While planning a move can be stressful, it is the packing where most people come undone. If you have a move coming, you need to take a structured approach to your packing. This will ensure you are packed in time and that everything is as secure as it should be. Here are a few tips for packing:
1. De-clutter Before Packing
Before you think about packing anything, you need to de-clutter. You should start going through your possessions a few weeks before the move and decide what you want to keep. Working with one room at a time is a good idea and will make it easier to track everything.
As you go through the room, you should consider all the large items first and determine if you want to move them. You can then look at the smaller items and determine if you are going to use them in your new home. You can then sell, donate, or throw out the items that you are not going to move. If the items are in good condition, you can sell them. The items that you donate should also be in decent condition.
2. Separate Items That Cannot Be Moved
There are certain things that movers will not take, and you need to separate this from the rest of your items. These items are generally hazardous materials like pesticides, ammunition, fireworks, and paints. Any items with compressed gasses like aerosol cans and propane tanks will also need to be separated.
If you are unsure about what cannot be taken by the movers, you should ask them about this. Moving companies will be able to provide a listing of these items. If you have to take the items to your new home, you will have to do this yourself.
3. Pack The Least Used Rooms First
One of the important moving tips is that you do not want to start packing in your kitchen because you need to use this room. It is best to start packing the rooms that you do not use very often. This can be the storage rooms or your guest bedroom. Once these rooms have been packed, you can move onto the ones that you commonly use.
When packing, it is also best to pack each room completely before you move on. A lot of people pack parts of a room and then move to the next room. This will only cause confusion and make it harder to stay on track. It can be tempting to leave the small, difficult to pack items for later, but you need to avoid this.
4. Have A First Night Box
There is one box that you have to pack carefully, and this is the first night box. This box will have everything you need to survive the first night in your home before you can unpack everything. It is best to use a box that stands out from the others, such as a plastic crate.
This box will need to have items such as plates and drinking glasses. It should also have linen, towels, and toiletries. It would be best if you also packed phone chargers and other electronics that you need to have in this box. This box can be given to the movers, or you can move it yourself to ensure you know where it is in your new home.
5. Packing Your Clothing
When it comes to packing your clothing, you have a few options. It is possible to get wardrobe boxes that have a bar in them for hanging clothing. These boxes do cost a bit more, but your clothing can easily be transferred from your wardrobe to the box and back again.
If you have a tiny budget for your move, you can try the trash bag option for hanging clothing. You will need to put a black trash bag around your clothing as they hang. You can then tie the tip to leave the hanging sticking out. Doing this will save money, and you will not fill boxes with your clothing.
6. Use Towels And Clothes As Packing Materials
If you have fragile items, you need to wrap them up to protect them. You can get bubble wrap for this, or you can use towels and clothes. If you have thick towels, you can use them for your more delicate items.
Other towels and clothing can be used as box fillers. There are always going to be gaps in your boxes, and fillers can stop everything from shifting. Using your clothing and towels in this way will also reduce the number of boxes you need.
Packing for an upcoming move will be a daunting task. However, there are many steps you can take to make this easier and add some structure to the process. One of the most important steps is to de-clutter and only pack the items that you want to take to your new home.