eight essential items i never pack on the moving truck
- May 21, 2024
- Military Life, Moving, Travel
lets get into moving . . .
when it comes to moving, i have absolutely learned packing strategies that are both fool proof, and those that are a swing and a miss. With over a decade of moves under my belt, my list of the eight essential household items that i never pack on the moving truck will make your next move a stress-free experience!
Moving is so much more than setting aside an overnight bag of clothes and toiletries, and that’s exactly what my insider tips will detail. from after the moving truck has left your driveway, to arriving at your new home, you and your family wont regret keeping each of these items within an arms reach.
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keep off the moving truck: BEDDING
first, i never put my bedding on the moving truck! This is such an easy set of items to overlook and send on the moving truck, but I promise you, it will be your biggest regret. Why? Because once you’ve dedicated more than half of your day unpacking and staging furniture in your new home, a solid night’s sleep in your own bed will be all you crave. I highly recommend having all your bedding supplies accessible since The motivation to search from box to box is surprisingly time consuming, and all the more frustrating. I store everything from the mattress pad to a fresh set of sheets in COMPRESSION STORAGE BAGS, which easily fits in any car’s trunk space.
{quick tip: stuff each compression bag with a fresh dryer sheet to keep things smelling extra clean upon unpacking}
No one likes to make their bed in general. Let alone after a long, long day of being on your feet from unpacking. Some bedding items to consider keeping off the moving truck include:
- air mattress + correctly sized air mattress sheets
- mattress pad/cover
- comforter + duvet
- throw blanket
- a set of clean sheets
- pillows + pillowcases + pillow protectors
keep off the moving truck: cash
next, I absolutely encourage tipping your movers, and Cash is king. yes, movers are paid a livable wage, and no expectation of tipping is required, but moving is a strenuous and labor intensive project. as someone who has made a career in the service industry, I truly value the act of tipping for services.
I have a minimum threshold of $25 per person, and a max of $50 per person. All varying due to the level of items they’ll be packing and the services their company offers. Tipping is again completely to your discretion, but I know each worker is so appreciative of you thinking of them when it’s extended.
additionally, we always serve our movers a full lunch, and make available protein filled snacks, electrolyte beverages, and cold bottled water throughout their entire work day. Most military families, ours included, generally only receive orders to move during the hot and humid summer months. thus, Making our movers workload a bit more challenging. cash tips and a healthy supply of food & beverages tends to always make their work a little more rewarding.
Quick tip: the people who pack up your old home will NOT, I repeat they will NOT, be the same individuals who unpack your new home. So be sure to have cash for each individual on the front end, and each individual on the backend.
keep off the moving truck: paper goods
Story time: It’s 2010. Adele is Rolling in the Deep all over the radio, and fiber is the current diet trend sweeping the nation. You decide that a real balanced breakfast is for the weak, so instead you opt to eat (2) Fiber bars on your way from your hotel to your new apartment. Then a couple hours into unpacking, those bars have already made their way thru your digestive track and you need a bathroom immediately. But the (1) bathroom in your new place has zero toilet paper stocked from the previous tenant, and the thought of making a trip to the grocery store beforehand, didn’t even cross your mind. Well, you can use your imagination from here…
All that to say, keep those paper goods close. Toilet paper to stock each of your new bathrooms upon arrival; Paper towels to clean up those every day messes; Disposable plates, bowls, and cutlery for easy meal clean ups. I use cottonelle toilet paper, and BOUNTY paper towels. Both are highly reliable brands, and always worth the price point. For the disposable items, I recommend making your way to Dollar Tree where you’ll get the most bang for your buck when it comes to these items. quick tip: you’re gonna want some hand soap to pair with that toilet paper too ; )
keep off the moving truck: MORE THAN YOUR EVERY DAY TOILETRIES
Next, it’s so surprise you’ve already thought to put aside your every day toiletry essentials. But what about those other sneaky little bathroom items that don’t typically make their way into your overnight bag? Don’t worry, I got you:
TOWELS
Bath towels, face clothes, dish towels, hand towels, and even beach towels (if necessary). These items will come very much in handy if you’ll still be living in your old home a day or two after the moving truck has gone, or even if you’ve settled into your new home before the moving truck has arrived.
anti-bacterial
rest stops are gross and unpredictable and you wont get the Buccee’s treatment everywhere you stop. Anti-bacterial in your car is a must.
body wipes
Again, we’re summer movers, and sometimes you need a little refresher during a day of long travel, or moving dirty boxes around.
first aid & medications
sometimes you just never know. new places equals new germs. so definitely set aside some meds that you wont want to be stuck without.
sunscreen & bug spray
you'll be going in and out of your homes for extended periods of time during your move. make sure to protect your skin in the process.
keep off the moving truck: the kitchen collective
moving on, since you likely already have each of the following kitchen items in your inventory, these are the top tools i recommend you keep off the moving truck:
- trash bags
- dish soap
- frying pan + spatula
- a cutting board + a sharp knife
- colander (kids need their mac & cheese)
- cooking oils + seasonings
- some dishes + utensils (in addition to the paper goods)
- wine key + bottle opener
- travel mugs + emotional support water bottles
- instapot
the value of the INSTAPOT cannot be ignored when it comes times for your next move. with an entire section of the food blogging world dedicated exclusively to INSTAPOT recipe ideas, the INSTAPOT is a mini kitchen on the go. definitely add to cart if you don’t already own one.
keep off the moving truck: cleaning supplies
Fun fact: professional movers cannot pack Any open liquids, especially those that are highly flammable. so any open or unused cleaning supplies will remain in your possession anyway.
yet, having your cleaning supplies on hand is a huge help when you first enter your new home. Whether you’re looking to dust ceiling fans, polish toilet bowls, or sanitize high traffic touch surfaces, its a nice to get ahead of any SMALL CLEANING PROJECTS BEFORE YOU START TO UNPACK. In addition to what’s already under your kitchen sink, definitely put aside:
keep off the moving truck: tools
I gotta credit this pick to the hubs. I’m not the handy one in the house, so this was an initial oversight on my part. a toolbox filled with all its basic essentials is a huge help. especially an electric screwdriver to assist with assembling and disassembling furniture. Other tools to keep off the moving truck include:
keep off the moving truck: life documents
finally, can you imagine the absolute horror of your moving company losing your identity?!?! Nooooo! mistakes happen. Don’t be that person who blindly puts that kind of faith in moving companies with such personal life identifiers.
Social security cards. Birth certificates. Marriage license. Will. Homeowner’s records. Tax returns. Financial statements. Passports. And any other piece of non-digitized paper that contains any of your personal identification information is to never ever, ever, end up on a moving truck.
We own multiple fireproof safes to keep such documents secure. this safe is durable, lightweight, and keeps organized valuables of all kinds. I can easily archive documents, store credit cards, and even pack away some sentimental and personal trinkets that I’ll always want to hold onto.
final thoughts . . .
conclusively, when it comes time to set aside your essential moving household goods, you have to ultimately keep in mind what will add the most value to your family’s moving experience. your list may differ from mine, but having these items on hand has made our moving experiences all the more seamless. i promise you too will feel the same the next time you find yourself living out of a suitcase.
CHEERS BABES!
jenna
MADAME PRESIDENT AT DEPARTMENT OF DEPENDENTS