20 Life Hacks That Will Make Moving Less Hellish

Use these moving hacks and save money on movers. Then buy your friends beer and pizza for volunteering their services.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

We've come upon the special season when grocery store managers see a spike in empty box requests and broken dressers and bed frames line the sidewalks—it's moving time. Leases are up and folks are packing up and planting themselves in new abodes. Though relocation can be an exciting experience, trying to figure out how to get all of the junk you've hoarded over months or years into a few boxes, out of your apartment and into a brand new place without breaking everything can be stressful, to say the least.

As if apartment hunting was difficult enough, now you to figure out all of the other shit. You need to make sure that your old apartment looks brand new when you leave because you're counting on getting that security deposit returned. How else are you supposed to pay first month's rent on the new crib? Your Tetris skills need to be on point in order to pack that moving truck as efficiently as possible. And you want your new apartment to feel like home immediately. These may sound like daunting tasks, but if you go into your move with a no-fail game plan, your experience won't be so painful.

Make sure you leave your old apartment in the same condition it was when you moved in, pack like a professional organizer, and settle in to your new spot swiftly with these 20 Life Hacks That Will Make Moving Less Hellish.

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Snap a photo of all of your hooked up electronics in your old apartment so that when you set things up in yor new place, you'll know where they go.

[via Reddit]

To prevent your containers with liquid from spilling during your move, remove the bottle cap, place plastic wrap on the lip of the bottle, then place the cap back on.

[via Real Simple]

Instead of wrapping plates in newspaper, place disposable foam plates in between them.

[via The Frugal Girls]

Fill in the nail holes in your old apartment with a bar of soap.

[via Budget Savvy Diva]

Don't mess up your fingernails when swapping out your keys. Use a staple remover to make the switch.

[via Tumblr]

Place rubber band around an open paint can to wipe your brush on and keep paint off of the sides of the can.

[via Twisted Sifter]

Ask your local liquor store for empty boxes or crates-most boxes have handles and are useful for transporting your heavier items

[via The Frugal Girls]

Put your drinking glasses in clean socks for extra padding during your move.

[via Reddit]

Use a Post-It note to catch dust when drilling a screw into a wall.

[via Life Hack]

If you need to hang something onto a wall with exact holes, make a photocopy of the item to use as a guide.

[via Tumblr]

If your furniture left behind carpet dents in your old apartment, get them out by placing ice cubes on the divots, let the ice melt, then lift the fibers up with a coin or spoon.

[via WordPress]

Use a folded piece of paper to organize screws when disassembling furniture.

[via Life Hack]

If you have a old, dried up roll of masking or painter's tape, place it in the microwave for a few seconds and it will loosen up and be easy to use.

[via Blogspot]

In the unfortunate event that you break a glass object during your move, use slices of bread to pick up pieces of the broken glass.

[via Pinterest]

Use a clothespin to hold nail in place when hammering.

[via Twisted Sifter]

Leave clothes on hangers and place a bunch of items in a large garbage bag to making packing and unpacking quicker.

[via The Frugal Girls]

Cut off pencil rubber erasers and glue them onto the back of frames to add stability and to keep it from lying directly on the wall.

[via Real Simple]

Keep documents wrinkle-free and safe from any spills during moving by putting them in ziplock bags.

[via Twisted Sifter]

Use a piece a tape to measure distance between two holes when hanging a picture.

[via Tumblr]

Pack your tool box last, and take it off the moving truck first as you'll need to your tools handy for reassembly.

[via Tumblr]

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