Dollar Tree Finds That Are Great For Moving House On A Budget

Buying a new home or renting a new apartment can be exciting for many people. It's a new chapter, a new place, and a new environment to be explored. But one look at all of your accumulated belongings can quickly turn excitement into anxiety and stress. These tricks can help you downsize and sort through any excess items you may have collected throughout your time at your first living space. When it comes to packing items, it's important to gather the right packing materials. For those moving house on a budget, a trip to your local Dollar Tree can provide all of the essential supplies and then some to make your next move a little easier. 

Affordability is key when it comes to finding supplies that are likely to be thrown out after a single use. Packing materials need to be affordable, but sturdy enough to protect your belongings if boxes break or get damaged during the moving process. Since Dollar Tree is a hot spot for a plethora of items with a variety of uses, it's no surprise that the $1.25-and-up store also stocks many items that can help alleviate some moving stress. Here are some key items to grab — and tips on how to use them — prior to your next move.

Bubble wrap ensures your fragile items have extra cushion when being stowed away into boxes, plus it keeps things safe from bumps on the road en route to your new abode. For $1.25, you can get a 6-foot roll of 12-inch-wide Jot Cushion Bubble Wrap for your packing needs. When wrapping your items, always place the bubble side against the object you're packing. The pockets of air help provide extra cushion for your fragile pieces. Once you're settled in your new place, there are many ways to recycle and repurpose the bubble wrap. It makes for excellent insulation to protect your plants from cold weather or block out cold drafts from your windows.

Colorful duct tape can be used to label boxes and categorize your packed items in addition to sealing your packed boxes. Designate a different colored roll for boxes that contain items going to kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and so on. Dollar Tree's Tool Bench Duct Tape comes in an assortment of colors, including light blue, orange, red, teal, violet, and white. For extra festive tape, invest in Tool Bench Hardware Colorful Reflective Duct Tape for your labeling needs. The latter comes in a variety of colors and prints, including a shiny purple, a leopard print, or a holographic star pattern, for $1.50 a roll.

Coffee filters do more than what their namesake implies. They can also be repurposed and used as extra cushion when stacking and packing fragile drinkware or dishes. Instead of putting your cups and bowls directly on top of each other, place a Fresh Cup Drip Coffee Maker Basket Coffee Filter or two in between each piece to prevent them from rubbing against each other while being transported. The extra, softer layer can help prevent cracks and breakage. Once at their final destination, you can use the used coffee filters to dust off your electronics or to dust off any particles that may have gathered on the packed dishes during your move.

Similar to coffee filters, paper plates can also be used as an additional cushion when packing away fragile items. Utilize a pack of The Home Store Uncoated White Paper Plates when packing away your delicate plates, bowls, and cutting boards. Simply sandwich a paper plate between each piece of dinnerware before wrapping them in bubble wrap and placing them into a moving box. The paper plate adds an extra layer of protection between dishes, preventing them from rattling against each other and breaking.

To make bulkier items more compact, vacuum storage bags are a must-have item. The Essentials Large Vacuum Storage Bag can shrink bulky items up to three times smaller than their original size, making them easier to pack away into storage boxes. Place bedding, towels, comforters, pillows, and even stuffed animals into the large plastic bag and vacuum out the air, condensing items into packable piles. Vacuum storage bags can also protect your items from water, debris, and unwanted scents that accumulate while in storage or en route to your new home. After moving, reuse your vacuum storage bags when traveling to make the most out of a carry-on luggage.

Like duct or packing tape, boxes are a moving day essential. While you may not find large moving boxes at your local Dollar Tree, you can find smaller boxes for more compact items. Measuring at 10-inches by 8-inches by 6-inches, Kraft Corrugated Shipping Boxes are great for both mailing items to your new address or transporting trinkets and other knick knacks you may have collected. After wrapping your little home decor pieces in bubble wrap, carefully place them inside the corrugated shipping box, and label the box accordingly for easier unpacking.

Instead of bagging waste or recyclables, use kitchen bags to make packing the clothes in your wardrobe a breeze. For this moving hack, you won't even have to take your clothes off of their hangers. Start by separating your hung clothes into smaller, more portable groups. Then take a Kitchen Drawstring Garbage Bag and pull it over your clothes from the bottom up, making sure the hanger is visible through the drawstring opening. With your clothes enclosed, tighten the drawstring to not just protect your clothes from dirt, but also make them easier to transport from your old wardrobe to a new closet.

Make sure your moving boxes are sealed tight with Jot Reinforced Strapping Tape or 3M Carton Sealing Tape. The reinforced tape is strong enough to keep your moving boxes closed and your belongings safe and secure while making the journey to your new residence. Even prior to packing your things into boxes, you can use tape to reinforce bubble wrap, tissues, or other protective wrappings around your belongings. Once tightly packed, place them into your moving boxes and fasten the boxed closed with strapping tape on all sides and openings, keeping them shut until you're ready to unpack them. Each $1.25 roll comes with 15 to 33 feet of tape.

Dollar Tree has an assortment of plastic storage bins in a variety of sizes that can help make packing and moving easier while sticking to a budget. With their most expensive bin priced at $6, you can stock up on plastic storage containers in all of the sizes you need to keep your things protected from dirt, moisture, and damage when moving to a new place. Most plastic storage bins sold at the dollar-and-up store come with lids, making them easy to safely stack on top of each other in moving trucks or cars. Opt for the 17-inch Edge Storage Tote and reuse it after your move to store holiday decor.

Another overlooked and useful item that has more applications aside from its usual duties is plastic wrap. Typically used for storing and sealing away food, plastic wrap can also be beneficial when moving house. Grab a few rolls of Sure Fresh Plastic Wrap from your local Dollar Tree and wrap the plastic around furniture that has drawers or doors. Doing so can help prevent things from opening while being driven to their new home. Additionally, plastic wrap can be used to keep rolled up rugs and mats from unravelling, safeguarding delicate decor pieces, and even keeping utensils grouped together.

Similar to plastic bins and cardboard boxes, storage baskets can be both functional and decorative before, during, and after a move. Plastic Woven Baskets with Handles can be used to keep smaller items organized and sorted by room, making it easier to unpack and put away once brought to a new home or apartment. Large Plastic Laundry Baskets come in an assortment of colors, also making organizing and sorting bigger items by room a lot simpler. For those who prefer not to use plastic, pick up a few Cotton Woven Rope Baskets that can also be used as decorative storage after you've settled in.

Without proper labeling, moving house would be absolutely chaotic. Avoid the struggle of opening and digging through boxes of miscellaneous, unlabeled packed items by making sure everything that's wrapped, packed, and moved is adequately labeled with permanent markers. Jot Permanent Markers come in a three-marker variety pack with black, blue, and red ink. The thick markers can be used to label all sides of packed boxes to ensure you and anyone helping you move knows exactly what is inside each box. Dollar Tree also sells Sharpie Fine-Point Black Permanent Markers for smaller labeling needs.