It’s no secret that when moving from one home to another, the move distance between the two homes will determine, to a large extent, how the entire move will be carried out.

In reality, there’s a substantial difference between preparing for a cross-country move where the final destination (the new home) may be hundreds or thousands of miles away AND getting ready for an in-town move where the new apartment or house can be just down the street or, in the worst case scenario, to another part within the same town or city.

Even though you’re moving only a short distance away, you should still expect to face and overcome a number of relocation challenges – difficulties that we are going to address here.

So, to be prepared for your upcoming in-town move in the best possible way, check out these top 10 tips for moving across town.

Prepare for your in-town move (Moving Checklist)

The much shorter move distance will be a huge bonus for you when moving across town. First of all, you will save a lot of money from the transportation costs compared to a cross-country move. And second of all, you should be able to finish the house move within several hours and certainly within the same day as opposed to days or even weeks when moving long distance.

Nevertheless, the success of your same-town move will still depend on how well you organize your time and how many essential moving tasks you’ll be able to tackle prior to Moving day itself.

And, of course, the best way to use your pre-move time efficiently is to follow a detailed moving checklist.

The good news is that it’s relatively easy to create a moving checklist and to use it as a guide throughout your preparation. You simply write down, either on a piece of paper or on your preferred electronic device, all the important tasks that you will need to take care of before the day of the move.

Make sure you prioritize those move-related jobs so that you can guarantee the completion of the most critical ones. To get good ideas about what a high-quality moving timeline should look like, take a peek at our moving checklist – interactive, printable and 100% free of charge.

Organize a DIY in-town move (Option 1)

Because of the fact that you’re only moving a short distance within a town or city, you should be well familiar with, it’ll make all the sense in the world to try to organize a self-move.

In fact, moving across town by yourself is a great opportunity to show your organizational skills and to prove to yourself that you are perfectly capable of overcoming a few move-related obstacles along the way with the purpose of saving money in the process.

Secure a moving vehicle. You’ll need to arrange for a moving vehicle in advance: either rent a truck from a local truck rental agency or borrow a pick-up truck or a freight van from a friend. If you don’t intend to move any large furniture pieces, you can try to transport some of the boxes and smaller household items with your own car.
Ask friends for help. Moving by yourself, be it even a short distance, is not something you should try to do entirely on your own. You’ll still need to lift, carry and load large boxes, big furniture pieces, or possibly some household appliances as well. Stay safe by securing the help of a few good friends during the day of the in-town move.

Hire cross-town movers (Option 2)

Needless to say, the easiest way to move across town is to leave everything to experienced local movers. Despite the fact that you’re moving within the same town or city, there are a number of factors that may get you to rethink your decision to pull off a DIY move.

Heavy furniture. If you’ve made up your mind to take with you some of your large and heavy furniture pieces, then it’s a good idea to hire professional movers for that task. Some of the bulkier furniture items will probably need to be disassembled properly and then packed correctly to survive the local move unscathed. Moreover, moving heavy furniture around poses real dangers for property damage and risks of personal injury if not done by experienced hands.

Special items. If you’re planning on moving some special items to the new in-town home – for example, a piano, a grandfather clock or antique furniture pieces, then you shouldn’t risk possible damage to some of your unique and even priceless possessions in a desperate attempt to save a few bucks.

No friendly assistance. Your friends may not be readily available and willing to rush to your rescue when you need them the most. Instead of getting angry with them, get experienced professionals who will finish the task much more safely and at least twice as fast.

Create an in-town moving budget

When moving across town, you may be quick to assume that moving without professional assistance will always be the cheaper option for you. That’s not necessarily true, of course, as things are never that straightforward when it comes to moving to a new home.

To make the best possible decision under your set of unique circumstances, it’s important to create a cross-town moving budget and see which home-moving option will be better for you in terms of money, time and safety.

How much does it cost to move across town?

DIY move. Make sure you factor in the cost of renting a moving truck, including the price you’ll pay for the vehicle insurance. Also, you’re going to need to rent the proper moving equipment (a furniture dolly, furniture sliders, moving straps, etc.) and purchase the required packing supplies to keep your things protected at all time.

Local movers. Don’t forget that local movers charge by the hour so TIME will be the major factor that will determine how much your cross-town move costs. Most additional moving services such as furniture disassembly and re-assembly, packing or unpacking are also charged on an hourly basis. You may or may not need to purchase extra insurance and you should, in most cases, be ready with some cash to tip your in-town movers.

