Helpful Packing Tips For Moving
You have a million things to take care of before your next move – from changing your address on all your important accounts to figuring out which furniture will fit in your new place. Here at Able Moving & Storage we feel it can be very helpful for customers to be aware of important packing tips for moving. If you’re making a long distance move, you’re looking for new doctors, sports clubs, churches, schools, and trying to figure out what your new community and neighborhood are like.
You have a running list of everything you have to do before you move, especially if you’re changing jobs or leaving friends and family behind. It can easily get overwhelming, and one thing that happens to everyone is that time speeds up!
It’s easy to let yourself feel like you have enough time to get your packing done after you tie up loose ends elsewhere. Moving can be very stressful, and often coincides with other major life changes that can add to undue stress. Packing boxes at the last minute under duress does not lead to a harmonious arrival in your new home.
When Planning To Move Don’t Forget About Packing
Here are a few packing tips for moving to get you started:
1. Give yourself time – Estimate how long you think it will take you to pack everything (from your wardrobe to the treasures in your attic). Then, to be safe, double it. With all the other things you have to take care of, giving yourself plenty of time for packing will ensure that you have everything done long before the moving truck arrives.
2. Reduce your load – If you give yourself enough time to prepare before packing, you have the opportunity to narrow down what you need before you move, saving you time, energy, and often money before you even start packing. Part of our suggestions on packing tips for moving are designed to help when it comes down to this question…. how do you decide what you need?
Have a tag sale or a clothing swap/giveaway with friends or neighbors, making sure that you don’t acquire any new things to move! Or donate items you no longer use to charity. There are plenty of organizations that need well-cared for furniture and clothing to help families get on their feet. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used it in over a year, you probably don’t need it. It’s often easier to get rid of something if you know that someone else will use it or if you know its going to a good cause. Ask around, see if someone you know has a college aged child or knows a young person starting out who could use that extra sofa or futon in the basement.
Protect Your Valuables – Organize Your Boxes Well
3. Break it up – All important packing tips for moving should advise this step for sure, get your boxes before you start packing (overestimate the same way you did with time). Place the boxes you’ll need for each room, and break up the work. If you’re methodical, you may want to do one room at a time. Or, you may want to pack least used items first (formal dishes, winter clothes, etc.). The point is – start packing! You don’t have to wait until you have a whole day free, you can pack up your books or winter coats before your move. And spacing out the packing gives you time to place things together that you’ll want to unpack together.
Which leads us to….
Proper Labeling Of Your Items Will Prevent Loss
4. Label Everything – Drive the thought from your mind that you will remember with large, square, brown box contains the coffeepot. It has never happened and never will! Instead, label every box with large, plain lettering. Be as clear and specific as you can. ‘Kitchen’ is a great start, but our packing tips for moving would not be complete without this suggestion either…if you’re more specific, for example ‘Baking Items’ ‘Everyday dishes, Silverware, Mugs,’ ‘Work clothes, Tim,’ ‘Winter clothes, Sue,’ then you will be able to prioritize which items you unpack right away and which you can put aside until you get settled in. We have found that for those in the military that are planning a move, labeling is utterly critical!
You Now Know How To Pack. Don’t Forget About Unpacking.
5. Have an unpacking plan – the last of our packing tips for moving that you should think about when you’re packing is unpacking, but making an unpacking plan can make your arrival at your new home so much easier. Any packing tips for moving should always include that you should pack a first night box, including all the bedding toiletries and items to serve or make meals with that you might need. After that, think about the things you’ll need right away, and also, what are the things you want set up soonest that will make you feel most at home. Try to consolidate those boxes (hint: the things you pack last will most likely be the ones you unpack first, so label accordingly, and ask to have them unloaded where they will be immediately accessible.
Packing is one of the least fun parts of the less than fun moving experience, but with a little prior planning, you can make it easier on yourself!