Moving a studio apartment might seem simple, but it comes with its own challenges, especially when you are dealing with a confined space, narrow hallways, and no room to sit.
Anyone who has moved a studio apartment knows that limited space means you have fewer things to pack but also less room to organize, stack, and store your items while you prepare.
But fret not– this difficult situation is not inevitable.
With some helpful apartment tips, proper planning, and a lot of decluttering, you might find moving a studio apartment seamless.
If you’re not sure how to get started, you can refer to this blog for key tips that will make your relocation process stress-free.
Steps To Take Before Packing Your Studio Apartment
1. Build a Clear Moving Plan
You need to create a clear moving plan before you start packing your studio apartment for the move.
If you don’t have a precise moving plan in hand, the only thing that could happen later would be a chaotic moving day where no one would have any idea of what’s packed and what’s not.
When creating a moving plan, consider the following things as priorities-
Create a Timeline
You need to create a realistic timeline and a moving budget before you plan to move your studio apartment. Ideally, you should start getting ready 6-8 weeks before the moving day.
Make a Moving Checklist
A moving checklist helps you keep up with what to pack and what to leave behind. This ensures that you don’t forget any belongings.
2. Declutter Your Apartment
There are plenty of studies that show us that clutter can stress you out and give you anxiety.
We understand that you are emotionally attached to your belongings, and that’s the reason you do not want to give up on that old dining table in your home, but one thing is for certain: if you haven’t used it in two years, there is no way you’ll use it in the future.
Take the time before moving to declutter (3 weeks before moving day) so that when you move to your new apartment, you’ll have all the things that you love instead of the junk that has been following you for years.
Below are a few tips that would help you declutter your studio apartment-
Get Rid of Worn-Out Items
Old and worn-out items will only create more mess in your new home. Consider discarding these items when planning to move.
Rusty Furniture
Old, rusty, and broken furniture would not fit in your new home’s interior and would just be like another junk item that you would want to get rid of before moving.
Unwanted Electronic Items
Discard old computers, laptops, mobile phones, printing machines, and other unwanted electronic items that occupy unnecessary space in your apartment.
Expired Stuff
Throw all the expired stuff, including skincare, makeup products, and medicines.
Donate Gently-Used Items
Donate gently used items that are no longer of use to you. It would be a great help to those who genuinely need that stuff.
Sell Items You No Longer Need
You have kept that old ironing machine for way too long; there is no way you’re going to use it now. It’s time that you sell it and make some money out of it. Sell it online on Facebook Marketplace.
Keep Your Stuff In Temporary Storage Units
Deciding what to keep and what not to can take time. If you aren’t sure about specific items, you can rent 24/7 climate-controlled storage units.
Renting a storage unit can be a great solution for the items that you don’t need immediately, but want to keep for the future.
3. Choose Moving Supplies Wisely
Packing smart is essential for a smooth moving process. In small spaces, clutter can build quickly, so staying organized from the start is crucial.
You need to invest in high-quality packing supplies, such as sturdy boxes, packing tape, moving blankets, and bubble wrap.
Gathering the moving supplies early on can save you a lot of time and energy.
Here is the list of supplies you’ll need when you pack a studio apartment.
- Moving Boxes
You need moving boxes of different sizes when you’re planning to move a studio apartment. Invest in high-quality, sturdy boxes to ensure your items are packed safely.
In large moving boxes, you can store bulky yet lightweight items like bedding or clothes. They are also used to store kitchen items, such as cookers and toasters.
In medium boxes, you can store pans, pots, and other essential kitchen items. They are also good at storing books, folded clothes, bags, and shoes.
Small moving boxes are good for storing jewelry, toiletries, cosmetics, mugs, and glassware.
- Packing Tape
You need to seal the boxes with strong and sturdy packing tape to ensure that all your items are secured and the boxes don’t open during transit.
- Bubble Wrap
You can pack all the valuables and fragile items in bubble wrap to prevent them from breaking. Secure these items by adding extra cushioning in the box and placing them vertically.
- Packing Paper
Wrap all the items in packing paper and fill any spaces in the boxes to prevent them from moving during transportation.
