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10 essential items people often forget to buy before moving day

These 10 items are guaranteed to make your moving day much easier, but many movers completely forget them until it's too late.

Benjy Wilson
·Contributing writer
A couple sits on a kitchen floor during packing up for moving day
A couple sits on a kitchen floor during packing up for moving day (HiveBoxx via Unsplash) (HiveBoxx via Unsplash)

With so much to prepare for before a move, it’s no wonder some moving essentials are often forgotten. Between finding a mover, scheduling a moving date, packing your family’s life into dozens of boxes, and setting up new utilities, among (many) other things, there’s a lot of stress to manage and even more to remember ... or potentially forget. This simple list will help ensure you’re fully prepared for the big move.

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Always handy in an emergency, a flashlight is also your best friend for searching under couches and cabinets, nooks, crannies and all the odd, small gaps in your home, so you don’t leave anything behind. Most modern smartphones have flashlights, but using your phone's torch is a sure way to drain your battery quickly, which is a no-no on moving day. Phone flashlights usually don't work as well as dedicated ones, which are more functional and quite affordable.

Lighting EVER

Save your phone's battery

Lighting EVER LED flashlight

With batteries included, having a flashlight on moving day is a bright idea (sorry).

$10 at Amazon

Moving is tiring, especially during the summer. Having a case of water bottles nearby is a must, especially after all your glasses are tightly packed and in the moving truck. Buying a case also means you can keep your professional movers hydrated, which they’ll surely appreciate.

Happy Belly

Stay hydrated

Happy Belly Purified Water (Pack of 24)

With all your glassware packed away, make sure you have something to drink during a busy moving day.

$14 at Amazon

If you think you have enough hangers, trust us, you're probably wrong. Spare hangers can be a game changer when packing wardrobe boxes, especially if you're moving a family. You can never have too many. Seriously.

Amazon Basics

Keep your clothes wrinkle-free

Amazon Basics, Non-Slip Suit Clothes Hangers, Pack of 30

Make sure you have enough hangers for clothes you can't stuff into boxes. 

$16 at Amazon

Preserving your phone battery on a lengthy day of moving is always wise. Having a notebook and pen on hand is the perfect way to keep your to-do list accessible, and if plans change, a good pad and pen are perfect for jotting down new information. Your notes app on your phone might work, too, but a physical pad left in a central location lets multiple people reference the day’s timeline and plans without sharing digital notes or documents.

Rediform

No charging or battery needed

Rediform National Steno Notebook with Brown Board Cover

Perfect for keeping the to-do list nearby where everyone can find it.

$4 at Amazon
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$4 at Staples$1 at 123Office.com

Moving is tough enough, but moving while sopping wet is much worse. Whether you’re overseeing mover logistics or heading back and forth between your home and the loading area, an umbrella protects you from rain. A small travel umbrella will fit comfortably in your pocket, making it perfect for moving day, rain or shine.

SIEPASA

Stay dry on a stressful day

SIEPASA Windproof Travel Compact Umbrella

You don't want to forget one of these when you need it most.

$10 at Amazon

Just in case, grab a first aid kit

Scrapes, bumps, and bruises are often inevitable on moving day. With so many large boxes and heavy pieces of furniture in transit, getting a cut or abrasion is highly probable. First aid kits are portable and affordable and they can prevent small injuries from derailing your big day. At a minimum, you should ensure your first aid kit has plenty of bandages, gauze, medical tape, and alcohol wipes.

First Aid Only

Stay safe with these essentials

First Aid Only 299 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Emergency Kit

All the kit you'll need to bandage any cuts and keep them clean.

$21 at Amazon

Whether you hire a professional cleaning service to do the brunt of your deep cleaning yourself, having a pair of rubber gloves can come in handy in many different situations, such as providing protection when cleaning up broken glass or disposing of garbage. .

Bamllum

For last-minute spills & breaks

Rubber Kitchen dishwashing gloves - 4 pairs

Rubber gloves are a must-have to help with spills and breaks that might happen during the move.

$10 at Amazon

Don't forget to have money on hand for the various services and sundries you’ll need to pay for on or before moving day. If you opt for professional cleaners or moving services, for example, paying them in cash can avoid additional surcharges for credit or debit card payments. Even a 3% transaction fee on your moving service could save you a tidy sum. Cash is often better for tips, too. Some banks have daily withdrawal limits of $300 to $500, so you may need to let your bank know ahead of time if you need a more considerable amount.

Alexander Grey via Unsplash

Avoid card fees

Cash

Remembering to hit up the ATM before moving day means you'll have enough cash to tip and pay service providers — and avoid service fees on card payments.

Search for ATMs at Visa ATM Finder

There will be plenty of work to be done when you arrive at your new home, so having somebody else clean up the old space can be well worth the cost. Giving your old home a professional clean can also maximize the amount of money you'll get back for any security deposit you may have paid. For a deep, move-out clean, services can range from $30 to $50 per hour, depending on where you live and the size of the home.

Anton via Unsplash

Give your old home a good scrub

Professional cleaning services

The best way to get your full security deposit back and pass any inspections. 

Request a quote at Local Cleaners

This is perhaps the cheapest expense on our list but it's also a must-have: Don’t forget to spend the $1.10 it costs to let the United States Postal Service (USPS) know where to forward your mail. With so many other addresses to update for bills, utilities and subscriptions, remembering to do this before you move is critical, because it can take up to two weeks for mail forwarding to kick in. Nobody wants to reach out to the new tenants at your old home and ask if they have your mail.

Joe Han via Unsplash

No letter left behind

Mail forwarding

The USPS will forward any mail sent to your old address to your new home for just little more than one dollar.

$1 at USPS

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