Arie Luyendyk's Best Tips For A Smooth Move - Exclusive Interview

Many of his fans will recognize him as The Bachelor, but long after the show's cameras have stopped rolling, Arie Luyendek Jr. is a family man and real estate professional. In fact, he's been working in the real estate industry for 20 years, concurrent with his time spent on reality television. His time in the industry and his personal experience have made him an expert on packing, moving, and doing the whole process as stress-free as possible.

It's no wonder he has partnered with Scotch Brands to share the products that can make a move a breeze. It's not a simple brand partnership or celebrity endorsement; Scotch has family ties to the Luyendek family going back decades. Everyone knows a move can be a stress-inducing and sometimes complicated process, but with Scotch and Arie's tips, they don't have to be. In an exclusive interview, Aerie Luyendek Jr. shares the Scotch products that can uncomplicate a move, plus tips and tricks for a seamless transition from one home to the next.

Packing up all of your belongings can be one of the most stressful parts of a move. Do you have any tips for making the process of packing an unpacking easier?

I've been doing real estate for almost twenty years now and I've helped countless families move one place to the next. I've see a common theme: it's stressful to move, and if you have the right tools, it makes it a lot less stressful. So, during the whole selling process, I always gift my clients two things, the first thing being Scotch tape. This is their Box Lock packaging tape. It's really awesome, because you only need one piece of tape to seal a box. That is clutch, because you don't have to spend a lot of time putting a bunch of pieces of tape on it. It's guaranteed to also seal, which is pretty nice.

[There's] also the Cushion Lock, which is the protective wrap. That is pretty cool, because it replaces the plastic products that you normally use. It wraps around the fragile items. You don't need any tape or scissors. Because it's a honeycomb shape, it protects your items and it clings to itself, so you don't really need anything. You just tear it off. It's a space saver too, so you can fit a lot inside of a box.

Those are the hacks that I have that I want to share with you guys today. Those are both Scotch products. Scotch goes back a ways. My dad used to race an IndyCar, and Scotch was one of his sponsors back in the early '90s, so it's crazy that we're talking today because it's so full circle for me.

With the products, are there any packing methods that you would use to help people find things easier after they're in their house?

I always make sure that I label all the boxes. If you don't do that, that's a big mistake. It takes you a lot longer to find what you're looking for. I always start with the most fragile things first, making sure that those are super safe. July and August are always the busiest months for people that are moving. A lot of people aren't prepared. If you're prepared, it makes the move a ton easier.

Outside of the packing material, are there any essential tools that people need to make a move more seamless?

No, not really. I'd say good boxes, Scotch tape, the protective wrap, which is really nice because it's made from paper. It's made from recycled paper. It's more sustainable. [You'll] need a Sharpie to write down what goes where, some really good friends to make sure that they get your stuff from your one place to your next. Having good friends is always key when it comes to moving.

I remember when I was one of my only friends that had a truck, so everyone would call me if they were moving. Some good friends, good boxes, good tape, good wrap, and you should be good to go.

How many months in advance would you say that people should start planning for their move?

It depends. Everyone's different. A lot of people are moving for work, or they're trying to find a better spot or they're growing a family, so it really depends.

In my line of work in real estate, I see that usually, somebody will know that they're moving about a month in advance. You want to pack all your non-essentials first, things you don't need, and store those away. Then, at the last couple days, pack the things that you use on the daily basis.

For me, it's about trying to plan ahead as much as possible to avoid that stress at the last minute. Moving, it's difficult. I try to not do it very often, but if you're going to do that, you might as well have the right stuff.

Do you have any practical tips for couples moving in together for the first time?

I remember when Lauren and I moved in together. I remember I had all this kitchenware. She's like, "Nah, we're not using that." You've got to choose. Who has better plates and dishes, and who has better [decorations]? Consolidating and moving in together is such a unique experience. I remember that I Craigslist-ed so much of my stuff. I put it out there and it was gone in a second. If you have to get rid of stuff quick, put it online for free. That's what we did.

How about families who are moving with kids? Any tips to make that process easier?

It is a tough one. When we moved, my daughter was pretty young. My daughter was probably six months to a year old. I remember a lot of help from the grandparents. We said, "Okay, you're going to go hang out with Mimi and Papa." Lauren and I took the brunt of the moving, and we worked with the moving company, but even when you work with a moving company, it's really good to pack your own things. They can take the heavier things, but when it comes to your personal belongings, you want to make sure that those are packed properly. I prefer to pack my own items.

When it comes to little kids, if you can, have family or friends watch them for the day so that you can move quickly.

With the Scotch products, what's the best way to secure the most fragile items during a move?

For sure, the Cushion Lock. The Cushion Lock is going to replace any plastic products. It's really cool because of the honeycomb pattern. It wraps within itself and it really does keep a protective layer and you can fit more in a box. That is my go-to for protecting fragile items.

I helped my dad move last week. He was moving all of his memorabilia because he used to race cars for a living. He moved it all to my house, and there was some really irreplaceable things in there. We used the Cushion Lock, and it was really impressive because once you use it one time [you] can see how this is better than the plastic products. Then, when we were done on the other end, the cleanup was so much easier, too. That was really [great].

You said you're in real estate, you've moved yourself personally. What have you found to be the biggest stressors during a move, and what are some ways that people can combat those?

The biggest stressors are typically not having the right products or things to move, or poor planning, not having the right products, and maybe procrastinating, doing it all the night before or throwing everything in a box. Come in with a plan. That is the best way to tackle it. If you're going to move, start a month in advance and slowly do the move so it's not so overwhelming.

Are there any packing methods you can use to help make finding things in the new house easier once you're unpacking there?

A lot of people do this: they go room by room and make sure that you have everything that you need. There's a couple of really cool products out there. Vacuum packing saves a ton of space when you're doing clothes. If you're moving clothes — Lauren and I didn't even take things off the hanger. We grab our closet and laid [everything] in our car and then put it in our new closet. It depends on how far you're moving. Vacuum seal bags, go room by room, make sure you label everything, and that'll help.

Scotch moving products can uncomplicate your move. Check out their range of products before you settle into your new home.