- Markers For Labeling
You can label the moving boxes with their contents inside, making it easier for you during unpacking.
Since it’s a studio apartment, put color-coded labels to identify what’s in each box. For instance, you can give different colours to each area, such as the bedroom and kitchen.
- Moving Dollies
Moving dollies can transport heavy appliances, boxes, and help you load them into the truck without straining your back.
4. Pack Room By Room
To make your packing process seamless, start early and pack room by room. You can pick up one area in your studio apartment and then start with the smallest room first, so that you don’t get tired and overwhelmed while starting with the biggest room.
This way, you’ll stay organised and create a proper room-by-room moving checklist to ensure all your items are packed securely.
Here are a few ways you can efficiently pack each room:
Living Room
You don’t have to spend too much time on packing the stuff from the living area, as it’s a studio apartment and the items would be limited.
When you’re packing the furniture, detach the legs of chairs, dining and centre tables, wrap them with bubble wrap, and cover them with a moving blanket so that they are safe during moving.
Remove the plugs from any electronic items, such as lamps, TVs, laptops, etc., and place them in moving boxes. Ensure they are well-cushioned with packing papers so they don’t break during transit.
Kitchen
Packing the kitchen is the most challenging part when it comes to moving a studio apartment. Pack the pots and pans into medium-sized boxes, ensuring there are no empty spaces left.
Wrap each fragile item in packing paper individually and place it vertically in moving boxes to minimize the risk of breakage.
A moving disaster that you definitely don’t want to experience is broken dishes. If you pack your plates vertically, then there will be less chance that you’ll break them in transit.
Knives are difficult to pack and can pose a danger to anyone handling them. You need to keep yourself safe by storing them in oven mittens.
Bedroom
Set aside the clothes you don’t need immediately. You can fold them and put them in moving boxes.
The other option would be to keep the clothes on the hangers rather than taking them off. Simply zip-tie the hangers together and cover with plastic. Later, you can hang them back up at your new home.
For the bed frame, you can disassemble it and put the smaller parts in bubble wrap, then store them in ziploc bags.
When you’re packing your cosmetics, be extra careful. Makeup is prone to breaking. Protect your powder by packing cotton balls in your compacts.
Keep your important documents handy, like your passport, driving license, social security number, bank papers, etc, and keep them in folders so that you don’t lose them in the last-minute rush of moving.
Bathroom
You can pack the toiletries and other skincare items in a separate box. Throw out the items that are expired or unused.
Pro Tip: Pack all the fragile items separately so that they aren’t damaged during transportation. Mark the boxes as “FRAGILE” to make the movers cautious when handling the boxes.
5. Figure Out The Problems That Can Arise
Moving a studio apartment may seem simple, but several issues can arise on the moving day. You’ll want to be prepared for that beforehand.
- No Space To Organize Boxes
With limited space, finding an area to organize the packed boxes can be a challenge. You can consider temporarily relocating the furniture to make more space on the floor.
Another option could be to pack room by room, ensuring there is no overcrowding of boxes.
- Moving Through Tight Spaces and Narrow Hallways
Maneuvering bulky furniture through narrow doorways is often a headache in studio apartments.
Measure all potential entry points and create a plan for disassembling and reassembling bulky items, such as beds, sofas, and entertainment centers.
- Parking Restrictions
If you’re moving from a studio apartment, consider the possibility of parking restrictions or limited loading zones that could create a hindrance on the moving day.
You need to obtain the proper permits, if necessary, and coordinate with your building management to ensure that no issues arise during the moving process.
- Disassembling/Reassembling Furniture
Handling this task on your own can be time-consuming and might leave you exhausted in the end, especially if you have larger, complex pieces.
Don’t hesitate to take the help of professional movers, who will make your moving process seamless without you having to lift a finger.
6. Hire Professional Movers
If you want to make your studio apartment move stress-free, hire a professional moving company; they are well-equipped to handle all the bulky furniture and can save you from all physical and mental stress.
If you try to handle all the heavy furniture yourself, then there will be a risk of injury, so it’s better to let the professional movers handle the difficult task.
There might be some items that you want to discard, but local movers know how to dispose of your junk in an environmentally friendly way, so sit back and plan the interior of your next home.