Purge any unnecessary items

Whether you realize it or not, the short local move happens to be a great opportunity for you to declutter your home and purge any items that you have not used for a long time. Doing so will save you valuable packing time and energy, and will also enable you to save money – the fewer hours the local movers work on your move, the less they will charge you in the end.

Besides, what’s the point of moving items that you won’t need ever again? You may have never liked or needed those things in the first place. So, now it’s time to do something about it.

Inventory your home to see many items you have in total and how many of those items you can live comfortably without. Moving experts are unanimous that if you haven’t used something for over a year, then you don’t really need it. This is only a general rule, of course, but when you’re moving just across town, it can help you save a lot of money.

Consider selling or donating all the items that 1) you don’t want or need to move to the new in-town home, and 2) are still in good condition and would be a waste to just throw them away.

Get the right packing materials

Despite the very short distance of your move across town, you’re still going to need to protect your items in case you’ve decided to complete the home packing job on your own. Remember that you can save yourself the trouble of finding the appropriate packing supplies and then working days on end to pack up your things by requesting the packing service from top-rated local movers.

Safe packing is all about having the right type and amount of packing supplies.

The major packing materials you’re going to need are cardboard boxes of different sizes, clean packing paper as the first layer of protection and bubble wrap as the preferred protective material when packing extra-fragile household items such as kitchen dishes, glassware, delicate furniture elements and so on.

You’ll be glad to learn that one of the cheapest ways to move across town is to spend less money on packing. Do this by getting hold of free moving boxes – either from friends, colleagues, and neighbors, or from local businesses (grocery stores, bookstores, electronics stores, etc.) that have excessive amounts of cardboard containers and are required by law to recycle them properly.

Cut your packing expenses even further by using, whenever applicable, pieces of clothing instead of bubble wrap and plain newspaper as a filler instead of blank packing paper.

Pack for a move across town

Once you optimize the number of your household items and get the right type and amount of packing supplies, you’ll be ready to initiate the packing task in case you’ve weighed in your viable options and have concluded that not hiring professional packers will make more sense for you.

Here are the best packing tips for moving across town:

Begin packing as soon as your cross-town move becomes only a matter of time. In other words, don’t lose precious time by postponing for tomorrow what you have to do today.

Consider the cost-saving idea of using the same packing boxes multiple times. How? Since you’re only moving within the same town or city, you may choose to do several small-scale trips to the new home, thus emptying the filled boxes and using them again on your next relocation trip.

Pack your hanging clothes, still on their hangers, in clean trash bags straight from the dresser. This packing hack will save you A LOT of time and will lower the packing costs.

How to move furniture across town? First of all, move only the furniture items that you really like and have a special meaning to you – like antique furniture, for example.

Second of all, measure up the furniture pieces to make sure they will fit and match the new in-town home. And finally, disassemble partially the largest pieces to get them safely and easily to the new residence.

Transfer the utilities

There are so many things to do when moving across town that it’s easy for an important task to be forgotten in the whirlwind of activities surrounding the move. This is why, as recommended above, you just have to create and then stick to a moving checklist – the only proven method that will guarantee that no essential tasks are left behind.

Remember to transfer the home utilities to prevent unpleasant surprises at the end of the move.

One important job you may forget to take care of is to transfer your home utilities to the new residence. You surely don’t want to find the new house or apartment with no electricity and running water, as well as unheated – especially if you’re moving during the cold months of the year.

First, create a list of your home utilities – electricity, water and sewage, gas, cable TV, Internet, telephone, etc., and then go through it carefully to decide if you’re keeping all of the utility services or not. Then, contact your current utility providers in town and schedule the disconnection of the utilities in the place you’re leaving and their re-connection at the place you’re moving to.

Because you’re only moving to another part of the same town or city, you’ll only need to transfer the utilities to the new house or apartment, not change them. By keeping your current utility accounts, you won’t have to pay, at least in most cases, a cancellation fee or a connection fee.

Change your address
When planning a move across town, don’t forget to change your address with the USPS, preferably before the move has taken place so that you don’t lose any important pieces of mail during the prolonged move-out and move-in period. The thing is, even if you’re moving a few blocks down the same street, your postal address will change after the move is complete.

As a rule of thumb, you’re expected to change your address approximately 2 weeks before you move out. Thus said, you can still make a change of address (COA) request with the United States Postal Service (USPS) after you’ve moved to the new home.

