Moving & Packing Tips

Moving tips & tricks from experienced moving experts

According to industry experts, August is the busiest moving month in the nation. Whether you’re planning on buying a new home this summer or in the coming weeks, now is the best time to prepare for it. That is, if you want to reduce your stress and make your move less complicated. With that in mind, our moving pros have put together a few moving tips and tricks we think will help you when the big day arrives.

Protect the floors

It might seem an odd tip to start with but the condition of floors is often not even a consideration when moving – it should be though. On moving day, the chances of damaging floors and carpeting is not slim. If you’re moving out of a rental and leave behind damage, you run the risk of not getting your deposit back. Or, if you’re not careful when moving into your new digs, you could end up with repair costs- not exactly the first thing you want to spend money on in the new place. So, how do you protect floors and carpets from being damaged during a move?

• Do not drag furniture
• Use furniture sliders and a rubber-wheel dolly
• Cover furniture and heavy items with furniture blankets to blunt the impact of objects falling on the floor by accident
• Lay down cardboard to protect floors

Be ready to problem solve

Moving day presents a lot of obstacles – a lot of them you might not account for. For example, how do you move your big couch through the small door? In a situation like this, it may never have occurred to you that your new home’s doors are smaller than the old ones. To help you keep moving despite the curveballs that might come your way, be ready to problem solve. Have a measuring tape on hand, be ready to text for reinforcements, and utilize other problem-solving methods that have served you well in the past.

Purge before you move

Why bother packing almost-empty lotions, rolled up tubes of toothpaste, expired medicine, broken furniture, clothing you’re never going to wear again, old paint in the garage, and other items that would be better suited for the trash? Rather than take the time to pack up items you won’t use at the new house or that you can easily buy after you move in, get rid of them before you move. Not only will it save you time unpacking, the act of de-cluttering can be quite freeing!

Shave time off packing

Packing is probably one of the most dreaded parts of moving but make it easier by leaving clothes on hangers, leaving clothing in dressers, and color code/label boxes. Of course, for the easiest packing solution, consider using a packing service to do the job for you!

Snap pics of your electronics

If you hate wires and setting up electronics even a little, we highly recommend taking pictures of the back of your TVs, computers, and other electronics. By taking a moment for this task, you can remove the guess work when you start re-assembling equipment on the other end.

Hire local moving pros to take care of the heavy-lifting for you!

Locally owned and family operated since 2003, Changing Spaces Moving provides full-service moving and packing services for the Greater Birmingham and Huntsville metros. If you’re looking for reliable movers that offer competitive pricing and five-star service, make the easiest decision of your move and request a moving estimate today!

It won’t be long before April 18^th arrives and with it the deadline to file your taxes. That’s right friends, we’re in the middle of the 2022 tax season! While this time of year is looked forward to by many, for others there’s less excitement and more anxiousness and frustration. If you’ve found yourself in the latter group and are wondering if you can deduct your moving expenses related to a 2021 relocation on your Alabama and federal tax return, we have the answer.

Before we dive in with an answer, we’d like to emphasize we are not tax experts and you should ALWAYS defer to your accountant or tax professional. Now, getting back to the answer that you’re probably do not want to hear or are going to like. As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that went into effect on January 1, 2018, the exclusion/deduction for qualified moving expenses has been suspended until 2026. That means you cannot deduct any expenses associated with a move you made last year.

There may be a caveat for active members of the Armed Forces on active duty and, due to a military order, moved because of a permanent change of station.

What about the moving allowances paid by businesses?

If your company provided you with an allowance for moving expenses, the amount will be included on your W-2 as they are not tax-free monies. There are some situations where employers issue funds prior to the employee’s start date and as a result, taxes are not taken at all.  Make sure you understand how you received your moving allowance and whether or not taxes were taken.

Have other tax-related questions?

As we mentioned above, we are not tax pros and this blog post should not be considered expert advice. Instead, we encourage you to reach out your trusted tax advisor. You can also check out these tax tips from the IRS.

We’re not tax pros but we can help you with your next move

At Changing Spaces Moving, we are a locally owned and family-operated moving company operating in the Greater Birmingham and Huntsville metros. If you’re looking for dependable movers that offer competitive pricing and five-star service, make the easiest decision of your move and book with us!

When it comes to moving, a lot of people consider renting a moving truck and recruiting friends and family to help out. While this type of move may save you money (minus the cost of pizza, snacks, and drinks for your helpers), that does not necessarily mean it’s the best choice. Let’s look at the pros and cons of renting a moving truck and undertaking a DIY move or hiring a moving company.

The pros of a DIY move

Obviously, moving yourself is a more affordable option then hiring a full-service moving company but besides it being cheaper, what are the benefits of DIY moving?

