How to Prepare a First Night Box of Moving Essentials

How to Prepare a First Night Box of Moving Essentials

When you move? There’s a lot up in the air — and as you’re packing away your things, you’re packing away everything you rely on for day-to-day life.

That’s a problem. Because when you get down to those last few days in the old place and the first day in the new, you’ll find everything from your morning routine to cooking up meals a whole lot harder. The solution? A first night box — or an essentials box.

What’s A First Night Box?

Your first night box is your contingency plan. With it, you can be confident that you’re prepared to get through that first night no matter what comes your way, no matter what you have the energy to do.

The idea is you stock it with the essentials and keep it apart from everything else. This way, when you’re hit with a surprise or emergency on moving day, you don’t have to worry about which box your toothbrush is in, where your towel is, or what you’re eating. Because it’s all just there.

What to Put In Your First Night Box

Here’s what you want to know: what should you put in this box?

Daily Essentials

You’ll want to throw in shampoo and conditioner, toilet paper, a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, floss, and anything else that would be a part of your nightly and morning routines.

Add in some clothing, and don’t forget to bring a towel!

Cleaning Supplies

You’ll probably be looking at a deep clean when you’ve got time to return to the old place, but it’ll save you time to have a few basic supplies to allow you to clean as you go (as well as take care of things in the new place). Make sure you’ve got some all-purpose cleaner, dish soap, wipes, paper towel, and a garbage bag.

Meal Supplies

Unless you’re planning to take the easy way out and order pizza, pack yourself some simple meal supplies. Have plates and utensils enough for everyone. And have some foods that don’t require refrigeration but can make a quick, easy meal, like instant noodles, pasta and sauce, rice, bread, canned meat or tuna. Plus, whatever you might need to cook them, such as a couple of pots and pans.

Pack a few snacks as well. And of course, you’ll want whatever you need to make some coffee ASAP.

(Got pets? Don’t forget about their food!)

Moving Tools

You’ll want a few more things. Having a pair of scissors or a knife will make opening all those boxes a lot easier. And if something goes wrong, the last thing you want to do is dig through everything to find the first aid kit: make sure that goes in your first night box.

If you’re reassembling furniture, ensure that you’ve also got easy access to whatever tools you need there, too. As you’re disassembling, just place anything you used in your first night box when you’re done with it.

Ready to Move?

Every move is different, and your first night box might reflect that. Take extra care to think about anything else you might need — especially if you’re moving somewhere that doesn’t have easy access to late night shopping!

A first night box is a vital part of taking the stress out of moving. But if you want to make your move even less stressful, move with professionals like Robust Move. We can help you out every step of the way, and get you moved in quickly and efficiently — without the risk.

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