How to Move with Pets: 7 Tips to Make it Easy

• Start packing early
• Find pet-friendly accommodations if needed
• Set up a designated moving day space
• Get the right gear
• Make a travel plan with your current vet
• Update your pet’s microchip
• Schedule a check-up with your new vet

1. Start packing early

Pets aren’t always a fan of change. To ease the transition, it’s important to pack early and gradually. This way, your pet has time to process that something new is happening and adjust accordingly. After all, imagine if you woke up one day and all your belongings were suddenly gone with no explanation. You’d be stressed, too.

2. Find pet-friendly accommodations if needed

Depending on how far you’re moving, you may not need this step. But, if your move involves multiple days of travel or a gap between moving out and moving in, wherever you stay in the interim needs to be equipped for your pet. Beyond simply identifying as a pet-friendly hotel or house, consider all the same factors that went into choosing your new home (outdoor access, windows, etc.) when choosing temporary accommodations. You can afford to be a little less selective here since it’s not for the long term. Still, the more comfortable the move is for your pet, the sooner they’ll settle in and feel at home in the new place.

3. Set up a designated moving day space

For the sake of both your movers and your pets, a designated pet space for moving day is a must. Backyards, friends’ houses, and large crates are all options for your canine kids. Cats can be a little trickier. If they have a favorite hiding spot and it’s in a place that can be closed off from the rest of the home, consider making that their designated area. This can help minimize stress since it’s a place where you know they feel safe. Wherever you set up base, make sure your cat has food, water, and a litter box. And, of course, communicate to your movers which areas are off-limits.

Pro Tip: If you have turtles or other pets that live in their own enclosed environment, keep that enclosure out of the way and clearly marked as NOT an item for your movers to pack up.

4. Get the right gear

Unless you’re moving right across town, you’re going to need more than just a carrier to transport your pet. Your needs will vary according to your pet, but here are some common items to consider:

• Leash with harness that can be hooked to a seatbelt
• Packable food and water bowls
• Disposable litter box
• Collars with current ID tags in case your pet gets out
• Crate with puppy pads

Whatever gear you get, don’t forget to try it out with your pet leading up to the move. The more acclimated they are to their new carrier or harness, the less stressed they’ll be on moving day.

5. Make a travel plan with your current vet

Leading up to the move, consult with your vet to create a travel plan for your animal. Especially if your pet gets carsick or has anxiety, you’ll want to discuss the possibility of sedatives, anti-nausea medicines, or anxiety medicines for the trip.

Does your dog spit out pills without fail? Then a liquid dose might be better. Is your cat hopeless in the car? Then your best bet may be a sedative (in the correct dose) to help them sleep through the drive. These are the details your vet can help you nail down in the safest manner possible.

6. Update your pet’s microchip

We recommend taking care of this as soon as you’re moved out of your old place. That way, if the worst-case scenario happens and your pet gets away from you during the move, any animal shelter that takes them in can find you. This is also just one of those small but important details that tend to get forgotten during the flurry of moving, like updating your billing address or forwarding your mail. The sooner you check it off your list, the sooner you can get back to the bigger issues like unpacking.

Not sure if your pet is microchipped? If you adopted them from a shelter, microchips are typically included along with spaying/neutering. Your vet can also help you check for a microchip. Just keep in mind that microchips can’t track your pet. Their function is to store your contact information so that if your pet ends up at a shelter, the shelter staff can notify you. The average person can’t access information on the microchip, so it’s important to keep your pet’s collar tags up to date, too. If you want to track your pet, there are also plenty of GPS tracking tags available that can be added to their collar. 

7. Schedule a check-up with your new vet

Moving with pets usually entails finding a new vet. Many vet clinics have a weeks-long waitlist for new patients, so don’t put off setting up an appointment until your pet needs one. Schedule a check-up as soon as you can. This is also a good opportunity to address any of your pet’s issues that may have arisen due to the stress of travel, such as gastrointestinal problems, anxiety, or aggression.

