The Mad City Totes blog
Moving guides for Madison and Dane County
Packing tips, turnover-week strategy, and honest answers about what a local move actually takes. New posts every Tuesday and Friday.
Latest · Madison moves
Winter Moves in Wisconsin: What Cardboard Does in the Snow
Cardboard and slush are not compatible. Neither is a cardboard box and a driveway that's been salted.
September 11, 2026 · 5 min read
Business
Small-Business and Office Moves in Dane County: A Weekend Plan
The goal isn't a perfect move. It's being operational Monday morning.
September 8, 2026 · 6 min read
Planning
Moving with Kids and Pets on a Madison Turnover Weekend
Doors propped open, strangers on the stairs, and everything familiar disappearing. Plan for it.
September 4, 2026 · 5 min read
Planning
Renting vs. Buying Moving Supplies in Madison
Some of this stuff you'll use once in five years. Some of it you'll use next weekend.
September 1, 2026 · 5 min read
Staging & storage
Home Staging in Madison: Clearing Clutter Before Photos
Buyers are trying to picture their life in your house. Yours is in the way.
August 28, 2026 · 5 min read
Relocation
Moving to Verona for an Epic Job? Start Here
New job, new state, new city you've maybe visited once. Here's the logistics part, handled.
August 25, 2026 · 6 min read
Packing tips
How to Pack a Kitchen So Nothing Breaks
The kitchen takes the longest and breaks the most. A method fixes both.
August 21, 2026 · 6 min read
Sustainability
Zero-Waste Moving: Where Madison's Cardboard Actually Ends Up
Recycling cardboard is better than trashing it. Not generating it in the first place is better than both.
August 18, 2026 · 5 min read
Madison moves
Packing a Downtown Madison Walk-Up: Stairs, Landings, and Loading Zones
Century-old stairwells, half-landings, and a loading zone two blocks away. Here's how to move through it.
August 14, 2026 · 5 min read
Planning
A Realistic 4-Week Madison Moving Checklist
Not the 12-week fantasy checklist. Four weeks, in the order things actually need to happen.
August 11, 2026 · 6 min read
Student moves
Moving Out of a UW–Madison Apartment Without Losing Your Deposit
Campus move-outs are fast and chaotic. Most deposit deductions come from three predictable things.
August 7, 2026 · 6 min read
Packing tips
How Many Moving Boxes Do I Actually Need? (By Apartment Size)
The most common packing mistake is running out on the last night. Here's a count you can trust, by home size.
August 4, 2026 · 5 min read
Totes vs cardboard
Reusable Totes vs. Cardboard Boxes: The Honest Cost Breakdown
Cardboard looks cheaper on the receipt. Once you add tape, time, and hauling it away, the math changes.
July 31, 2026 · 7 min read
Madison moves
Moving in Madison: What August 15 Really Looks Like
Thousands of leases turn over on the same day. Here's what the streets, stairwells, and rental trucks look like — and how to plan around it.
July 28, 2026 · 6 min read
Ready to skip the cardboard?
Reusable totes, a dolly, and reusable labels delivered anywhere in Madison and most of Dane County.