Packing up your house doesn’t need to be chaotic. With the right supplies and the proper mindset, you can get packed, moved, and unpacked with a minimum of fuss and stress. Let’s look at a few tips to get you started.
Get Started Early
Are you going to move yourself or have the professionals help? While moving from your dorm room was comfortable, moving an entire household is not. It’s a job best left to the pros.
Start your search for a private moving company as soon as you know you’re moving. Check out several movers and get written quotes from them. Make sure they all offer the same services and guarantees.
Go Box Crazy
Get a variety of boxes before you start packing. You don’t know how many boxes you will need before you get done packing. It’s better to have a few to return than to scramble, trying to find some at the last minute.
You may think a few larger boxes are better than a bunch of medium and small ones. Think again. Trying to pack large boxes with heavy content is a recipe for disaster.
Use small boxes for heavy or bulky items, like books, and medium boxes for lighter things. Leave the most massive boxes for noticeably delicate items like pillows and comforters.
Be sure to get some specialty boxes. Packing dishes is much easier when using a dish box. Put hanging items in wardrobe boxes. Consider specialty boxes for electronics and other fragile items.
Label, Label, Label
Every box needs to have a clear label. The label should include a brief description of its contents, the room in which it needs to be moved, and an inventory number.
The inventory number should be a unique number starting from “1” and going up. This gives you a firm count of how many boxes left your old place and how many should arrive at your new one.
One Box to One Room
For easy packing and unpacking, don’t mix things from different rooms. When you’re packing an item, consider which room it will need to be unpacked in at your new home.
Let’s say you have two kids who are sharing a room right now. At your new place, each will have their own space. Pack each child’s belongings in boxes intended for their new rooms. It will make unpacking a breeze.
Worry About the Details Before Moving Day
Know which boxes you will need right away in your new place. Those boxes get loaded last and come off the truck first. That way, you won’t need to go hunting for bed linens or paper plates.
Keep essential items separate. Medications, jewelry, cash, and important documents (even if PDFs from SODAPDF) should go with you, not the movers.
Know where the movers can park the moving van. If you live in an apartment, see if there are restrictions or set hours for elevator use.
Have everything ready before the movers arrive. That means having everything packed. Get furniture disassembled the day before, if possible.