Plan Ahead
- To organize a moving timeline, check out our moving checklist which breaks the process down into the months and weeks preceding moving day.
- Need child or pet care during the moving process? Counting on friends to help? Give all helpers plenty of advance notice and request time off work on your moving day.
- Notify utility companies, the post office, insurance companies, the bank, etc. about any address changes at least two weeks prior to moving.
Organize Before Moving
- Clean out and organize storage areas such as closets, the attic, and the basement as soon as you decide to move.
- When determining which things to keep, donate, sell, or throw away, organize by category instead of by room. For instance, go through every laundry hamper, dresser, closet, and suitcase and make a pile of all owned clothes before sorting .
- Moving is the best time to be particular about items to keep. To avoid future clutter, don’t take unneeded, forgotten and unused possessions.
- Have friends helping you move? Invite them over ahead of time to give first dibs on anything planned to sell or donate.
- A garage sale can lighten the load and put money in your pocket .
- Atlas cannot transport perishables. Limit grocery buying one to two weeks before moving day and start finishing off your perishable food items. If you still have non-perishables when you move, Atlas will donate it to Move for Hunger.
Packing Tips
For additional details on the most effective packing methods, from dishes to lawn equipment, check out the packing hacks in our complete packing guide.
- Pack the essentials needed for the first night in your new home separately in a clear plastic bin.
Toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, plastic utensils, snacks, coffee and coffee pot, bath towels, sheets, and cleaning supplies.
- Pack a personal overnight bag to take in the car.
Change of clothes, laptop, and toiletries.
- Bring personal and sentimental items in the car instead of having movers load them on the truck.
- Pack important documents like birth certificates, social security cards, and tax documents in a special box or briefcase.
- Check the full list of Atlas non-allowables to make additional moving arrangements ahead of time if needed.
- To save time and labor, pack items in place whenever possible. For instance, pull out a sock drawer and seal the contents inside with plastic wrap versus removing and packing them in a box.
- Utilize wardrobe boxes to safely pack clothing like coats and dresses without removing from hangers.
- Vacuum seal off-season clothes for easy storage upon arrival.
- Write and apply detailed room labels on boxes. Write labels on the side so they can be seen when boxes are stacked.
Kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, etc.
- To avoid losing small parts like screws and cords, place them inside plastic bags and secure them with tape to item in which they belong.
- Take photos to remember how electronic wires are connected.
- The safest way to pack electronics is in their original boxes.
- Pack dishes vertically in a box like records, instead of horizontally in stacks. They’ll be less likely to break.
- Use different colored tape to organize boxes by room at a glance.
- Never lose a box or look through multiple boxes labeled “kitchen” to find the pizza cutter again. Label each box with a number and create a list of the items inside the box.
- Avoid the struggle of an enormous box filled with hardcover cookbooks. Pack heavy items in small boxes.
- Prevent toiletries and other liquids from leaking by removing caps, placing plastic wrap or a plastic bag over the opening, and re-securing the cap over the plastic seal.
Day-of Moving Tips
- If moving into or out of a rental, take pictures of the empty house or apartment to avoid paying for damage you are not responsible for.
- How much do you tip a mover? While tipping professional movers is not required, it is customary to tip 5% of the total bill or $20 to each person. Another way to show appreciation is to provide water or other refreshments.
- Make the bed first so you can fall into it at the end of the long day.
- Place your boxes in the rooms in which the belong for easy unpacking.
Southwest Florida's Most Trusted Moving and Storage Company | J.W. Cole & Sons
Since 1986, J. W. Cole & Sons has earned a second to none reputation throughout Fort Myers and the surrounding cities. We ensure a smooth moving experience.
Call J. W. Cole & Sons at 239-694-3400 or connect with us online today to discover why we are Southwest Florida’s leader in moving and storage.