Any other tips for how to move with pets?

When it comes to how to move with pets, there’s no single right way to go about it. The best advice we can give you is to adjust to your pet’s unique needs. And don’t forget that their biggest insecurity about moving is likely about you leaving them behind. So, make sure you give your pet some extra head scratches, belly rubs, and treats to let them know you’re not going anywhere. At least, not without them.

The more comfortable you can make your pet during your move, the sooner you can all start to feel at home in your new place.

The post How to Move with Pets: 7 Tips to Make It Easy appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

1. Ask a local store for boxes before you buy them

Before you buy cardboard boxes, visit nearby stores and ask if they mind saving some boxes from their next shipment. Most retail establishments trash or recycle these boxes, so there’s a good chance they will be willing to let you take them off their hands. Usually, they will require your name and phone number so they can contact you when your boxes are ready for pick up.

2. Wrap glass and other delicate items in towels and t-shirts

If you’re packing both fragile and soft items, why not pack them together? By wrapping glass and other delicate items in towels, t-shirts, and blankets, you save space and repurpose your textiles—without having to buy bubble wrap or paper towel.

3. Stack disposable styrofoam plates between breakable kitchen and dining plates

This dollar store find is an easy and inexpensive way to protect your delicate dishes. Simply place one disposable plate between each breakable plate and you have a stack of dishes that won’t get scratched. You may even be able to try this packing hack on your breakable bowls if they’re the right shape.

4. Place screws and other small furniture parts in sealed plastic bags, then tape them to the piece of furniture to which they belong

Rather than stuffing bags of screws, nails, and other furniture assembly parts in a box or bag, attach them to their corresponding furniture. When you unpack your moving vehicle and boxes are all over the inside of your new home, you won’t have to search for parts that match. This will help make furniture reassembly much easier and more frustration-free.

5. Pack books or other heavy/bulky items in rolling luggage

Similar to hack number two, this trick provides dual purpose to an item that you’re already packing—rolling luggage. By repurposing your luggage cases as rolling boxes for your heavy valuables, you’re saving money on boxes and saving yourself from unnecessary back pain.

6. Pack and label an essentials box (or two)

It may seem logical to pack your toothbrushes in the bathroom box, your coffee pot in the kitchen box, and your socks in your bedroom box. The problem with this thoughtful organization is that you have to sort through and open several boxes to get to these few essential items. Instead, pack one or two boxes of essential items that you’ll need to use daily until you have the chance to unpack everything.

7. Use plastic wrap to keep dresser drawers shut or books on their shelves

Plastic wrap is an inexpensive tool that can prove very useful in many packing tricks. One way to keep your dresser drawers from sliding open (be sure to empty them first) is to secure them in place using plastic wrap. The same method can be used with bookcases. If your bookcase is light enough to comfortably carry while it’s full, wrap it in plastic wrap to keep the books from falling out during transportation.

8. String necklaces through empty toilet paper rolls or individual straws

One common frustration among movers is the tendency for necklaces and other strung jewelry to tangle when they’re packed in boxes or bags. To avoid this annoying problem, string multiple necklaces on an empty toilet paper roll or string individual necklaces on plastic straws. The rigidity of both the toilet paper roll and the straw will keep your necklaces straight and prevent them from tangling with each other.

9. Pack knives in oven mitts

Knives are considerably one of the trickiest household items to pack. It’s easy to forget where you packed what and unprotected blades are risky when you stick your hands in boxes to unpack. Like hacks two and five, repurpose those oven mitts you’re already packing as ultra-padded cases for your kitchen and utility knives, and thank us later.

10. Slide glass picture frames in t-shirts to prevent scratching

Another way to repurpose items you’re packing anyway is to place your fragile picture frames in t-shirts. This saves you from the added expense of purchasing foam or bubble wrap while still keeping your precious glass from surface scratches. High-five!

The post 10 Hacks That Will Change the Way You Pack appeared first on Cardinal Financial.