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Why An Essentials Box is a Must for Every Move

August 2, 2017

When it comes to your first night in your new apartment or home, you can pretty much assume you’re going to be without a lot of the essentials until you finish fully unpacking. So instead of renting a hotel room or sleeping in your clothes, here is our guide to assembling the essentials box or boxes that will work perfectly with your move.

Table of Contents

What You Need To Pack In Your Essentials Box

1. Overnight Essentials

If you’re moving by yourself or with a significant other or a family, you’ll want to make sure everyone involved in the move has an overnight box full of their essential items. One of the most common mistakes when it comes to essential boxes is to pack them first. In fact, you want to pack them last so that you can easily grab them early on and put them aside for later.

When it comes to organizing your essentials, think about what you’ll need and pack accordingly, grabbing a few cups and plates from the cupboard, towels from the laundry, and anything else you know you’ll want that first night.

2. The Swiss Army Knife of Moving Boxes

Some people like to pack two essentials boxes: one containing the home necessities mentioned above and another full of the type of tools and last-minute fixes that will undoubtedly arise during any move. For instance, is that tape ripping on your box of silverware and plates? Fear not because you’ve packed a roll of trusty packing tape to secure the corners and any other weak points.

A portable tool kit is always a good idea as is a flashlight, scissors, bottled beverages for when it gets hot, and even candles in case you have any issues with the electricity the first night. When it comes to moving into a new home, we’ve found that it’s best to leave nothing up to chance and to pack anything that can get you out of a potential jam. Believe us, your friends and family won’t be making fun of you when they’re borrowing those candles for themselves.

3. Pack Some Fun

The “essentials” name can be a bit misleading as sometimes the best essentials boxes contain plenty of non-essentials, especially if you’re moving with a family. For instance, packing some board games and a tablet or laptop with games on it is never a bad idea, especially since you can also watch movies on it downloaded before the move. And even if most of your family is plugged in, a few books are a great low-tech back-up in case those batteries die.

So when it comes to planning your next move, be sure to put some time aside to assemble your essentials box for your first night in your new home.