Make a plan
From the moment you know you will be moving, you should put together a plan of action. You will need to know when you can get the keys to your new home, as well as when you need to be out of your current home. If you have decided that you either can not afford or just do not want to hire a moving company in Tucson, you will need to start reaching out to friends and family to ask for help. You will also need to decide if you will be renting a moving truck, or if you will be asking your friends with trucks to help you move, and let them know that they will be responsible for moving some of the bigger items such as couches, dressers, hutches, appliances and such. If you are enlisting help from friends and family, remember that there are certain ways that you can compensate them, rather than just offering up beer and pizza. A nice thank you gift would be a gas gift card, at the very least. You should also let your friends or family members know your planned moving day as far in advance as possible so that they have enough time to prepare or fit it in their schedule.
Take inventory
Something that a local moving company in Tucson would do before they started packing anything, would be to take an inventory of all of the items in your home, and your strategy should be no different. In fact, if you do an inventory of your home, you can enter it into a spreadsheet and then as you pack, you can use a copy of the inventory sheet to write down what items are going into what box. If you are going to be moving boxes in several different vehicles at different times, an inventory sheet will be more important than ever, as you will be able to see if perhaps a box has gotten misplaced in a vehicle and be able to find out where it has disappeared to.
Gather supplies
Gathering supplies will be the next step to a successful self-move. You can either buy new boxes, or you can go around to grocery or retail stores and ask if they have any extra boxes from shipments they have received that they will otherwise be recycling. You will also want to gather packing tape, bubble wrap, and possibly even packing peanuts to protect your more delicate items. The other thing you will want is a big fat marker to clearly label your boxes so that there will be no confusion as to what room a particular box should end up in once you arrive.
Equipment
While you may think that you have friends and family that will be able to figure out how to move large items like refrigerators, washing machines, dryers or furniture, there is an easier way. All moving companies in Tucson, whether they be local or long distance will tell you that you need to have certain equipment to move bulky items. The first and most basic piece of equipment would be a utility dolly with a handle. With a utility dolly, you can stack three of four boxes and roll them both to and from the vehicles from which they will be transported. Then there is the appliance dolly, that is basically a square base with wheels so that you can help steer heavier items out, rather than steer and try to maintain a grip on large and extremely heavy items. Some other handy things to have around are furniture slides that you can use under the legs of chairs, sofas, and hutches to slide across soft surfaces such as rugs, or even outdoor surfaces such as concrete.
Adequate time
If you are moving in Tucson, Arizona, whether you are a local or moving here from somewhere across the United States, there is something you should know – it can be really, really hot here! That being said, you will want to be aware of weather conditions and plan accordingly. The best practice when it comes to moving in the heat is to move during the morning hours so as to avoid exposing yourself and loved ones to conditions that could cause heat stroke and exhaustion. You will want to be realistic in your expectations as to how much moving can actually be done in a day, and make peace with the fact that you may be moving over the course of a few days or weeks if you have enough time to allow for it. What you do not want to do is wait until the day before you HAVE to be out of your current residence and then everyone is forced to work in dangerous conditions. Plan for plenty of rest breaks, as people are more likely to overexert themselves in high temperatures.