• You control your entire move
• You select the packing materials
• You pick the people moving your belongings

Buy packing supplies from Changing Spaces Moving

The cons of renting a moving truck and moving yourself

• You schedule the truck
• You buy the moving and packing material
• You do most of the labor including the heavy lifting
• You are responsible for finding help and everything else associated with the move

The pros of hiring a full-service moving company

Hiring full-service movers may be more expensive but it does have its advantages.

• Moving companies will shoulder much of the responsibility of the move
• Movers do the driving, whether its local or long-distance
• Drivers and loaders are experienced in handling belongings and utilizing all the space in a moving truck
• You can add on packing services

Cons of hiring professional movers

• More expensive to hire a team than just rent a truck
• Less flexibility regarding the moving date and time
• You run the risk of hiring a moving company that doesn’t perform the job well

So, which moving option do you choose

Choosing how to accomplish a move is a personal decision. Really, there’s no correct answer. Be sure to look at all aspects of the move including non-monetary costs before you choose an option. When it comes down to it, your needs, preferences, and of course, budget will determine which route you go.

Beware of moving companies with bad reviews

If you decide to enlist a moving company for your next move, be sure they are properly vetted before you commit. Asking friends, families, and co-workers for their personal recommendations should be your first step and once you’ve narrowed down the list, take some time to read company Google reviews. Red flags are reviews that include references to items breaking, not timely, additional charges, un-professional movers, poor customer service overall, etc.

Consider Changing Spaces Moving, for your next move

At Changing Spaces Moving, we are a locally owned and family-operated moving and packing company that specializes in local, intrastate and interstate moving. Serving Vestavia Hills, Chelsea, and all of the Greater Birmingham metro as well as Decatur and the Huntsville metro, our top-rated moving team is ready to help you with your upcoming move. We offer:

• Full-service moving services
• Packing options
• Short-term storage solutions

If you’re in the process of planning a move and would like to consider Changing Spaces Moving, please request a residential moving estimate online or by calling us.

Are you wondering if you know how to pack dishes properly so that you don’t have to buy a whole new set once you’ve moved into your new home? No matter how tempted you are to stack your dishes in a box and pack bubble wrap around them – that is the last thing you want to do. Well, that’s if you want your dishes to arrive at your new home in one piece. The thing about packing dishes is that it’s not necessarily difficult if you know how to do it properly.

Packing materials needed for packing dishes

In order to successfully move your dishes, you’ll need the correct packing materials on hand. Here’s what our professional, local moving company recommends:

• Small to medium heavy duty packing boxes (skip boxes reclaimed from the grocery store) and/or dish pack boxes
• Bubble wrap
• Tissue paper or another kind of packing paper (newspaper can leave ink on your dishes)
• Packing tape
• Sharpie marker

Buy packing supplies from Changing Spaces Moving

How to pack dishes for moving

Not that we’ve covered what you need to pack your dishes properly, let’s go over the proper steps:

• Assemble your moving boxes using packing tape along the seams to reinforce the boxes and to ensure they will not break.
• Line the inside of the moving boxes with bubble wrap.
• Wrap each individual dish in packing paper.
• Pack dinner plates, dessert plates, and other types of plates on their sides with bubble wrap between each plate. Repeat the process for bowls and other dishes. Do not pack dishes flat or stacked on top of each other.
• Fill any empty space in moving boxes with packing paper and/or bubble wrap.
• Do not overpack a box and do not let the weight of individual boxes exceed 40 pounds.
• Tape the top of each box well and use your marker to label the box. We recommend using the words “kitchen”, “dishes”, and “fragile” when labeling.
• If you’re moving your belongings, make sure you pack dish boxes on the ground and DO NOT place other boxes, especially heavy ones, on them.

Professional packing services is also an option

If you’re still worried about packing your dishes properly or simply don’t have enough hours in the day to make sure it’s done correctly, consider hiring professional packers for the job.

At Changing Spaces Moving, we provide full-service packing services in the Huntsville and Birmingham metros that are designed to take the stress out packing.  If you’re interested in a packing and/or moving quote in Madison, Homewood, or elsewhere in either of the metros we serve, please contact the local moving pros at Changing Spaces Moving Inc., today!

If you’re closing on a new home in the new year, congratulations! Now it’s time to get to work. Well, that is if you want to make your move as organized and as low stress as possible. With that in mind, here are a few of our top moving tips for 2022.

Use a moving checklist

Taking your planning one step farther, we suggest creating or using an established moving checklist to ensure you don’t forget ANYTHING during the move. Here at Changing Spaces Moving, we’ve created a moving checklist that starts seven weeks out. It is designed to help make the moving experience easier, more organized, and hopefully less stressful.

Book your mover

One of the first things to do on our moving checklist is research and contact moving companies in your area. It is important to find a mover you’re comfortable with as early as possible and to iron out the details before the big day arrives.

