If you are about to toss that box of garbage bags in with the rest of your cleaning items in a box, you might want to reconsider. These items that most people simply take for granted have a lot of uses. They can keep you insulated in a winter power outage and keep you dry when placed under your sleeping bag in the tent, so it should come as no surprise that you can utilize garbage bags during a move. You may need to actually buy a box of bags for your new place if you get holes in the ones you use, but it will be worth it.
The Obvious
Short on boxes? There is no reason you can’t use bags for some things. Keep in mind that they can rip if they get too heavy and nothing inside will be protected. That being said, they are great for pillows, linens, socks, light clothing and stuffed animals. You can always toss a few towels, purses or lightweight toys in each one too. You can pretty much tell how heavy is too heavy. That is if you have even taken out the trash a day in your life.
Outer Wrappings
You always want to wrap your television, printer, and other similar items, whether it is sunny, rainy or snowing. The plastic will keep dust out. If you are going to wrap your TV in padded blankets, put the plastic underneath. You can cut the bag so it covers more space. Now, if the weather is less than desirable, you can use garbage bags to wrap end tables, lamps, shelving units, and anything else that could be damaged by moisture.
Box Lining
Do you have boxes that don’t close all the way on the bottom? Place a garbage bag on the bottom. Alternatively, you can always put everything inside the bag that is in the box. The bag will act like a liner in bad weather.
Floor Cover
Unless it is completely dry out, there is a good chance that your movers are going to track a lot of dirt, snow, slush, rain, leaves, etc., in the house. Create a pathway by securing bags to the floor. If you have a bunch of throw rugs, you can place the inside bags and lay them down so they stay in place.
Poncho
Did the weatherman promise clear skies for your moving day, so you packed all your rain gear? Although holding an umbrella is not practical, if you are trying to carry things, a raincoat or poncho sure would have been nice.
Even though your small apartment movers are doing most of the work, there is a good chance that you are still packing your car full of things too. If it is raining or snowing, these in and out trips can leave you soaked and miserable for the rest of the day. Cut out an opening for your face and then slice the sides upward to allow your arms to move freely. Alternatively, you can make arm and neck holes to protect most of your body, if you have a hat to wear.
