If you are going to be on the move this year or may even be helping some family or friends that is a wonderful thing. I think moving into a new area or getting the chance to help someone on the next stage of their life is a great boost. Sometimes people are moving all their possessions and sometimes it is not for a good reason. Having a helping hand and a should to lean on and help is something that I am always honored to be a part of. So if this is something you are going to be doing I want to go over my experience with it and maybe give some helping tips to you.
The first thing is to be positive! Moving is filled with stress and random things that can go wrong. Be in good spirits and even if you are not do your best to lift others up. It may be a harder time for them than you and it is always nice to have a positive person working on big tasks. Many people are very sad when they have to order shipping supplies to move all they own. It can be daunting or simply too emotional for some people to handle. So a calm, helping hand is a wonderful thing to have in this situation. Not everyone processes emotions the same way and sometimes the moving day is a crazy emotional day.
The next step I have learned is to buy some new moving boxes. If you are moving or even helping I have found that using old boxes causing injuries and breaks items. A New heavy-duty moving box is really a surprisingly nice thing to have and can be picked up rather cheap. I now go to my local shipping supplies store online and get a moving package for myself or any family and friends that are moving. It comes loaded with boxes, tape, and markers for all different occasions. I find that this really is a great way to help people out even if they don't think its a nice gift. In the end, they always appreciate the boxes and tape. Plus no one gets injured due to a flimsy box with too much weight in it shifting. Not nearly as many things get broken with good equipment and that helps spirits stay high!
Now I always say that you should attempt to find a trailer with a walk on-ramp. This is worth renting if you have a vehicle to move it. The ability to walk furniture and heavy items up a small ramp and not have it go in a truck is amazing. So much less damage happens usually and people seem to find it so much more simple to move with a trailer. My father in law taught me this and I have tried to make sure to have one on each move I have done since.
Now It is always good to bring extra supplies along and I have found that picking up a really thick packing tape is an amazing help for these moves. Most packing tape is rather thin and takes a few strips, but the thick stuff is available from specialty stores and it can save a lot of time and even money by getting the right product the first time. I hope these tips help!