While it’s exciting to be moving into a new home, the process of packing up all of your belongings can be stressful. At times it can be a hassle and make you feel overwhelmed, but it also has the potential to be very enjoyable and satisfying.
When it comes time to pack, it can be very helpful to have a well-thought-out strategy and some helpful pointers. Those of you who are currently in the midst of a move and could use some advice, keep reading for five packing hacks that will save you time.
Get Your Stuff in Order Before You Pack
It’s not a good idea to just grab a bunch of boxes and suitcases and dump everything in there. Taking the time to sort and organise your belongings before packing will make the process go much more smoothly. Sort your belongings into piles for recycling, reselling, and donating as you go through each room.
As you mover from room to room, make piles of what you’ll keep and what you’ll donate. Gather all of the clothes and books that have been lying around the house. Only then should you begin packing. This way, you won’t have to waste money on unnecessary items or fill up your storage space with them.
Make use of tagging and checklists to maintain order
Numerous packing checklists are available to help with this issue. Among other things, you should compile a list of everything you have to do before the move. Having an inventory list on hand will be helpful if you need to find a place to keep your belongings before unpacking. Use an expense list to keep from losing track of money during the relocation. Using a checklist is a great way to monitor your progress and stay on top of any remaining chores.
Sticky labels on packages are also essential for organisation. You might as well label everything if you’re going to spend a lot of time packing and organising. It will save you time and effort when unpacking if you label the sides and tops of your moving boxes with the contents. A more precise inventory can be achieved by clearly identifying the locations of each box. To save time, you can use it to figure out what’s inside each box before you even crack it open. Once you’ve unpacked and settled in, you can put things where they should go.
Create a Packing Area
When you leave your belongings strewn about the house after packing, it can be a major hassle to track them down. Establishing a convenient grab-and-go packing station can help if you’re having trouble focusing on the task at hand.
Moving from one room to another can be enough to throw off your concentration and make you forget what you were doing before. So, take up residence in a nook, on a counter, or the entire room! You should have boxes, tape, labels, and anything else you might need to pack stored in this area.
Pack your necessities in a separate bag
You should organise your luggage so that you can quickly get to the things you’ll need. The essentials, including clothing, electronics, and possibly an overnight bag, will make up the bulk of your baggage. In order to save time unpacking these essentials after you’ve moved, stock up on them before you leave your old home. Maintaining order during packing is easier when you have a specific plan in place.
Don’t wait until the last minute to pack
The sooner you find out about a move, the better, even if you don’t know exactly where you’ll be going. Before anything else, put away the seasonal clothing and accessories you won’t need. If you’re moving in the summer, you can get a jump on packing your winter coats, as well as books and other infrequently used items. Many things will be packed and ready to go when moving day arrives, relieving some of the stress associated with the process.
Planning ahead is essential
It’s best to plan ahead if you need to reserve the services of movers, rent equipment, or hire handymen like painters or cleaners to help out around the house. If you wait until the last minute, you may end up paying more or not getting a truck or movers at all.
Sort out your closet
Clothes can be packed in a variety of ways for a move, including cardboard boxes, suitcases, and even the dresser itself (if it isn’t too heavy to move). Invest in a wardrobe box with integrated hangers to store your garments neatly and efficiently. (Added bonus: you can stop stressing over how to transport your hangers!)
Packing shoes for a move requires special attention to ensure that they don’t get damaged while in transit. If you wrap each pair of shoes separately, you can avoid having to clean the dirt and debris off of the other pairs of shoes, and you can protect them from being damaged by any sharp heels or buckles. Socks can be used to maintain the form of shoes.
Use recycled materials to your advantage when packing jewellery; for example, string necklaces through straws or toilet paper rolls to prevent them from getting tangled.
Quilted furniture pads are used to protect televisions during transport by some moving companies. However, if you don’t have the original packaging, you’ll need to ship your plasma TV in a special wooden crate to prevent damage during transport. If you’re doing your own packing, make sure your TV is protected by placing it inside a second box that has been cushioned with packing paper.
Put in a request to have your utilities turned on at your new home
Once you have settled on a moving date, you should call your utility companies to set up service at your new home. You wouldn’t want to get there after a long day of moving only to find that the utilities are cut off. Make sure to plan ahead of time and keep track of all your requests in your moving folder. While you’re at it, put in a stop-service request with your current utility providers for the day you plan to move out.
Prioritize the less-frequented areas of your home as a starting point
A final piece of advice for efficiently packing up your home is to begin with the rooms and spaces you rarely use. If you want to keep your normal routine as unaffected as possible, the best place to start is in the basement or the living room. But don’t leave packing and setting up the kitchen until the last minute.
There are many delicate items in a kitchen, such as dishes, glasses, and appliances, which make packing a kitchen a difficult task. Take extra precautions to ensure that your dishes and glasses remain intact during transport.
Take note of these tips if you’re having trouble keeping track of your belongings during the moving process. However, we can also provide more extensive assistance if you find yourself in need of it, so don’t think of us as just a source of advice. If you need assistance with a local relocation, our skilled team of packers and movers is here to help. Find out why we are the most recommended moving company for both local and long-distance moves.
