Being a military child, and moving as frequently as I did, I have learned the do's and don't's of moving. Moving never seems stressful, till you move on your own. So I have compiled some essential tips, you will want to use on your next move.

UTILIZE EVERYTHING

What I mean by this, is if you are packing dishes, use your kitchen towels to wrap around your dishes. This helps, in spending less money on packing paper. Same goes for anywhere in the house, such as living room, use blankets and pillows, as packing cushion.

DO NOT BUY BOXES

Buying boxes, adds up, and during a move, you need to save all the money you can. Stores like Walmart or Target, will give you their boxes from shipment. I personally went to Walmart, during the late hours, when they work on shipments, and they will have the boxes out in the aisles, and you can just take them. So never spend another dollar on boxes, again! Or you can always look on apps such as, Facebook Marketplace, Next-door, 5miles. People will sometimes post free boxes, packing material, etc.

MOVE EVERYTHING YOU CAN ON YOUR OWN

From small boxes, to small furniture, move everything you can on your own. Save the movers for the big furniture, such as bed, dressers or nightstands. I pack everything, I possible can in my car, and move that personally. Now if you own a truck, even better! But if you are like me, and have a small car, I still utilize every inch of space in my car. Cutting down the hours your movers need, will cut down on your costs.

BE AWARE OF MOVING SCHEDULE

What I mean by this, is schedule your move at the right time, and date. Try not to move on a weekend or Friday, these are busy days. And based on your area, try to stay away from peak times. Such as lunch times, school zones, and after-work traffic. If you are paying for movers, you do not want to waste time on the road. Movers are charged by the hour, and you do not want money spent on time on the road.

PACK AN ESSENTIALS BAG

Trust me, after a move you are too tired to un-pack right away. So to avoid opening endless boxes to find clothes, shoes, or bathroom essentials, create an essentials bag. What to include, bathroom essentials, shower essentials, clothes for a couple of days, phone chords, etc. This your bag, so put whatever you think is essential.

Hope these tips, help you on your next move. For me personally, these tips have helped me tremendously, and I hope they help you too!