Moving Hacks & Places to Find Free Boxes:
When asking Crewmate, Kristen Swartz (who has personally moved eight times in Anne Arundel, Prince George, Howard, & Baltimore Counties!), her favorite personal moving tip; she says, “Instead of purchasing moving boxes, ask your local grocery, liquor, hardware, and convenience stores for any extra boxes. Many times if you call ahead they will put boxes aside for you to pick up at your convenience.”
So we researched the types of places specifically in Maryland where it is most likely to score some for yourself:
Office Supply Stores
Grocery Stores
Pharmacy's
Liquor Stores
Home Improvement Stores
Toy Stores
Once packed, a great hack when moving is to make an essentials box using a plastic tub that never goes on the moving truck! Keep this close to you and a hard interim will become just a little bit easier. What should go in it? D&C Realtor® Kristen suggests:
“Medications, Supplements, Toiletries, Hairbrush/comb, Clothes” (these items for each family member)
“Identification, Documents, Checkbook: License or ID for settlement. Keep accessible any important paperwork associated with the moving process.” (for the homeowners)
“Toilet paper, Hand soap, Cleaning products, Vacuum, Box cutters, Snacks, Drinks, Paper towels, Paper plates, and Plastic ware.” (for everyone all in one bag, then keep in essentials box minus the vacuum;) )
“Special Items for Pets: Food bowls, Litter boxes, Cages, Crates, Leashes, Food, etc.” (don’t forget the fur-babies!)
If you start by finding what you will pack your things in, then prioritizing what you will keep close first, then you can enlist some help either by getting a local storage unit to store home goods until moving day or get moving by loading them onto the truck!
We like EZ Storage in Arnold. They also sell all types of moving supplies and we’ve added the details and sizes they have from their website below:
Small Moving Boxes 16" x 12 3/4" x 12 3/4" Perfect for smaller, heavy items like books, magazines and irons. | Medium Moving Boxes 18" x 18" x 16" Great for slightly larger items like photo albums, small appliances and utensils. | Large Moving Boxes 18" x 18" x 24" Big and sturdy enough for pots, pans, dishes, and toys. |
Extra Large Moving Boxes 24" x 24" x 20" Perfect for lighter-weight, bulky items, like lamp shades, linens and bedding. | Wardrobe Storage Boxes 24" x 21" x 48" Specifically designed to hold clothing, drapes or other linens on hangers. | Clean Newsprint Packing Paper Perfect for protecting dishes and glassware while keeping them clean. |
Bubble Wrap To protect the most fragile items. | Tape To seal and keep your items intact within a storage box. | Lock Keep your items locked up and secure. |
(All moving boxes are approximate dimensions.) | ||
And for one last hack, Diane’s clients love how she suggests to "color coordinate rooms with different colored (per space) duct tape or sticky dots on boxes for ease of placement when you move in to your new house. It is so much more efficient than writing on them. Also, PODS are a true lifesaver so you can declutter and temporarily store stuff in between moves!”.
Always wishing you a happy moving day from Diane & Crew!!
