Whether you are packing up and planning to move across the state or to the other side of the country, it’s important to not forget your first-day necessities. With all the packing and craziness that comes along with the whole relocation process, it can be easy to forget a few small things that happen to make a big difference on moving day. After all, your toothbrush and phone chargers are the last things you want to be frantically searching for on a stressful move day. So, without further ado, here are the 10 easily overlooked items that we highly recommend bringing with you or purchasing when you get to your new digs. Good luck!Basic cleaning supplies
Basic cleaning supplies
You’re ready to move into your new dream home and the closets are spick-and-span and the floors are gleaming. Except, they aren’t. Chances are the home you are moving into hasn’t been cleaned in over 2 months since the day you put an offer in or signing the rental papers for. Even if the previous owners had the place cleaned before moving in, the home is going to have some dust bunnies hiding in the shadows. Remember you are moving all of your personal belongings in this home. It’s time to do a deep cleaning before placing items when it gets hard to clean behind furniture. You don’t want to learn the hard way. Here are some items to bring with you:
- Paper towels
- Multi-purpose cleaning spray or sanitizing wipes
- Small vacuum
- Rags and sponges for the dishes
- Dishwasher detergent
- Laundry detergent and softener
- Broom and dustpan
- Toilet bowl cleaner
Corkscrew
Once it’s all said and done, moving into a new place is an exciting experience and it’s fun to celebrate. You’re most likely going to celebrate with a glass of wine or champaign, so you’ll want to make sure you know where the corkscrew is located in the midst of all your things. Instead of packing this up in your sea of boxes, we suggest throwing it in your purse or personal bag on moving day.
Clothing hangers
When packing up your things, it’s easy to load up all of the clothing hangers in a clear, plastic bin. However, it’s frustrating to realize that you need them when arriving at your new home. After unpacking your kitchen and making your beds, put all of your hangers in various closets. This way, you can hang your clothes while unpacking boxes, and you won’t waste hours looking for your garments.
Batteries
One of the most overlooked items happens to be the most important when preparing for a move. Trust me, you’re going to need them. Whether it’s a TV control or a smoke detector that won’t stop beeping, not having batteries on-hand will drive you crazy the first few nights. If you’re not sure if the power is going to be on the first few nights, you’ll need some flashlights and a power bank to charge your items.
Toothbrush
Make sure you know exactly where your toothbrush is located. It’s easy to misplace it and it’s a necessity that you’ll need twice a day. In addition, a toiletry bag is a great asset if you don’t already have one. This way you can keep all of your small items in one place.
Toolkit
A toolkit is very important. If you decide to pack it with your belongings, make sure you’ve clearly labeled the box. The chances that you will need a toolkit the first day or week living in a new home is high. You’ll probably want to hang pictures on the wall and need to put bedding and office equipment back together. Here is what you should have in your toolkit before moving:
- Hammer
- Multiple-sized screwdrivers
- Measuring tape
- Pliers
- Utility knife (for opening boxes)
Fire Extinguisher
Safety is the first and most important item to have with you. If you plan to test out your kitchen by cooking dinner during the first week, you’re going to need a fire extinguisher on standby. Although you probably won’t use it, it’s critical to have just in case something does go down. Keeping an extinguisher in your kitchen will help you control any accidental small fires that could pop up after the move.
Toilet paper
We’ve all ran out of toilet paper before and it’s not a fun experience. You’d be surprised how many people forget to pack a few rolls of teepee in their moving bag. Save yourself the trip to the convenience store and pack enough toilet paper to get you through the first week in your new home. Everyone in the house – including the movers – will thank you later.
Chargers
Along with batteries, it’s important to not forget your electronic chargers. These could easily end up in a junk box or left behind at the former house or condo. Make sure you pack everyone’s phone charger or have a few spares in case someone loses theirs. WE find it easiest to pack important chargers into a large Ziploc bag so you don’t lose them in the first place. After all, no one wants to spend their first week in the new house with a dead phone.
Drinking water
Living in Phoenix or any city, you don’t want to be drinking out of tap water. Bring along a water filter or jugs of water, especially if you’re water supply is off for a day or two. Drinking water is crucial during moving because you will most likely be dehydrated from the long day. A good option is to set up water delivery with a local company so you don’t have to worry about it. White Water is a great water supplier that can deliver on-time and in your schedule. Be safe and think ahead.
If you’re not planning to bring these items with you on moving day, we recommend to carefully pack and label everything in easy-to-find boxes. Properly storing and labeling will save you the headaches later on. If you aren’t quite ready to move and need temporary storage, check out our available storage units. Try making a checklist with all of the items mentioned in this post and you’ll be all set to go! If you would like a really in-depth checklist, check out Updater’s Most Epic Moving Checklist.
