If you’ve ever had the pleasure moving, you already know how much fun it is. Just kidding. It’s a beast, and we all know it. The key to a successful move is to stay organized, get ahead of the game, and don’t procrastinate.
Here are some great packing tips to keep you on schedule for your move.
1. Make a list
Aside from all the other moving tasks that need to be done, taking the time to make a list devoted to packing will give you a better idea of how much time the process will take. Get your list together and buy everything at once to save you time. Here are some of the things you’d want on your packing list.
- Boxes: You’ll need a lot more of them than you think you will, and of all sizes. You can either buy them or ask one of your local retailers to save boxes for you.
- Bubble wrap: You’ll need enough for all your breakables.
- Newspaper: It can also be used to pack items safely.
- Baggies: Keep plenty of them on hand.
- Markers: Color-coded markers will help you organize different room’s boxes.
- Tape: Again, you’ll probably need more than you think. And, buy the good stuff. Broken boxes aren’t fun to deal with.
2. Set a goal
Don’t let the size of the job overwhelm you. You could set goals to get the packing done. You could maybe shoot for one room a day, or one closet a day. Achieving goals will give you the motivation to push forward.
3. Purge early
As soon as you know that you are moving, start going through every room, closet, drawer, and cabinet and get rid of the things that you don’t want. It’s amazing how many things will take up a lot of space over time.
Once you have everything separated, you can either sell it or donate it. Try to avoid throwing things away that could be used by someone else.
4. Pack some things ahead
As you are going through everything, you’ll notice a lot of things that you don’t use very often. Some professional movers suggest that you go ahead and get them packed and out of the way. You could designate a certain room or area in your house to keep all of the boxes out of your way until moving day.
Remember to use smaller boxes for heavier items, to both make sure that they are safe and to save your back.
5. Get rid of food
You could probably stop buying groceries for a week or so before the moving date, even longer if you have a lot of frozen food. Try to use as much food as possible so you won’t have to worry about packing it. If you find you have loads of food left in your pantry, consider donating the non-perishables to your local food bank or to a program like Move for Hunger.
6. Last-minute boxes
The closer you get to the big day, the more boxes you can pack. As the final days are dwindling down, you might even be so organized that you are living out of a suitcase, which is ideal. Just remember to have plenty of last-minute boxes available. Inevitably, you’ll need them, and you don’t want to be looking for boxes on moving day.