Basically, you have 4 options to change your address when moving across town:

Change your address online. By far the easiest way to get this task out of the way. Simply head to the official Change of Address page of the USPS to do it fast and securely.

Change your address in person. Whenever you find some free time, visit the nearest local post office and fill out a PS Form 3575 form to initiate the procedure. To save time, download that form in advance (from here) and take it to the closest U.S. post office already filled out.

Change your address by phone. Just dial 1-800-ASK-USPS and follow the pre-recorded instructions.

Change your address by mail. Print out and fill in by hand the PS Form 3575, then mail the completed form with First Class postage to POSTMASTER, United States Postal Service.

Save BIG on your cross-town move

The best way to move across town? Hire affordable local movers.

Ultimately, your cross-town move will be about spending as little money on the local move as possible. And regardless of which relocation method you choose in the end – moving on your own or hiring cross-town movers, you’ll need to be extra careful with your moving expenses.

To really save hard-earned money when moving across town, here are the top 3 cost-saving tips you’ll do good to follow:

Hire affordable local movers. Request in-home estimates from 3-4 local moving companies, then compare the quotes carefully to choose the one that best fits your budget and your requirements.

Move only the things you need. Why should you pay to move things that you won’t ever need or use again? Purge your home of unwanted items and do consider selling some of them to earn some bonus cash.

Get free moving boxes. Don’t pay for something that you can get for free. Cardboard boxes will be your biggest expense when it comes to packing supplies, so getting them free of charge will definitely turn things in your favor when you’re moving across town.

10 Delicate Tips for Packing Fragile Items When Moving

There are too many fragile and delicate items in each home – from chinaware, glassware and other breakable kitchen items, through electronic devices, framed artwork, mirrors and lamps, all the way to musical instruments.

And when a house move creeps around the corner, the critical question of How to pack fragile items for moving takes center stage.

Packing fragile items for a move hides many risks for the easily-breakable things in question, and your mission is to identify those dangers and eliminate them through masterful packing skills.

Follow these 10 delicate tips for packing fragile items for moving:

1. INVENTORY your fragile items

Packing fragile items for moving will be a rather different packing experience than say, packing your clothes for a move. If you accidentally dropped a piece of clothing on the floor, it wouldn’t break. The worst thing that could happen to your clothes during a house move is to find some of them wrinkled when you start unpacking. And let’s face it – that’s something you can easily fix with an iron and bit of extra time.

The task of packing breakable items for moving can take a lot of time to finish and will require plenty of packing supplies to guarantee good results. In order to shorten the packing time and save on the packing expenses, you should inventory carefully all the fragile objects in your home – china dishes, glasses, electronic devices, picture frames, artwork pieces, musical instruments, and any other delicate items you own.

So, go through your fragile stuff and see if there are some items that won’t be worth the effort and cost of packing and moving. Don’t make packing any harder for yourself – if you haven’t used any easily breakable items in more than a year, then maybe you’d be better off selling them, gifting them or throwing them away.

How to make a home inventory when moving

2. Prepare the PACKING SUPPLIES

When it comes to packing breakables for a move, it should be clear that you’re going to need plenty of packing materials to get the job done well. The way you pack the fragile items in your home will be crucial for their survival throughout the house move, but what you pack those delicate items with will matter even more than you think.

First and foremost, you need to make sure that you’ve secured the right type of packing supplies for the job ahead:

Cardboard boxes. It’s best to purchase the boxes new. Still, you can also get your moving boxes for free as long as they are strong, clean and dry.

Packing paper. Soft wrapping paper will be the first line of defense for your breakable items, so make sure you’ve got enough of that useful packing material.

Bubble wrap. There’s no doubt the bubble wrap will be the best protective material for your delicate and easily breakable things. Get as much bubble wrap as you possibly can.

As you know, to pack fragile items when moving, you’re going to need sturdy and clean cardboard boxes to transport them safely. Inspect all cardboard containers for any structural damage, then tape their bottoms with tape as an extra safety measure.


WHERE to get free moving boxes: Complete checklist

3. Use PACKING PAPER as an initial protective layer

You shouldn’t estimate the protective power and versatility of packing paper. In reality, when used smartly, the ink-free newsprint paper you’ve purchased will serve as an excellent initial protection for all of your breakable items found in your home.

In addition to wrapping, the soft packing paper can also be used to create a shock-absorbing layer inside the boxes and to fill up any empty spaces inside those cardboard containers as well.

