Now that you've used up a mountain of boxes and tape, your garage looks like a warehouse, and you are dining on paper plates with forks you took from the fast food joint, the easy part is over. Now that you're almost there, a day or two before moving day, it's time to deconstruct.
You'll most likely need a ladder for the next to-do items, along with the tools outlined in our last post. If you have had heavy window treatments you will likely need some wood filler, also. If you're doing a do-it-yourself move, you will need moving blankets, baggies or small containers, and plastic wrap on a large roll for furniture, mirrors, art and lighting.
Be Flexible and Plan Ahead
Packing for a relocation takes quite a while, and you must plan for that if you are going to do a DIY move. A large dry-erase calendar will help keep you on track, and you can edit it as needed. There are three stages of a move--purging, packing, and the move itself--and staying organized with steps 1 and 2 make step 3 a lot less stressful.
One of the larger errors you can make as a pack-it-yourselfer is to overweight boxes. Books are the worst offender; they're relatively small in size but they are heavy. Four or five hardbacks is adequate for a small box, so fill in the rest of the box with lighter weight accessories--coasters, photos, magazines--that will go back in the same room or part of the house with the books themselves.
The Day Before the Big Move in Tulsa
Considering the big day is tomorrow, it is time to get going on the pantry and the fridge. Unless you’re moving right around the corner, you should probably take all the unopened non-perishables to a food pantry, and toss the rest. For a short trip, you can put perishables in coolers containing dry ice, but food is a lot like everything else--is unpacking those half-empty jelly jars worth your time?
Movers usually want the art and mirrors covered in bubble wrap or crated before they load them. If not, you still need to cover each piece (flannel sheets, beach towels, etc. work great between pieces) and move them in your car instead of the moving van. You can secure lighting with a seatbelt if you're moving yourself.
If you assembled any of your furniture, now is when you need to dismantle it. Most furniture can be dismantled with a slot or Phillips head screwdriver and a small hammer. Keep the bolts, screws, and other hardware in a baggie or container and label it, and affix it to the inside of a bed rail or a drawer so you can put it all back together again without having to pay a visit to the hardware store up the street. It is a smart idea to take photos of the hardware in the event that something gets separated--and it will.
Box up your cleaning supplies and plan on taking them to the new house in your car--the chemicals can't go on the truck.
Cover furniture with the moving blankets and secure the blankets with the shrink wrap. The wrap won't mar finishes and keeps drawers in place when chests are moving around.
Moving Day in Tulsa
If you've spent the final night in your residence, you were smart enough to sleep on mattresses on the floor, since your beds are in pieces. You have also packed a small suitcase with necessities for the day since all your clothes are in boxes. Toss your linens and towels in a large box or bag, and away you go. Movers schedule their days in blocks, so a big move will be a one or two-day project. The movers will likely be at your house bright and early and ready to get started—their time starts when they get there, not after you've had your coffee. It's going to be a long day, so respect their time and expertise by being ready for them.
Follow these tips for proper packing and you'll be promptly pleased with your new house—expecially when you can find the coffee pot.
