The Only Checklist of Moving Essentials and Supplies You’ll Ever Need

June 25, 2021 / Posted in Before the Move
Milly Andrews

Born and raised in Portland, Milly has had a lot of experience moving and writing about the relocation process.

We can all agree that not all of our belongings are equally important when the relocation day comes – some of them are considered moving essentials, but others can stay buried in boxes for months after the relocation, and we wouldn’t miss them at all. So you wouldn’t unintentionally confuse these two groups and end up not knowing where your necessities are, we prepared a detailed list. Take your pen and write it down – you won’t regret it.

A woman filling a checklist paper
Follow our tips and create an impeccable relocation necessities checklist

What Supplies Do You Need to Move – Packing Necessities

The fact that you can’t usually pack all your belongings without packing materials makes them essentials for moving out. While getting organized to move, remember to prepare them on time before starting with boxing up itself. You will need:

  • Boxes – big, medium, small, be sure to have all box types for all of your belongings. If you pack fragile items, it would be best to get some dish barrels so that your delicate dishware stays in one piece. If you try to find the cheapest way to move out of state, try to find some cost-free cartons in your favorite local stores or some recycle-oriented sites, like Freecycle.
  • Wrapping material – paper, bubble wrap, newspapers, clothes, towels, pick whatever you like the best. However, remember to explore which of your items demands some extra care so that you can use the safest option with them. Try to research how to move electronics as well as how to pack your wine or liquor collection and get some proper tutorials to keep each one of your belongings in life.
  • Additional objects, like tape, tape gun, sharpies, scissors, and so on.

If you think you can’t cope with all that chaos and mess, or you are just lazy by nature, rethink hiring long-distance movers who can provide the best professional packing service. Let them worry about everything that revolves around boxing up – they know all of the relocation hacks, after all.

Packing supplies on a desk
Think about which boxing up the material you will use before you start with the process

What Should You Move First When Moving – Relocation Day

Before everything is packed and ready for loading, you should consider items you will need while traveling to another state. At the same time, those things will be the ones you should move first. It doesn’t matter if you have all the time in the world for relocation or if you have a last-minute moveyou should prepare a separate box or a kit that will go with you, not with cross-country movers. Remember to load it into your vehicle on the relocation day – it is one of the most common tips for relocation out of state and for a good reason. Depending on your needs, those moving necessities could be:

  • Documentation – having your relocation documentation with you should be a no-brainer. However, with so much going on during the relocation day, people often forget about it. Ensure that you have your documents such as relocation contract, ownership documents for your current house (and for the old one, too), personal documentation, insurances, medical records, and so on.
  • Essential toiletries and change of clothes – ensure that you packed your toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, shampoo, and soap. Just because relocation is a long, dull, and demanding job doesn’t mean that you should be all dirty and sweaty. Remember to pack toiletries for necessary for every family member.
  • Health products – given that you will be relocating in the age of coronavirus, remember to have close some disposable masks, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and so on, along with your standard medications and first aid kit if possible. Medicines are often on a list of things people forget to pack when relocating, but remember that not bringing them with you can have severe consequences.
  • Toys – if you are relocating with children, remember to pack their favorite toys or any other object they love in your essential bag. Relocation is a stressful process for everyone, especially for the young ones, so be sure to provide them as much comfort as you can. If you are relocating with pets, remember to bring their favorite toys, too.
  • Electronics and their chargers – you will probably use your phone or a laptop the whole time of relocation, either to contact your family and friends, for business, or just for having fun. Remember to charge them before you leave your old home and bring chargers if you don’t want a low battery to ruin everything.
  • Tools – if you are a great repairman or you think you are, some tools (screwdriver, utility knife, and alike) can be considered as necessities, along with scissors, a flashlight, and other similar handy supplies.,
  • Snacks and beverages – ensure that you have enough for everyone, including your pets.

Your valuables can’t be named necessities, but you can consider putting them in your necessity bag just to be one hundred percent sure that they will stay safe. That is the advice the people from every trustworthy long-distance moving service provider will give you, too. That goes for expensive objects, such as jewelry and alike, but also for objects that have a huge emotional value for you – you don’t want anything wrong to happen to them.

