There are a lot of packing tips and moving hacks out there. Everything from using Styrofoam plates to cushion grandma’s china, to wrapping using a trash bag to cover already hung up clothes. Some of these tips are great! We are all for saving time and money. Other suggestions can leave you with broken, torn, stained, and otherwise ruined belongings. Here is our countdown of the top 5 moving hacks that need to get left behind.

MOVING HACK #5: Books In A Rolling Suitcase

I don’t know about you but I have at least 5 bookcases full of books, and about 2 suitcases. Already this plan is breaking down. Don’t risk your books, suitcases are built to withstand a lot but books are heavy. If your move is planned well, you will have a dolly to help move heavy boxes. Use boxes designed for books to protect them from damage and save your suit cases for your clothing.

MOVING HACK #4: Putting Hanging Clothes in Trash Bags

This one has always baffled me. It seems like a great idea at first, but it trash bags don’t stand up well to rough treatment. One broken bag could lead to a lot of ruined clothes. Also, if you don’t have a way to hang them up while moving they are awkward to pack around and you will probably end up putting them in a box anyway. It would be better to invest in a wardrobe box, or to fold and pack your clothes.

MOVING HACK #3: Using Clothes to Protect Breakables

Also, this seems like a great idea at first. And it is, if nothing breaks. If something does break, you are left with tiny shards of glass in your clothing, stuffed animals, or whatever other soft stuff you used. We can suggest a slight variation. We hope that when you are moving, you are throwing out and getting rid of old clothing. Use this instead! When you get to your new home you can still donate the clothes if everything arrived safely, but you won’t feel bad throwing the stuff away should there be a break.

MOVING HACK #2: Save Time Packing Drawers with Press’n Seal

Never leave items in a drawer. Drawers are already heavy and awkward to move. By leaving items in them, you are actually costing time (and potentially money) on moving day. Press’n Seal is also not something I would trust to stay, well, sealed during my move. Don’t end up with lost items, dropped drawers, and awkward spills. Clean out your drawers and put things safely in boxes.

MOVING HACK #1: Getting Free Boxes From Liquor Stores

Not all boxes are created equal. Liquor store and supermarket boxes are made for transporting very specific items. Banana boxes, for instance, are very sturdy but have a large hole in the bottom. Liquor boxes are often small and irregularly shaped. If the cardboard has already done its heavy lifting and gotten wet at any point, you are looking at inherited weakness in the cardboard. They are also often dirty. So these boxes while free are often also too small, too weak, and irregularly shaped. In other words, they are a disaster waiting to happen.

 

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