Tips for packing fragile items

When packing fragile items for a move, packing paper should always be your first line of defense.

PLACE some crumpled packing paper on the bottom of each box before filling it with fragile items. This way, you’ll get a good padding layer that will absorb potential vibrations or hits during the actual move. To save on your packing costs, you can also use plain newspapers for that too.

WRAP fragile items always in soft packing paper first, then use pieces of tape to secure the bundles. The wrapping paper will protect the delicate surfaces from scratching and will cushion any unfavorable forces incidentally directed at them during transit.

INSERT pieces of left-over packing paper into any remaining spaces inside the boxes to prevent the arranged fragile items from moving. Remember: any movements inside the cardboard containers may lead to damage to your breakables.

15 packing tips to help you pack like a pro

4. Apply BUBBLE WRAP to save your breakables

It’s fair to say that when packing fragile items for moving, it’ll be the bubble wrap that’ll do the most critical job of protecting your breakables.

There’s little doubt that the air-filled plastic film provides the best overall protection for your frail things. And it’s no secret either that you can never use enough bubble wrap to protect your valuables.

The thing is, sometimes it can be a bit confusing to determine when to use paper and when to use bubble wrap.

REMEMBER to use bubble wrap as the second layer of protection, over the initial one made of packing paper. Despite its excellent protective qualities, when placed directly over delicate surfaces, bubble wrap may leave nasty marks or it can cause some furniture finishes to “sweat” – that is, to trap moisture, which can damage some of the fragile items you’re moving.

WRAP super-delicate sections and elements with bubble wrap to keep them from getting damaged. Such extra vulnerable parts include the stems of your stemware glasses, glass figurines and segments made of glass such as doors, panels, shelves, etc.

USE small pieces of tape to secure the bubble-wrapped bundles and keep them from unwrapping by themselves.

5. Use proper LABELING as an extra safety measure

You may think that labeling all the boxes that contain fragile items is kind of unnecessary because you won’t forget where you packed what. But even if you do have a great memory, it’s not only about remembering which cardboard boxes have fragile items inside them. More often, it’s about warning all the people who will handle those containers to be more careful when lifting, carrying, loading and unloading your easily breakable possessions.

Use a red marker (a black marker is also ok but the red color is supposed to grab the attention) to write FRAGILE and HANDLE WITH CARE on 2 sides of each packing box. Additionally, indicate the contents of the box and its destination room as well to simplify the unpacking process.

One good example of proper labeling when packing fragile items is WINE GLASSES, KITCHEN, EXTRA FRAGILE.

6. How to pack DISHES and GLASSES for moving

Soon after you’ve initiated the home packing process, don’t be surprised to find out that your kitchen is one of the hardest rooms to sort and pack due to the overwhelming number of items – small and big – found in it.

However, it’s the kitchen plates and glasses that will really test your packing skills. All in all, there are several important things to keep in mind when packing china plates and crystal glasses for a move.

Make BUBBLE WRAP your most trusted assistant when packing fragile things.

USE dish boxes, whenever possible. Also known as dish packs, these cardboard boxes have thicker walls and provide a better protection for your breakable chinaware and glassware. If you only have standard cardboard boxes, make sure you re-tape their bottoms and use plenty of padding materials inside the containers.

SET UP your kitchen table as a packing station and place the big stack of packing paper in the center.

WRAP china plates in 2-3 pieces of packing paper as if wrapping a present. You can use paper plates between the breakables chinaware pieces for extra protection. Add bubble wrap on top for the more expensive or sentimentally valuable sets.

ARRANGE the packed kitchen plates sideways in the boxes.

FILL IN the glasses and cups with paper, then wrap each piece individually in wrapping paper. Secure all glass stems with pieces of bubble wrap for extra protection.
ARRANGE the wrapped-up glasses and cups in pre-cushioned packing boxes.

7. How to pack ELECTRONICS for moving

Most electronic devices in your home – computers, monitors, printers, scanners, audio systems, home theater systems, gaming consoles, etc. – will be rather fragile and as such, will be susceptible to damage during a house move. And, having decided to pack up your things on your own, your mission should be to pack your electronics safely.

BACK UP your digital data before packing up your electronic devices. Transfer the most important files to USB memory sticks, to an external hard drive or to an online storage service (cloud storage).

PREPARE the boxes in which you will pack your electronics. For best results, you should use the original boxes that your devices came in when you purchased them. However, if you don’t keep them, you can still get the job done by using standard cardboard boxes with the right size and sufficient padding.

