Discover simple, actionable tips to stay organized, reduce stress, and make your move go as smoothly as possible.
Moving doesn't have to be chaos. After 10 years and over 1,500 moves across Central Ohio and beyond, we've seen what works, and what turns moving day into a disaster. Here's what we tell every customer before their move.
Most people underestimate how long packing takes. A three-bedroom house? That's not a weekend project, it's two to three weeks of steady work if you're doing it yourself. Start at least a month out. Begin with the rooms and items you use least: guest bedrooms, storage closets, seasonal decorations, that box of books you haven't touched since the last move.
The last thing you want is to be throwing things into garbage bags at midnight before moving day. We've seen it happen. It doesn't end well.
Here's a question we ask customers all the time: Do you really want to pay to move that? Every item you pack, load, transport, and unload costs time and money. That treadmill collecting dust in the basement? The furniture you've been meaning to replace? Now's the time.
Go room by room with three categories: keep, donate, trash. Be ruthless. If you haven't used it in a year and it doesn't have sentimental value, it probably doesn't need to come with you. Bonus: less stuff means a faster move and a lower bill.
"Kitchen" on a box isn't enough. "Kitchen - pots and pans - cabinet left of stove" tells us exactly where it goes and helps you unpack without opening every box. Use a color-coding system: blue tape for bedrooms, red for kitchen, green for living room. Write on multiple sides of each box so labels are visible no matter how they're stacked.
Pro tip: Keep a master inventory list on your phone. Number each box and note what's inside. When you're looking for the coffee maker on day one in your new place, you'll thank yourself.
This is the box you don't let out of your sight. It goes in your car, not the truck. Inside: toilet paper, paper towels, basic toiletries, phone chargers, a change of clothes, medications, snacks, and whatever you need to sleep that first night—sheets, pillows, maybe a blanket. If you have kids, include their essentials and a few comfort items.
The last thing you want after a long moving day is to dig through 47 boxes looking for your toothbrush.
Before you unplug that entertainment center or home office, grab your phone and take photos of every cable connection. The back of your TV, your router setup, your computer workstation, all of it. Label cables with masking tape if you want to be extra thorough.
This takes five minutes and saves hours of frustration trying to remember which HDMI went where. Trust us on this one.
We get it, boxes and tape add up. But here's the thing: a $3 box is a lot cheaper than replacing a broken heirloom. Use proper moving boxes, not random boxes from the grocery store that weren't designed to stack or bear weight. Wrap fragile items individually. Use packing paper, not newspaper (the ink transfers). Fill empty space in boxes so contents don't shift.
If you're working with us, we bring professional packing materials on every move. But if you're packing yourself, don't cut corners here.
Your change-of-address list is longer than you think. Start with the obvious: post office, bank, employer, insurance companies, doctors. Then hit the ones people forget: subscriptions, voter registration, vehicle registration, your kids' schools, the pharmacy, anywhere that auto-ships to your address.
Set up mail forwarding through USPS at least two weeks before your move. It's not perfect, but it catches what you miss.
If possible, get into your new home before the truck arrives. Clean it, check that utilities are connected, make sure the fridge is running and cold. Walk through and decide where furniture will go, mark rooms with signs if it helps the crew place things correctly the first time.
Measure doorways and staircases. That sectional sofa that fit perfectly in your old living room? Make sure it'll actually make it through the new front door. We've had to get creative more than once.
Important documents, jewelry, family photos, laptops, external hard drives, anything irreplaceable, these don't go on the truck. They go in your car, where you control them the entire time. It's not about trust; it's about eliminating any chance of loss or damage to things that can't be replaced.
Same goes for medications, especially anything temperature-sensitive or controlled. Keep those with you.
This might sound self-serving, but it's the most important tip on this list. A bad moving company can turn a stressful day into a nightmare, crews that arrive late (or not at all), hidden fees that double your quote, damaged furniture with no accountability.
Do your homework. Read reviews. Ask for a detailed, written quote. Confirm insurance and licensing. Ask what happens if something gets damaged. A reputable company will answer these questions directly, not dodge them.
We've built our reputation on three things: we show up on time, we quote honestly, and we treat your belongings like they matter, because to you, they do.
Whether you're moving across Westerville or across the country, Silver Bullets Moving is here to make it smooth. Our crews are trained, our pricing is transparent, and we show up when we say we will.
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Silver Bullets Moving serves Columbus, Westerville, Worthington, Powell, Gahanna, Grove City, Lancaster, Circleville, and all of Central Ohio. We also provide long-distance moving services for Ohio-based clients relocating anywhere in the United States.
