When you’re making a local or long-distance move, it’s crucial to keep a few critical items with you on moving day. From personal necessities to “just in case” supplies, here’s our guide to packing the ultimate moving day essentials bag.
Personal Items
Whether you’re moving into your new place the same day or staying in a hotel or stopgap location, you’ll want to have some key personal items with you rather than packed away in boxes. These include:
- Changes of clothing
- Toiletries
- Medications
- Devices and chargers you use daily
You should consider how long it will be between the start of your move and your final move-in day, and pack your “go bag” accordingly. That way, you’ll have the essentials with you and won’t have to worry about running out of key items or finding them in a hurry on the other end.
Important Documents
While unlikely, moving boxes can be delayed, damaged, or even lost in transit. To avoid losing critical documents, keep them with you during your move.
While you can eventually replace most documents, doing so can take significant time, energy, and money. Being without them can also delay important events, travel, and purchases. Before you move, consider putting the following in your essentials bag:
- Social Security cards
- Birth, marriage, and/or divorce certificates
- Titles and registrations
- Passports
- Moving company contracts or agreements
- Deeds, leases, or other housing-related documents
You can, of course, include other documents or paperwork that you prefer to keep close by. Whatever you choose to bring, consider storing your documents in a waterproof holder (or even large sealable bags) and using folders or other document storage methods to keep them organized and neat.
Basic Tools and Cleaning Supplies
Ideally, when you arrive at your new home, it will be clean and ready for you to move in. In reality, however, it may need some cleaning or repairs before you start unpacking and arranging your furniture and belongings.
You can prepare for this possibility by packing some basic tools and cleaning supplies in your essentials bag. The following can prove invaluable as you prepare your new space and start unpacking:
- Hammer and nails
- Screwdriver and screws
- Pliers
- Wrench
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Disinfecting wipes
- Paper towels
- Trash bags
- Brush and dustpan
It’s also helpful to pack one or more small utility knives so that you can easily open taped-up boxes. This small tool can save you a lot of frustration when you arrive at your destination.
Miscellaneous Items
There are a few other essential items to bring with you during a move that don’t easily fit into a single category and may not automatically be on your mental list. For example, you might want to bring toilet paper with you in case there isn’t any left in the bathroom when you arrive. A first aid kit is never a bad idea, as you never know when you or someone else might experience a cut or minor injury.
It’s also helpful to keep a pen and a small pad of paper with you in case you need to jot down a note on the fly. While many of us keep notes on our phones these days, there’s always the chance of a technology glitch at the least convenient time.
Finally, pack enough clean linens and towels so that everyone in your household can easily wash up and settle into their beds at the end of your first day in your new home. Don’t assume that you’ll find those items among the various bags and boxes you packed. It’s surprising how hard it can be to find the one box you need when you first move in.
When you’re getting ready for a move in Burlington or the area, call Chase Moving and Storage for all your local and long-distance moving needs. We’re a family-owned company offering customized moving and storage services to help make your move as smooth and straightforward as possible. With over 100 years of experience facilitating successful moves of all types, we’re here to make your next move a success. Chase Moving and Storage—THE MOST TRUSTED MOVERS SINCE 1908.
