How To Pack For Your Move: 7 Tips For A Simpler Move

Anyone that has moved to a new home will tell you the same thing, moving from one place to another is a hectic, draining and can be a challenging experience. But it doesn’t have to be, use the 7 steps below to make packing for your move a breeze!

1. Start Early

That’s right, if you want to stay ahead of the game, begin packing early! Uprooting your life from one place and moving to another is a large time consuming task. There are lots of items that you’re going to have to get packed: Clothes, tools, furniture, cutlery, silverware, appliances, dishes, and all of those little knick knacks! The list can feel endless!

So it’s always in your best interest to begin packing early, at least a month in advance. Start packing your items one day at a time so by the time your moving day comes around, you’re not struggling to shove all your loose unpacked items into the mover’s truck. That’s how you lose, or worse, break things! The sooner you get started the less stressful the rest of your moving experience will be.

2. Make a List

This cannot be stressed enough. When it comes to packing, making yourself a priority list is extremely helpful. Begin by packing from biggest to smallest, least used to most used. Pack away the things that you know you won’t be using in your every day life. Pack china set you only take out for special occasions. Pack that spare sewing machine that your grandma gifted you for Christmas. Start there then you can begin to pack your more used items. This way, you won’t find yourself looking for things that you’ve already packed up. Ideally, leave your everyday clothes as well as food items for last.

3. Get Rid of Your Extra Stuff

Declutter, declutter, declutter! Even if you haven’t been featured on the Hoarders tv show, chances are that when you’re packing up to move, you’re going to find many things that you no longer have need of. Get rid of them! They take up unnecessary space and will make your move harder and more expensive!

Besides, moving to a new place is a chance at a fresh start. You don’t want all of those extra knick knacks bogging you down. Not only will it make your life easier, it will give you a clean new feel when you are all moved in at your new home.

4. Get Supplies

Make sure to obtain at least the items below for your move:

• Boxes

• Bubble wrap and newspapers.

• Markers, tape and labels

• Stretch wrap and moving blankets

• Trash Bags

You’re going to need a different sized boxes to move depending on what you want to put inside them. You can also purchase a box set from place like Uhaul. This set will include an assortment of boxes and packing materials for your move. If you are planning to reuse old boxes, make sure to re-tape them with new tape. It’s also a good idea to only put lighter items in your re-used boxes. Loading books into a used box is a disaster waiting to happen! Bubble wrap, newspapers, and old magazines are great for packing your fragile items. Markers, tape, and labels are a must for keeping your move organized. Stretch wrap and moving blankets are good for keeping your furniture and appliances safe during transport. Trash bags are great way to transport clothes, towels, bedding , pillows, etc. All of these items should be available at your local home improvement store. 

For Long Distance Moves

You will need more protection to limit the damage during transit. Make sure to purchase more blankets, bubble wrap, and stretch wrap than you think you will need. You can always return it if you don’t end up using it.

For Local Moves

Your movers should provide stretch wrap and blankets free of charge. You can ask your movers if they have wardrobe boxes for day use as well. These boxes can cost $10+ each, so it’s always a good idea to see what’s included in your mover’s hourly rate.

5. Label Your Boxes

When you’re packing away your things, it’s easy to forget what you put in which box over time. Especially when all your boxes look identical. This will become not only frustrating when you are unpacking, it might even cause problems before you move. Not only will this make your life easier when you are unpacking, but this makes it much easier on your movers to place the boxes in correct rooms when they are unloading the truck. It’s a good idea to label your boxes clearly on at least two sides of each box.

Don’t Label Your Boxes With Names that Imply They Are Valuable

6. One Room at a Time

If you pack one room at a time, not only will it give you a sense of ease, it’s actually easier. It the simple tactic of breaking down a large task into smaller pieces, thus making it feel more attainable.

Begin with the room you use least. The guest room? Pack away everything inside it into neatly labelled boxes and stack the boxes inside the empty guest room for later. In the same manner, start in the next room that you use least. Leave your own personal room, bathroom and kitchen for last, as these are the rooms that you’re probably using the most. It is also a good idea to move as much as possible into your garage before your movers arrive. This will make it faster for your movers to load their truck, which will in turn save you money assuming that your movers are charging an hourly rate.

7. Don’t Overload Your Boxes

If you’re packing everything on your own, it is probably in your best interest to put a weight limit on your boxes. Make sure your boxes don’t weigh more than 50 pounds at the most. This is important because if you’re packing early, your movers aren’t going to be there the carry the boxes from place to place for you. Chances are, you’ll probably end up hauling around these heavy boxes all by yourself to at least move them out of your way until the movers arrive. You don’t want to hurt your back before your move even begins! So in order to avoid an injured back, make sure your boxes aren’t super heavy! 

8. Unload Your Dressers and Desks

It is a good idea to remove all clothing and materials from your dressers, desks, and other furniture. Your movers may need to turn your dresser upside down or sideways to efficiently move it out of your home and into your new home. When this happens the items inside your dresser or desk will become jumbled. Moving a loaded dresser or desk will also put extra strain on your furniture which can cause it to break. For these reasons, it’s a good practice to unload all items before your movers arrive.

Thinking about renting a Uhaul and moving yourself? Checkout our article on How Much Does it Actually Cost to Rent a Uhaul?