Moving Tips

When most people decide to relocate, they tend to focus on factors like selling their home, purchasing their new one, or choosing a moving company.

It’s also essential to know how many moving boxes you’ll need before you begin packing. But, not everyone knows how to calculate this.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know to answer how many boxes do I need for my household move?

So, How Many Moving Boxes Do I Need?

There are a few questions you’ll need to ask yourself to decide how many boxes you’ll need. 

How Long Have I Lived Here?

The longer you’ve lived in your current residence, the more likely you’ve acquired various possessions over time. Things like pots, pans, and books can quickly take up space.

How Many Square Feet Is My Home?

Larger homes often translate to more boxes since you’ll have more space to store more stuff.

So, if you live in a home with plenty of square footage, you’ll need to anticipate obtaining a sufficient number of moving boxes.

How Many People Are Moving With Me?

As previously mentioned, ‘more’ of something directly results in needing more boxes. Moving with your spouse is drastically different than moving with your spouse and children.

What Size Boxes Do I Need?

In general, you’ll want to have a similar number of small and medium boxes and about half as many large boxes. The typical sizes are as follows:

• Small: 1.5 cubic feet
• Medium: 1.5-3.0 cubic feet
• Large: 2.5-3.5 cubic feet

So, if you have ten small boxes, you’ll likely need ten medium boxes and five large boxes.

How to Calculate

While there are a handful of factors at play in determining how many of each you’ll need, the base number will typically depend on your home’s square footage.

• 25 boxes for a home between 400 and 700 sqft (10 small, 10 medium, 5 large)
• 40 boxes for a home between 700 and 1250 sqft (16 small, 16 medium, 8 large)
• 60 boxes for a home between 1250 and 1700 sqft (24 small, 24 medium, 12 large)
• 80+ boxes for a home over 1700 sqft (30+ small, 30+ medium, 20+ large)

From here, you’ll have to determine if you have additional things like collections or lots of momentos. These added items might require additional boxes.

More Packing Supplies

A smooth packing and moving process requires gathering the necessary supplies. Make sure you also have plenty of the following equipment on hand as you pack

• Unprinted Packing Paper
• Bubble Wrap
• Markers
• Labels
• Box Tape Dispenser
• Box Tape Refills
• Box Cutter

Be prepared and get your moving supplies ahead of time. That way, you can enjoy a safe, well-organized move.

Estimating Moving Boxes

Moving doesn’t have to be stressful.

With the above information, you’ll be well on your way to determining how many boxes you’ll need for your household move.Want to learn more about how to introduce yourself to your new community once you move? This article has plenty of useful info.

As a member of the military, you can expect to get moved around to where your country needs you. It means you and your family can see the world together and enjoy all kinds of different environments. That being said, the frequent relocations can be stressful and especially difficult for children if not executed properly. 

Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks you can employ to make the whole move go just a bit easier.  

1. Plan, Plan, Plan

It’s easy to underestimate how time-consuming and expensive moving across the country can be. Even if this is your second or third move as a family, it’s easy to forget and underestimate the challenge.

Proper planning and organization for a household move are essential. This planning should cover a wealth of areas. You need to plan financially and save up enough money leading up to the move to be comfortable. 

Don’t forget to factor the costs of gas, hotels, tolls when you think about driving cross country. Be realistic about your budget. Want to hire a moving company? Make sure you can fit their rate squarely into your budget.

This applies to logistics and arrangements, as well. Do you know what route your taking, where you’re staying along the way, and have you made reservations? Are your things organized so they can be easily unpacked when you arrive? You’ll want to get settled as soon as you can.

Planning can really take a lot of the stress and chaos out of the process.

2. Create A Moving Binder

As part of your planning and organization process, put together a moving binder. This can be a go-to place for all your moving needs. Within a binder, you can keep things like an itemized inventory, maps for your route, contracts with moving companies, and other such paperwork.

It’s best to split a moving binder up by tabs to keep it easy to navigate. You can include anything you find helpful in a binder, as it will become a one-stop reference point for all your moving needs.

