Packing for a move is one of the least exciting parts of moving. While you might be excited to get into your new home, everyone always seems to put packing off until the last minute. Moving comes with a mix of emotions.
The most stressful days are the few days before the move and the day of the move. After you get through the move, you’re free to start unpacking, designing your new home, and enjoying it. But first, you have to get through packing. Here are the best packing tips and moving hacks that can simplify your move.
The first thing that you need to do when planning a house move is to shortlist a potential list of moving companies or professionals that can help you. Trust me, you don’t want your Uncle Jack and his three sons to do this. Not only might they end up destroying some of your most expensive pieces of furniture, but they can end up getting inured in the process themselves. House Removals Kensington is a tried and tested option where you will not lose your sleep regarding what might end up happening with your furniture and other items.
Gather Supplies
Anyone can pack at any time, but packing is easier after you’ve gathered all of the supplies you need. While you might not have planned the proper number of boxes, you should have enough to get you through a few days of packing. You should also consider the different sized boxes you’ll need and the many materials, from regular packing boxes to plastic containers that can help you carry larger, heavier items without breaking them.
You’ll also need other supplies, such as bubble wrap, newspaper, packaging tape, markers, labels, and more. If you want to save a few bucks, you can ask friends and family for boxes they might be hanging onto, but you can also purchase packing supplies to ensure you have enough boxes for your entire move. If you run out of boxes, make sure you have a backup plan.
It’s okay to run out of boxes, especially if you’ve started packing ahead of time, and give yourself a few days to run out for more. Remember, you can also put clothes, pillows, and linens in garbage bags as long as you properly label everything and don’t mistake them for trash.
Get all of your packing supplies early so you can be prepared when you have a burst of energy and motivation and can start packing as soon as possible.
Declutter
Giving your home a deep clean before packing allows you to pack less and bring less clutter to your new home. Start by going through your closet and donating clothes you don’t want to keep so you don’t take them to your new home. Then, you can go room to room and start donating or throwing out items you won’t be bringing to your new home. Remember, the more you get rid of, the less there will be to pack, move, and unpack.
Before you start packing, plan a weekend to deep clean and declutter your home. Make sure you separate your belongings into piles so you know what you’re donating and what you’re tossing away.
Organize Paperwork
You should always keep your important documents together, but after you’ve lived in a home for a few years, important documents can be separated or put in different folders. If you haven’t organized important documents in a while, consider spending some time looking for and reorganizing documents that pertain to your moves, such as your rental agreement, tax paperwork, and insurance plans.
Create a Checklist
Whether you’re selling your home or simply moving to a new rental, you’ll need to be as organized as possible. Creating a checklist will help you pack easier and plan your entire move so your moving day can be less stressful.
Your moving checklist should begin with everything you need to do before your move. A few things that might be on your checklist are:
- Getting packing materials
- Hiring a moving company
- Packing room-by-room
- Packing for your pets and making sure they will be watched during the move
- Calling your utility companies
- Notifying work of your address change
Your checklist can also consist of a schedule so you can keep track of the tasks that should be done. By creating a timeline, you can keep yourself accountable for getting tasks, such as packing, completed on time.
Pack Large Items First
When you’re packing boxes, pack the largest items first so you can keep the weight of the box even. You should put all of your heaviest boxes in one area of your current home and stack them up from heaviest to lightest so nothing tips over or breaks. You should also stack boxes this way in a moving truck.
Pack Room by Room
Packing room by room will make everything easier because you only have to focus on one area at a time. Start packing up the rooms you use the least, first, so you can pack well in advance without making your daily life any more difficult.
As you pack room by room, make sure you label boxes so you can easily find things as you unpack.
Leave Items in Containers
Many people think that moving will be easier if they dump a full container into a box, but it just uses up a box that would be better used for something else. If you have items that are already packed away in drawers, containers, or other storage solutions, leave them. Leaving items in containers makes unpacking easier because you won’t have to unpack anything from them.
If you’re leaving anything in drawers, consider taping the drawers shut so they can’t slide open and become a safety hazard.
Keep Essentials Separate
Unless you plan on unpacking your entire home the day of your move, you’re going to need to keep a few of your essential items separate so you don’t have to go looking for them. Pack a separate suitcase or bag with your essential items, including toothbrush and toothpaste, clothes for the next few days, toilet paper, makeup, shower products, and anything else you’ll need the morning after your move.
Make sure everyone in your family has their essentials packed away, and you keep all essential items in the same place in your moving van or vehicle so nothing gets lost. You should also have a bag full of essential items for pets.
Take Your Time on Fragile Items
If you have fragile items you’re packing and moving, consider saving them for last. You’ll need to spend more time on these items because they can easily break, so make sure you have enough newspaper and bubble wrap so you can keep glass and ceramics safe from harm.
You should also take time to label boxes full of fragile items as ‘fragile.’ This will be beneficial for your entire family and the moving company helping you so everyone knows what shouldn’t be thrown around.
Written by: Marné Amoguis
Marné Amoguis holds a B.A. in International Business from UC San Diego. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she loves sharing her passion for digital marketing. Outside of writing, she loves traveling, playing music, and hiking.