Purge before you move

Just as new year gives you the opportunity to wipe the slate clean so does decluttering before you move into a new home. In fact, when you purge your house of unwanted and unnecessary items before you move, you’ll have less to pack, less to transport, and less to put away. That means you’ll have more time to enjoy your new space.

Start packing early

If you’ve been through a move, you know how the stress levels go up as the moving date draws near. One way to avoid stress (and damaged items) is to start packing early. The more rushed or frazzled you become, the more likely you are to just toss items into a box, increasing the confusion at the new home and the likelihood of your items being damaged.

An alternative to packing yourself, is to use professional packing services. If this option sounds appealing, we recommend getting that scheduled as early as possible too. Be sure to ask your moving company if they offer this service.

Set up and cancel utilities

To ensure a smooth transition, you’ll want to complete the necessary change of address paperwork at the post office. You should also notify your bank, credit card company, and anyone business or person that will need to know of your move. You should also set up utilities at the new house and schedule disconnection on services at the old place.

Professional movers serving the Greater Birmingham and Huntsville metros

We hope your found our moving tips helpful! If you want to learn more about Changing Spaces Moving, and how our locally owned and family-operated moving company can help you transition into your new home in 2022? Contact us today to discuss your upcoming residential move or request a free moving estimate today! Serving Hoover, Madison, and communities throughout Greater Birmingham and Huntsville metros, we are ready to deliver careful, fast, and courteous service! 

Request A Free Moving Estimate Today!

Do you have an upcoming move?

Moving into a new home is exciting but if we’re being completely honest, it can be stressful. There are so many moving parts to a move (no pun intended) that it can feel overwhelming and all-consuming. At Changing Spaces Moving, we understand the time and effort that goes into packing for the move and that’s why we’re sharing a few of our tried-and-true packing tips.

11 packing tips every homeowner should know

Use moving boxes only

Boxes from the grocery store and storage containers come in all different sizes and do not stack or load well. It can take you or your moving company more time to load and unload. Pillows and other belongings packed in trash bags are likely to end up in the garbage by accident.

Boxes must close securely

We cannot emphasize this enough – DO NOT use boxes with open tops or plastic bags. Neither stack well in a moving truck and will likely spill. This will contribute to broken contents. Always secure boxes with three strips of tape on top and bottom.

Load books into small boxes (1.5 cu. ft.)

Remember these books of boxes must be carried. Don’t load more books into a box than an average adult should carry (40 to 50 pounds).

Utilize large and extra-large boxes for light-weight items

Pack bedspreads, pillows, lampshades, winter coats, and other light-weight articles in bigger moving boxes.

Use paper without ink

Items wrapped in newspaper and paper with ink may end up with ink stains as in rubs off easy.

Pack dishes appropriately

Always utilize dish packs for China and glassware. Plates should be placed in a vertical position in the box and packed tightly with paper (use three sheets of paper for fine China, two sheets for everyday plates). Avoid bubble wrap since it shrinks in the box and is the biggest source of broken items.

Box lamps separately

Lamps must be boxed. Pack individual lamps in their own boxes taking care to completely fill the box with paper leaving no room for the lamp to shift. Remove and pack the harp, bulb, and shade separately.

Empty dressers and desks drawers

While you can leave clothing and linens in dressers and drawers for the move, you must remove money, coins, valuables, rings, breakables – really anything that can spill or items that will fall from drawer to drawer when the furniture is titled up to go through doors.

Empty armoires

Most armoires are quite heavy so we recommend removing any and all contents prior to the move.

Transport file cabinets according to their type

Vertical file cabinets can be transported with their contents but lateral file cabinets should be emptied.

Pack electronics carefully and with the end in mind

Disconnect and label computers and other electronic equipment including wires, cables, and connections. Pack your computer and other electronic equipment in boxes.

Hiring a moving company?

If you’re planning on hiring a moving company (and we highly recommend this), make sure you check with them about your washer and dryer. Specifically, you’ll want to ask if they will unhook and reattach the appliances at the new location. Consider this also, it may be the time to change out those old rubber washer hoses to avoid future flooding. You should also verify that your dryer plug is the same in your new home as in your old. Otherwise, you may need to purchase one with the correct prongs.

Did you know that it is against federal law for your mover to transport firearms, explosives, compressed gas, flammables, aerosols, liquor, and cleaning fluid? Make sure you have a plan in place for these items.

Full-service packing & moving services in Greater Birmingham & Huntsville

For help making your move less stressful, consider hiring a moving company that offers packing and moving services. Here at Changing Spaces Moving, we’re here to help our customers make their moves easier and more carefree with full-service packing and moving services in the Birmingham, Huntsville and Madison as well as throughout the Greater Birmingham and Rocket City metros. With more than 18 years of industry experience, you can count on our locally owned and family-operated moving company!

Request A Free Moving Estimate Today!