7. Get Moving Insurance
Moving insurance is an essential factor when you’re planning to move a studio apartment. It would protect your expensive belongings and valuables that might get broken during transit.
There will be times when you feel you have safely packed all your stuff, but by getting moving insurance, you will protect yourself and your belongings from any unforeseen circumstances that can occur at any time, including theft or accidents.
It is always better to pay a little extra rather than pay a hefty amount to repair the item. The regret and stress follow later. You can contact multiple moving companies to learn about their insurance coverage and know what’s included and what’s not.
8. Reserve Street Space For Parking
Before moving, reserve the parking spots in your building. You would need a permit to park the truck on the street.
It is also advisable to communicate with your neighbors ahead of the moving date to reserve an additional parking spot, so that when the movers arrive, they can move their cars without any issues.
Remember that the shorter the distance between your home and the moving truck, the easier it will be for movers to transport your items to the truck.
9. Protect Your Security Deposit
When moving out of your studio apartment, one of your primary concerns should be protecting your security deposit. This means that you need to ensure your apartment is left in good condition.
Weeks before you move, inspect the doors, walls, and flooring for any existing marks or dents. You can document these with pictures and written notes, so you can refer back to them when requesting your security deposit.
When you’re packing, you need to be mindful of protecting surfaces and walls from any kind of dents and holes. You can use floor runners, furniture sliders, and wall guards to prevent any damage.
Once everything is packed, deep clean the entire unit from top to bottom. You need to pay special attention to overlooked areas, such as cabinets, behind appliances, and bathroom fixtures.
10. Transfer Utilities
Carefully read the lease agreement for your new apartment to decide which utilities the tenant needs to pay and which are the responsibilities of the landlord.
Contact the utility companies as soon as you sign the new lease, and let them know your move-in date.
Ask them if you need to be on site for services like cable or internet installation. Your new apartment won’t be too comfortable without power or internet access, so it’s better not to let these issues be resolved as soon as possible.
11. Load Carefully In The Moving Truck
And you’ve almost reached your final step. After everything is packed, now is the time to load your belongings into the moving truck.
You can double-check to ensure everything is packed properly and that all your moving boxes are there.
While loading, place the heavy boxes at the bottom and then the lighter boxes on top. Use moving blankets and straps to ensure that the boxes don’t shift during transit.
Before closing the truck, ensure all your items are carefully secured.
Final Thoughts
We know that moving a studio may seem daunting, but if you follow these tips, your moving journey may be stress-free. Whether you opt for a DIY move or hire professional movers, ensure you plan 6-8 weeks in advance.
You need to plan strategically when moving a studio apartment. Instead of taking the burden of moving on your head, it is better to hire a professional moving company. They use premium-quality moving equipment and supplies.
Professional movers have the skills and knowledge to transport all your bulky furniture and specialty items, even in bad weather.
A successful move requires strategic planning and no procrastination. That’s the secret key!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Long Does It Take To Unpack An Apartment?
Unpacking after a move should realistically take anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on the size of your home and the number of belongings you have.
2. How long does it take to move apartments?
There are different timelines for moving an apartment. If you’re moving a studio or 1-bedroom apartment, it typically takes 2-3 days, including packing, loading, and transportation.
Similarly, if you are moving a 2-3 bedroom apartment, you can expect to spend around 4-6 days.
3. How long does it take to pack a studio apartment?
Packing a studio apartment usually takes 1-3 days if you plan a DIY move, but if you hire professional movers, they can reduce the packing time to a few hours.
You can also speed up the packing process by starting a few weeks early.
4. How to move furniture into a small apartment?
Moving furniture into a small apartment requires careful planning and a strategic approach.
You can start by disassembling furniture so that it is easier to transport and fit through doorways. Utilize moving dollies, furniture sliders, and moving straps to help you maneuver bulky furniture.
5. How many boxes are needed to move a studio apartment
To move a studio apartment, you’ll need around 14 small, 10 medium, and five large boxes. Additionally, you can also use specialized boxes, such as wardrobe boxes and banker boxes.
Banker boxes are used to secure your documents and paperwork. Be sure to tape the lids securely when packing.
