep a host of cleaning supplies (paper towels, rags, window cleaner, furniture polish, broom, mop, etc.) aside in a bucket. As you move, you might have the urge to wipe down a bookshelf or clean a mirror. Also, you'll have to spruce up your old place before the new residents move in, so you don't want to pack your cleaning accoutrements.

• If you are moving yourself, rent a dolly or hand truck, perhaps two if you'll get a lot of help. It's worth the $10-$20.

• Many truck rental companies offer discounts for online reservations and AAA members. Also, the U.S. Postal Service moving packet has coupons.

• It might be cheaper to ship some stuff via UPS , Amtrak, Greyhound, or the Postal Service (especially books at the book rate). Compare the cost per pound shipping rate to the moving rate.

• See if you can arrange for carpets to be cleaned before you move in, while there's not much stuff in your home. Once the moving begins, lay mats down over the carpet since you and the movers will be tracking in and out for hours. It's also easier to paint when there's not much stuff around.

• Make sure you prepare your young kids ahead of time. Read stories about moving and explain who will be around on moving day and where your children will be. Be prepared for disruptions to their sleep during the first few days to a week in your new home.

• If you and your spouse will be moving in separate vehicles, strongly consider having two cell phones or two-way radios.

• A couple of weeks before you move, remember to call utility companies to cancel services at current residence and arrange for services in new residence.

• Right before you move, pack the clothes and toiletries you and your family will need for the next week in suitcases. Keep them with you, and keep them handy.

• Think of everything you'll need immediately once you move to your new house, pack it all separately, and put the box(es) on the truck last (or in your car). Such items might include a pot, a few plates, bowls, and utensils, a can opener, diapers, toilet paper, a couple of towels, sheets and blankets, pet supplies, and some food.