Moving In with Movers: Checklists, Room Signs, & Floor Plans

Moving can be incredibly stressful, whether it's a solo venture or with professional movers. The common denominator? The perpetual question of "where does this box go?" Organizing your boxes by room from the outset streamlines the process, making it less burdensome for everyone involved, especially those navigating heavy loads up and down stairs.

In preparation for our recent move, I scoured various resources seeking ways to simplify the process. While many provided some insights, none quite met my needs. However, they did spark ideas.

Floor Plan

Start with a floor plan of your new residence. While you may acquire one readily, creating your own is simple. I personally favor Lucidchart (accessible online for free), but there are numerous similar software and websites available.

The floor plan doesn't require precision; it just needs walls, stairs, and doors—though I got carried away and added more! (I removed the furniture I initially included; things got a bit too hectic!)

I then assigned each room a number and labeled its name on the floor plan.

This approach simplified moving day, especially with multiple bedrooms. Instead of giving complex directions like "upstairs, turn left, down the hall, second door on your left," we could simply say "Room 10"—much easier, right?

I printed each floor plan on its own page to prevent it from showing through the paper. Multiple copies ensured that both my husband and I, as well as the main mover, had one on moving day.

After finalizing the room names and numbering, I compiled a list of our large items and furniture destined for each room.

The list also featured a "do not pack" section to indicate items that remained with the house we were moving from.

Create room signs

Items Needed:

• Paper (a few sheets or download below)

• Marker

• Scotch tape

• List for reference

Instructions:

1. Take blank 8.5x11 paper and cut it in half for larger, visible signs.

2. Draw a number on each page.

3. Optionally, include the name of the room for easier identification.

4. Attach the signs to the respective rooms using Scotch tape.

You can download editable room signs here, customize them according to your needs, and print them out for your move!

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I posted the signs on the doorframes of each room. Additionally, I created signs for both walls at the stairs, indicating which room numbers were upstairs.

Moving Checklist

I'm a list enthusiast! They're my safety net against forgetfulness. I start with the essentials and build upon them as ideas pop into my head (I even updated this list twice while writing this post!).

You can download the "Bring with us" checklist for your move here.

What we did was clean the smallest bathroom at our old place and stored everything there until moving day. We shut the door and attached a "Do Not Pack" sign. It was a great way to keep everything separated! Afterward, we moved it all to our car, except for the cleaning items. The day after the move, we returned to clean the house to ensure we received our deposit back.

Moving In

1. Signs are posted on doorframes and walls - ✔️

2. Floor plan schematic available (even though you're the only one referencing it 😂) - ✔️

3. You're posted at the door where movers are entering with boxes - ✔️

4. Movers ask where to put the box, and you can reply!! - ✔️

Smoothest move to date! Movers even commented on the efficiency of the system, especially the room signs! Mind. Blown.

BUT...I still HATE moving!!