Plush teddy-bear on a bed
Having their comfort toys will make the relocation process easier for your kids

Move-in Essentials You Can’t Live Without

When you arrive at your wanted destination and unload your belongings, you won’t unpack all of your stuff at once – it is simply not possible. Because of that, when boxing up, you should label boxes that contain necessities for the first couple of days in a new home. That way, you will easily find all of your necessities without losing any time on checking all of your cartons.

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Home Cleaning Supplies Checklist for a Clean Start

Even if the previous owners cleaned the house, it would be best for you to do it by yourself. That way you will be sure that everything is clean and you will take care of those places that will later be hardly reachable because of your furniture. You’ll need to know in what place you put some basic cleaning supplies, like:

  • Rubber gloves,
  • Sponges,
  • Broom,
  • Duster,
  • Mop,
  • Bucket,
  • Multi-purpose cleaning spray.

Bathroom Essentials – Bring Everything You’ll Need

After the long travel you are bound to have when cross-country moving, it would be best to gift yourself with a nice, long bath. Make sure to pack in a special box at least one bath towel along with a hand towel for that occasion. Also, if you don’t want to visit the market on your first day in a new state, pack some toilet paper for each bathroom.

Sleep Tight, Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite

First night in your new home, you will be exhausted – it’s a fact. After your relaxing bath, it would be time for sleep. Learn how to pack blankets and pillows for relocation and prepare a separate bag with some clean sheets and pillows for each sleeping bed. In the end, you’ll be able to enjoy your well-deserved rest.

Kitchen Utensils – What Is Truly a Necessity?

When boxing up your kitchen utensils, have in mind that some of them you should put in a particular place – a plate and a mug for every family member, as well as cutlery. You won’t use them if you don’t cook, though, so be sure to pack one pot and one pan as your essential cooking utensils. That way, you will be able to find them quickly, and you won’t starve or damage your furniture or carpet.

If you want to know what else could be an essential item for your first days in a new house, be sure to watch the following video.

Books, Games, Magazines – Moving Essentials or Just Entertainment?

When it comes to entertainment items, we strongly suggest you have them near you during the travel and the first day or two in your home. Whether that is something that serves the whole family or something which you can quietly enjoy, don’t pack them with the rest of your belongings. The answer to why relocation is so stressful may lay right there: people often worry too much and don’t dedicate enough time to those things that could make them happy during the relocation.

a collection of books on a wooden surface
Your choice of entertainment could preserve your mind during relocation

What Should You Not Do When Moving?

Having relocation necessities by your side can significantly ease your move. Still, you must watch for other commonly made relocation mistakes so that your relocation can flow without some big bumps. A stress-free move is possible, but it demands a little bit more of your time and organization skills.

Overpacking Is Your Enemy When You Are Moving

Before you decide it is time for boxing up, go through all of your things – you will soon realize that you hoard a lot more stuff than you want or use. When you decide what not to pack, research how to make a successful garage sale or see where you can donate unwanted items. The same mistake can be made with boxing up your necessities – narrow them down to the ones you’ll genuinely use. Otherwise, you will pack more things than required, and they won’t really be necessities anymore.

Unmarked Boxes Will Give You a Headache

Remember to label everything – precise labeling can help you move more efficiently. It demands very little of your time, but it can save so much more during the unpacking process. If you mark all of your cartons properly, movers from a long-distance moving company will know exactly where to put each box, and you won’t physically challenge yourself. Labeling is vital when it comes to your essential boxes, too. In order to know where each one of your important things is, you should single out boxes with them and mark them appropriately.

Storage Spaces Must Go First

A common mistake people make is leaving their storage spaces like garages, attics, and basements for last. They are the most complex ones, and they contain objects you don’t use very often. It will be tempting to pack them all without looking, especially if you are relocating in a hurry. Some objects that can be considered as necessities (scissors, a pocket knife, a hammer, a nail, and alike) may be packed with the rest of your tools. That will result in them not being so easily accessible later on.

A garage with a car and many objects stored on shelves
Remember to box up your storage spaces first

Enjoy Your New Apartment – An Essential Task

What’s the point of planning, organizing, and stressing if you won’t enjoy your new home? When you go in for the first time after your relocation, don’t get to work at that exact moment. Instead, breathe the air, relax a little bit and try not to think about everything you should do. Having your moving-out essentials near will help you to become calm and at peace – everything you will need in the next couple of days will be by your side, ready to use.

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