Renting a new place in Phoenix? Here’s how to throw a successful moving party

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Moving sucks. It just does, no matter how you go about it. You’re guaranteed to go through a weird period of having all of your stuff in limbo. And if your lease ends in the summer? I send my thoughts and prayers. 

What makes moving less bad, though, is having help. Lots of people hire movers (See r/phoenix for recommendations), and if that’s in your budget, go for it. Having professionals, especially for large and heavy pieces of furniture, can take a lot of stress out of the day.

But I wouldn’t know, because I’ve never felt like I could afford movers. 😅 Instead, I’ve done the same thing lots of people my age have done: throw a little moving party. Here are my tips for seamlessly setting one off.

📆 Pick a day and time to move, and start asking for help

Do as much planning and prep as you can. Nail down a day and time you’re planning to start moving your stuff, and don’t forget to check the weather—aim for a cool, monsoon-free day to make things easier on everyone. If you need one, reserve a moving truck in advance. Sometimes friends with large cars and trucks can come in clutch and help reduce the need to rent a vehicle. 

Then, start hitting up friends and family. Hopefully you’ve mentioned an upcoming move to some people and they’ve offered to help—or you’ve helped others before, and now you can ask for the favor returned. In my experience, people have been more than happy to help out, especially when they’ve been in the same situation before. But if that flaky friend is dragging their feet, don’t be afraid to remind them of the time you watered their cactus, or promise to give them a ride to Sky Harbor for their next flight.   

📦 Get your stuff in order

Pack up all of your stuff in advance in labeled boxes. You can note which room or what level each box should go in, which will save you lots of questions on moving day. Try to minimize the amount of loose stuff you have—the fewer trips people have to make, the better. 

But, on the other hand, take into consideration the weight of boxes. Throwing a bunch of stuff into a huge box might sound like a good idea, but be mindful of what people can safely carry—we all know nobody’s got money for medical bills. Books are so much heavier than you think, so maybe fill up the bottom of a box with them, then pack lighter stuff like sheets and towels on top. 

Consider picking up some materials that will make the move easier on everyone, like mattress bags, dollies, carts, moving straps, and extra tape. If you don’t want the extra cost, hit up Facebook Marketplace and local groups like Buy Nothing Downtown Phoenix to find some discounted or for free. 

☕️ Grab some fuel and hype up your team

Most people start moving in the morning, so it’s common to offer a quick breakfast (bagels is an easy one—my go-to is Copper Star) and coffee to people who come to help. Remember that all of your normal kitchenware will be packed, so grab plastic plates, cups, and utensils and leave out a roll of paper towels. If you’re doing a later move—which I’d only recommend when it’s not 100 degrees outside—consider an easy group meal like pizza (I’m always going to say Spinato’s) that doesn’t require a lot of dishes. You don’t have to do this step, but I’ve always really appreciated it when I’m rushing in the morning to help out a friend and they’ve already got food and caffeine ready for me. 

You can go above and beyond if you want and add some fun favors to the mix—one of my friends provided moving party hats!—but they’re not necessary. Another way to get good vibes going is an energizing moving playlist. Maybe start a Spotify jam with your helpers so everyone can add what they want to hear while sweating it out. 

✅ Have a game plan and assign people tasks

When people show up to help, they want to have a job to do. Some people can be stationed at the moving truck Tetris-ing boxes in the back. You can have others shuttling boxes from the apartment to the truck. Whoever’s left can pack up their cars with more fragile stuff like electronics and your giant potted cactus that will need to be transported separately. However you decide to do it, a game plan will help things stay quick and effective. 

Pro tip: Make sure you leave out a toilet paper roll and some hand soap in your bathroom. All that coffee you gave your helpers has to go somewhere, and you don’t want people feeling grossed out. 

🙏 Shower your helpers with thanks

When the last box is unloaded and you’re all celebrating a job well done, make sure to give everyone a hearty thank you—the best sign of gratitude is food, of course, or free Kilt Lifters. And, on the flip side, when someone hits you up to help them move, remember all the kindness people showed you in your last venture. Giving and returning favors like these is what helps community flourish!

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