If you want to stay on top of things, you can do two binders: one from your old house and one for your new one.

3. Reduce the Clutter

A fundamental way to make a move easier is to reduce the amount of stuff you’re moving so that there’s less that needs to be moved. 

Scale back your belongings as much as possible before the movers arrive. If you haven’t used an item in two years, there’s a good chance you don’t need it. For military families – whatever stayed in the boxes the last time you moved more than likely doesn’t have to make the trip to your next destination.

This is also an excellent time to eliminate things that are inexpensive and replaceable like shower curtains, toilet brushes, and throw rugs.

Kitchen items like spices, uneaten food, as well as products like cleaners or laundry detergent, should be discarded. Use up what you can before moving, then donate what’s left to a friend or neighbor.

4. Keep Important Items Separate

Military families often move long distances. To manage that, you probably will rely on a moving company to help you get from point A to point B.

During the moving process, your important personal documents will be inaccessible for a bit. Keep these documents close and secure during your move by keeping them with you. 

When you’re packing, sort through and gather important documents like birth certificates, passports, vehicle registration, insurance cards, medical records. Pack them separately and bring them with you in your own car. 

Also, pack an essentials box with things you will need your first night or two in your home. Include things like toilet paper, blankets, medicines, contact solution and so forth. This was you’ll know exactly where they are when you arrive. You’ll lose no time getting comfortable or having to worry during your first night.

 Military Relocating Tips 

While there’s a lot to love about the hustle of military life, the frequent moves can be a hassle. The above military relocating tips can help you get through these times with less stress.

Need help with your move? Reach out to us for a quote whenever you need it. 

If you’re relocating your family to another state, there’s no doubt you’ve been going over the logistics for months. From making plans with your moving company to ensuring your new home is ready, a long-distance move involves many steps.

To top it off, you have to make the trip. This may seem like the easiest part, but if you have kids, it can be a challenge.

Here are five tips for successful road trips with kids.

1. Schedule Breaks

It’s important to keep in mind that young children tire much quicker than adults. They can also become restless when having to sit for long periods.

Plan your route and make sure to schedule plenty of breaks so that everybody can stretch their legs. This might add a little time to your trip, but your kids will be much more comfortable.

2. Pack Plenty of Healthy Snacks

Your kids are bound to get hungry throughout the trip. However, this doesn’t mean you need to stop at fast-food restaurants.

Pack a cooler with snacks and drinks that are both convenient and healthy. Things like dried fruits, trail mix, and bottled water will come in handy.

You should also pack some sweet treats to reward your kids for good behavior. Include some for yourself too.

3. Keep Your Kids Entertained

Let’s face it; long road trips can get boring. It’s also harder for young kids to stay patient.

Bringing some entertainment along is the best way to help your children pass the time. The great thing is, there are countless options.

Digital games on a tablet will provide hours of entertainment. You could also teach your kids some classic road trip games like I spy or the license plate game. 

4. Be Ready for Messes

Kids tend to make messes during road trips. Spills are bound to happen, and the car will inevitably accumulate trash.

To make cleanup easier, keep some disposable wet wipes on hand. You should also bring a large zip lock bag for trash.

If you’re traveling with an infant, make sure you have a changing pad and plenty of extra clothes in your travel bag.

5. Stay Safe

During a road trip, the most important thing is the safety of your kids. You’ll need to bring some things along to assist you in the event of an emergency.

A travel first-aid kit is a must. You should also have medicine on hand. Bring along children’s Tylenol, medicine for stomach aches, and something for motion sickness.

It’s also a good idea to bring blankets for your kids, especially if you’re traveling during cold weather.

Make Road Trips with Kids as Easy as Possible  

Making a long-distance move with your family is an exciting time. All you have to do is conquer the road trip, and you can start your new life.

Use these tips for road trips with kids and make the most out of your adventure.

We provide professional moving services in the Tampa area. Contact us for help today.