A great set of Lifehacker tips for things you want when moving:
Labels. Whether you use a fancy pants labeler or marker on masking tape, label every single box, bag, and doodad in sight, especially cables for your computer and entertainment center. This may sound obvious, but right now my TV’s not hooked up because that rat’s nest of unidentified cables for the receiver, TV, media center, and gaming consoles is a mess. (I fared better with my computer desk, having labeled all my cables beforehand.) Also, at some point during the packing process I got lazy and stopped labeling boxes. DO NOT DO THIS. Now finding stuff in the new place is like a treasure hunt. (Except it’s not fun.)
Labeling cables is a must. Labeling boxes is a double-must. Last few times I moved house, I used big letters and a master sheet to go into detail on contents. Advantage: Easy to mark all sides of the box, easy to note missing boxes (and file a claim), easy to send someone looking for “Box A,” easy to write lots of detail on the roster than on the box, easy to hide potentially stealable stuff from those who would. Disadvantage: You’re hosed if you lose the list (PDA would help here).
For my office moves, I do a bit of marking of contents, but note most clearly boxes that can be opened last (if ever) vs. boxes that should be opened first things (cables, desk contents, current work). Same principle should apply for house moving.
Ziploc bags. Have tons of clear Ziplocs on hand, in all sizes. They’re perfect for wrangling little related bits and pieces, labeling and stowing away in boxes to easily find later.
Greatest invention since the microwave. I cannot agree with this too strongly.
Zip ties. This one might go without saying, but this weekend I thanked my lucky stars that I save every zip tie that ever came into the house. Twist-tying together cables easily is an absolute must for picking apart items on the other side of your move.
Zip ties or twist ties? Probably both.
Also, re moving, have a set of tools that stays with you (or is in the First Box Out). A multi-head screw driver, some nails, a hammer, a pry-bar, pliers, a tape measure, maybe a level. Multiples, if you can (to account for misplacing, or to let multiple people work). Ditto, for that matter, tape and stapler, paper, pens, and markers.
Sliders. We featured these Moving Sliders here on Lifehacker back in ’06, so I picked up a set this week and I’m glad I did. These little plastic disks are amazing for moving heavy furniture like bookshelves, desks, and filing cabinets without killing yourself.
Assuming you have a hard floor, yes. I’d recommend buying a dolly/hand truck from Home Depot for $30, too.
Protective plastic wrap These huge rolls of what looks like Saran Wrap (but for furniture) are used by pro movers to pad, protect, and contain big and small pieces. I wrapped tons of items in this stuff, and it comes off easy with no residue left behind. I recommend getting a very wide roll.
I’ve never used the stuff, but I can imagine it would be useful. Not as useful as Ziploc bags.
(Hey, that’s a trademark that’s turning into generic term, isn’t it. Right before our eyes …)
Many other tips in the comments.
Labelling cables clearly is a must. Color coding is helpful since most connections to electronic devices are color coded any more, find a pack of multi-colored high lighters and match the label color to the connection color.
I have seen some handy cable tags out there that are color coded with labels on them.
I know this from years of going back through all of the things My Step-father labelled…and if he was the only one to ever work with those items it would be fine.
But…
I found myself having to reconnect cables to items a couple of times and then having to write on the tag which port the cable goes to out of the three options of
Totally useful. And hey! I just so happen to be moving next week! I haven’t done some of the OCD labeling with color coding and spreadsheets, but all my boxes are labeled with the room they belong it, or at least where the biggest percentage of stuff in them, belongs in.
I stole some of my boxes from work, but I think the biggest percentage came from my sister’s wedding gifts! Thanks to Tiffany’s for super-duper moving boxes!
Heh.
Depending on the number of box, I’d still mark with a star something those that are the top priority to open.
Doyce is waggling his finger at you, even as you read this.
*avoids making an obvious joke about waggling body parts*
Most of the top priority stuff is either as yet unpacked, so I can still label things, or traveling with me by air. I foresee many leisurely days unpacking boxes, wondering just what I packed. Big fun.
Here’s one of the best pieces of advice I ever got about *after* the move: schedule a party of some sort within 90 days of your arrival. That gives you a very real incentive to get things into a semblance of order in a reasonable but finite amount of time (as opposed to living out of boxes indefinitely).
Of course, it’s not quite a full-scale move. Maybe you should set it at 60 days. 🙂