TAKE PHOTOS of the way your electronic devices are wired up before disconnecting them. Label the cables properly, then use zip ties to organize them.

POSITION cardboard cut-out pieces over sensitive screens or other super-fragile areas.

WRAP your electronic devices with packing paper first, then use BUBBLE WRAP to protect their most delicate areas.

USE soft protective blankets (furniture blankets) to cover some of your electronics for increased safety on the road.

How to pack fragile electronics for moving

8. How to pack PICTURES and MIRRORS for moving

Speaking of how to pack fragile things in the home, the framed art pieces scattered throughout your house or apartment definitely fall into that category. You can’t just take your framed photos, paintings, and mirrors off the walls and throw them into a random box, totally unprotected, exposed and vulnerable.

To pack fragile art – that is, to protect the framed artwork pieces and mirrors in your home, follow these tips for packing very fragile items for moving.

PREPARE the right boxes to keep your framed photos and paintings protected during the move. If possible, purchase specialized picture moving boxes that are made of stronger and thicker cardboard. Also, picture boxes can be fitted snugly around framed items for extra protection.

USE a large table as a packing station. Alternatively, you can pack your framed pieces directly on the floor as well.

MAKE an X with a painter’s tape over the glass sections of your framed pictures, paintings, and mirrors. The X should be from corner to corner in a diagonal fashion and it should keep the glass pieces from going into the canvas or photo paper in case of breakage during the haul.

POSITION cardboard cut-outs over the breakable glass sections, roughly the size of the frame. This way, you’ll get an even better level of protection for your framed items.
PACK each framed item in large sheets of packing paper, then add bubble wrap as the final layer – especially for your more valuable artwork pieces.

ADD sufficient padding to each picture packing box to make sure your photos, paintings, and mirrors won’t move inside throughout the move.

9. How to pack LAMPS for moving

You may not realize it right away, but many of the lamps in your home – table lamps and floor lamps – also fall into the category of fragile and breakable items. And you may have already decided to move most of them, so now the question of How to pack lamps for a move becomes more pressing than ever.

Lamps are really fragile but what makes their packing even more challenging is their odd and irregular shape. So, to pack lamps and lampshades for moving:

How to pack fragile items when you move

It’s important that you label correctly all boxes that contain fragile items.

USE the original boxes your lamps came in. Chances are you won’t keep them, so just take regular cardboard boxes with the right size and 1) reinforce their bottom outside with tape, and 2) place crumpled paper or pieces of bubble wrap on the bottom inside that will serve as effective cushions.

DISASSEMBLE carefully your lamps. Depending on the exact model and design, you’ll need to figure out how to remove the lampshade, take out the harp (the U-shaped metal or plastic frame) and finally unscrew the light bulb. Sometimes, you may need to unscrew the socket in order to be able to take out the lampshade.

SECURE the cord of the lamp to keep things safe. You may choose to keep it organized by using a cable tie or you may simply coil it around the base of the lamp.

WRAP the lamp base, harp, and lampshade with a few sheets of packing paper, then cover it all up with bubble wrap for maximum protection.

TRANSFER the base of the lamp, its harp and its lampshade into a pre-padded cardboard box, then fill up any gaps with paper (newsprint is ok).

10. How to pack MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS when moving

If you own any musical instruments in your home, then you must know how valuable they are. As a result, the last thing you’d want is to get a musical instrument damaged due to improper packing, followed by incorrect handling.

PACK smaller musical instruments in hard cases and well-padded bags that have been designed specifically for them. If you don’t have a suitable instrument case, then it’s a good idea to purchase one from the nearest music shop. If that’s not possible, then use a strong cardboard box of the right size and then provide sufficient padding inside that cardboard container.

LEAVE larger musical instruments like a piano or a Hammond organ to the care of professional piano movers. Moving a piano on your own is a very risky endeavor due to the huge size and staggering weight of pianos, even the smaller upright ones. Add the (sentimental) value of a piano and the high risk of accidents – both personal injuries and property damage, and you’ll soon be convinced of the need to hire professionals to get the job safely and quickly.

MOVE your smaller instruments with you in your own vehicle, whenever possible.

Centurion Moving and Storage, LLC.
75 Design Drive
Kansas City, MO 64116
(816) 221-6683
Website: https://www.centurionmoving.com/residential-moving/local-movers
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