There are three most important things that determine your relocation. First one is to make a good plan and to do it on time. Second is to find reliable movers specialized for your area, such as Washington Heights movers. And the last, but not the least thing is to pack well. And I don’t mean just get quality packing supplies or hire the best packers in NYC. You also need to pack logically, in order to unpack easily. And most noteworthy, you need to be prepared for the first night at your new place. You will be exhausted and you will just want to crash as soon as possible. And for that, you need your essentials box!
What is the essentials box?
As its name says, it is a small luggage with your most essential things. Keep in mind that when a moving day is over, you won’t have any energy left for unpacking. In fact, you will probably not be fully unpacked until a few weeks later. It will be a long day, and you will just want to take a shower and go to bad (if there is a bad). And in order to do so, you don’t want to go through your boxes to find a toothbrush, shower gel, pajamas, etc. You will want to have all these essentials together, in your essentials box. This way, you will be able to relax at least until the next morning, when you will start unpacking. Probably.
What are my essentials?
Yes, coping with the stress of packing your home is enough, imagine if you had to do the unpacking right away. That’s why the essentials box should include everything you may need during the moving day, first night at your new home and morning after. Obviously, essentials can vary from person to person. So, you need to try to figure out what would be yours. It sounds silly but sometimes we are not aware of all the things we use daily until we are out of them. So here’s an idea. This is something I do before moving or going on vacation. I take a notebook and write down everything I use that day. And this includes everything, it’s like keeping a diary for a single day. It is very important to have a notebook on you all the time to remind you to write down every item, product or device you use. Once I’m done, I have a list of my essentials.
The things everyone needs
In order to help you out make a list of your essentials, we have made a little research. And apparently, there are some things that are commonly essentials to everyone:
- Pajamas and clothes for tomorrow
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Prescription medicines, if any
- Toiletries, such as shower gel, shampoo, hand soap, toilet paper and towels
- Book or books, if you like reading before the bedtime
- Your laptop, iPad, Kindle, etc
- Phone
Family essentials
As you can imagine, when you have a family, everything goes bigger. So, if you want to pack an essentials box for the entire family, the list will be a bit longer. Especially if you have kids, you need to be prepared for all sorts of situations. The whole relocation will be a bit messier and the best thing you can do in order to remain calm is to expect the unexpected. Oh, and if you are moving long distance, better prepare a family for interstate move properly. You will need a big box, then. Here are a few basic things to pack for the family essential box:
- Toilet paper, lots of it!
- Dish soap and dishtowel
- It’s highness -all-purpose cleaner
- Coffee maker and coffee or tea
- Some easy food item for one dinner and lunch, although you will probably order in
- Small jar of jam or peanut butter or both always comes handy, as well as some toast
- Snacks, again, lots of them!
- Water and juice
- Pet food and dishes, if you have a furry companion
- Paper cup, plates, and cutlery
- All-purpose cutting knife is always a good idea
- Scissors or craft knife for opening boxes
- Small emergency kit, for just in case
- Shampoo, shower gel, hand soap, toothbrushes, paste, towels and maybe a shower curtain
- A change of clothing for tomorrow
- Some garbage bags
- Portable tool kit
- Most importantly, don’t forget important documents such as medical records, passports, leases, financial information, etc
And what would be a business essential box?
You are moving your business? Well, good for you! But it doesn’t need you won’t need an essential box. You will, but for an office! First, make sure you have good movers for the job. Better pick the ones that are specialized in business relocations, like office movers Manhattan are. Second, make a list of documents, devices, and items you will need for the first day at your new office space. You want to keep your business continuity, right? There are several things every office essentials box should have:
- Laptop or laptops
- Address book with all your client’s contacts
- Pens, scissors, and papers
- A phone and wi-fi router
- Coffee machine, tea or coffee
- All-purpose cleaner
Keep it simple
As its name says, it should be the essentials box, so don’t stuff it with unnecessary things. It should be as light as possible, so it can be on top of other moving boxes. Also, make sure to label it properly and inform your movers about its purpose. It needs to be packed last and easily accessible. So, make a list and keep it simple!
