No matter how hyped you are about having a brand new place to live in, moving is almost always a stressful activity. The amount of stress and frustration you experience, however, can be decreased and the whole moving adventure might just end up being easier and way more fun. Here are some moving tips bound make your life so much easier.

Packing Clothes

This part is pretty much the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the word “moving” and there is something extremely unsettling about it. Maybe this is due to the fact that you are dismantling something you went through the trouble of organizing, maybe it’s because the thought of packing stuff only to unpack them at your new destination simply has a tendency of making you feel nauseous. Well, for starters, think about using garbage bags to hold your clothes – simply slide clothes on hangers directly into the bags and tie them.

Packing Breakables

Use your old shirts to  wrap breakable dishware, so that you can save on bubble wrap. When it comes to glasses and stemware, pack them in clean socks – it’s a perfect fit. Make sure that you’ve packed plates vertically, much like records, so that they’re less likely to break. Consider using toilet paper rolls to organize your cords. Finally, color-code your boxes so that you know exactly where everything goes.

Decluttering

You’ve been postponing this part so long and now is the perfect chance to get rid of that nasty clutter. While packing, set aside stuff that you use less frequently than once a year. Stack these things into a room’s corner and start going through them. Keep anything that’s of sentimental value to you and get rid of the rest (try selling it, give it away, or simply discard it). This way, not only will you get rid of the clutter, but you’ll quickly come to realize that there’s way less stuff to actually move.

Know Whether to Hire Movers or Ask Friends

Moving can be a dull task and is best alleviated by having a couple of your best buds around to mess around with. Your friends aren’t likely to turn you down and won’t really ask for money, so it is you who needs to make sure that you have food and beverages at disposal for everybody. Additionally, friends who are helping you move get the first dibs on anything that you planned to sell, donate or throw away.

On another hand, if you have a bunch of fragile and massive valuables, you should consider hiring movers. Why? Well, in addition to the fact that you don’t want your friends ending up with permanent back damage, movers tend to come with insurance, which guarantees that you will get compensated, should something break or scratch. Moveage Group, for example, is fully insured and offers moving services, as well as mobile storage and these two can be combined into something very useful.

Change Your Address

We suggest you do this at least two weeks before actually moving. You don’t want to end up having to compensate someone for paying your bills, once you’ve moved. Additionally, don’t forget your Amazon, eBay, PayPal accounts and your credit card, bank, magazine subscription and mailing info!

These five tips will save you a ton of headache. Pack smart, be careful about your breakables, use this opportunity to rid yourself of clutter, make sure that you show gratitude if you’ve asked your friends to help you and don’t forget to change your address!