A move across the city might not sound as daunting as one across the country, but short-distance moves come with their own brand of chaos. With less pressure to “do it all at once,” people often underestimate how much effort is still required. Before you find yourself buried in a mountain of stuff just a few miles from where it started, let’s walk through some local move hacks that will save you time, stress, and your sanity. Check out these packing hacks for local relocations:
1. Pack Like You’re Going Far—Even If You’re Not
Short-distance moves often turn chaotic because people take shortcuts. Don’t.
Use reusable moving boxes like those from BananaBoxes.com to keep your items secure and stackable. They’re far more reliable than free cardboard from behind a grocery store, and they eliminate the need for endless tape and disposal hassles.
2. Wrap Furniture—Not Just What’s Inside It
Instead of unpacking drawers or shelves, wrap them with plastic stretch wrap. Items inside can stay put, and you save time repacking.
For fragile surfaces, use blankets, towels, or old comforters—not only is this eco-friendly, it keeps your moving costs down while reducing waste.
3. Use Your Own Car for Essentials and Fragile Items
Moving in Minneapolis? Odds are you’re not going far. Keep breakables, important documents, and “first night” items in your car, so they’re easy to find and won’t get crushed by that mystery box of canned soup.
4. Don’t Label. Color Code.
Labeling is fine—but color coding is faster. Tape a red note for “Kitchen,” green for “Bedroom,” etc. With Banana Boxes’ consistent sizing and shape, stacking and sorting becomes almost too easy.
5. Keep Clothes on Hangers
Bag ‘em with trash bags or garment bags—there’s no need to box up your wardrobe. For short-distance moves, you can easily hang them back up at the new place within hours.
6. Take Advantage of Multiple Trips
Here’s the beauty of a short-distance move: you don’t need to cram it all into one truckload. That said, use your reusable boxes smartly—return trips with empty boxes are still faster and easier than dealing with soggy cardboard that’s collapsed in the rain.
7. Create a Staging Zone
Use your garage, living room, or even the trunk of your car as a staging zone to pre-pack and sort items. Load boxes as they’re ready instead of waiting for a final “moving day” panic.
8. Skip the Disposables
No tape, no broken-down cardboard, no post-move cleanup pile. Banana Boxes provides reusable moving boxes that are sturdy, eco-friendly, and delivered right to your door. For local moves in Minneapolis, it’s the smartest box you’ll never throw away.
9. Treat it Like a Relay Race
Short-distance moves are a series of small sprints—not one exhausting marathon. Pace yourself over a weekend, or even a week, and use the flexibility to your advantage.
10. Reclaim the Weekend
Because Banana Boxes are reusable and stack neatly, you can get packed and unpacked faster—and spend more of your weekend settling in rather than stressing out. We hope you enjoyed these Packing Hacks for Local Relocations!
The Local Advantage with BananaBoxes
When you’re moving in Minneapolis or anywhere nearby, every second counts. Banana Boxes helps you simplify the process with:
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Sturdy, stackable boxes that protect your belongings
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No tape or box cutting required
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Free delivery and pickup
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A sustainable solution to wasteful cardboard