12 Time Saving Packing Tips for Moving

Moving into a new home can be the most exciting and stressful time in someone’s life. So many things will need to get done before moving day and it may leave you feeling overwhelmed and like there is not enough time in the day to get it all done.

Here at Triangle Movers, we are expert movers and packers with over 35 years of experience in the moving industry. So, we have compiled our best tips and tricks for packing with ease that are both time-saving and will help to reduce some of the stress that comes along with moving.

1. Start Packing Early

As soon as you know that you will be moving into a new home, you should sit down and create an action plan for how everything will get done before moving day. Figure out how much you have that will need to be packed into boxes, what fragile items you have, what furniture will need to be disassembled, etc.

Starting your packing early and going in with an action plan will save you time in the long run, and is crucial in having a successful move.

2. Take This Opportunity to Declutter

Before you start packing, take this opportunity to go through your items and determine what you actually want to go with you into your new home. Doing this can save you a ton of space as well as time spent packing as you will have fewer items.

Having fewer items will also mean fewer packing materials and, if you are planning on hiring a moving company, will end up saving you money on your move as most moving estimates are determined by the weight of your items.

3. Pack Room By Room

One mistake people can make during the moving process is trying to tackle packing their entire home in one or two days. Many are unaware of just how much stuff they have collected over the years. Be sure to give yourself a couple of weeks to pack your home and section out your packing days by room.

A good goal is to try and pack at least one or two rooms each day until you are done.

4. Make an Inventory List

As you pack, create an inventory list of everything you are bringing with you. This can seem like a hassle, but having this list is an important guide to have as you unpack your items into your new home to ensure everything made it over from the move.

If you want to go beyond this, you can also go more in-depth and write about the condition of your items or take pictures just in case any damage is done to your belongings so you can easily file a claim.

5. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Packing Supplies

A good idea to save money on packing supplies is to go around asking family or friends if they have any spare cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper or any other packing materials. You can also go to your local retail store or grocery store, and ask if they have any spare boxes from a recent shipment.

6. The More Details the Better When Labeling

This tip pretty much explains itself. The more details you include on the outside of your moving boxes, the better. It may seem like a tedious task as you are doing it, but you will be thanking yourself later when it comes to sorting through your boxes.

To stay even more organized, we recommend color-coding your boxes as to which room they came from. For example, all boxes that came from your kitchen mark them red with a marker or sticker.

7. Don’t Leave Empty Spaces

Make sure that you don’t leave any empty spaces in your boxes. You want to pack all your items securely in the box or else they will tend to rattle which could lead to damage.

8. Leave Your Clothes on the Hanger

One great way to save some time while packing is to leave your clothing right on the hanger when you are packing. All you have to do is place a garbage bag over your clothing items and poke a hole for the tops of the hangers to come through.

This makes for easy packing and loading.

9. Use Linen and Towels to Wrap Items

A good way to save space is by utilizing your linens and towels and using them to wrap any fragile items you have. This trick will add some extra cushioning around your items and will be better protection than the typical newspaper wrapping.

10. Put a String Under Your Packing Tape

This little moving hack seems insignificant but will end up saving you a ton of time when you start to unpack. By placing a piece of string under your packing tape, leaving some excess hanging over the side, you can easily grab the hanging end of the string and pull off the tape without the need for box cutters or scissors.

11. Pack A “First Night” Bag

So, after everything has been moved in and the movers have left, you are most likely not going to be unpacking your items that first night. Packing a “first-night” bag with all the essentials you will need for your first couple of nights in your new home saves you time from having to search through endless moving boxes just to find your toothbrush.

12. Don’t Leave Packing to the Last Minute

This may sound like a given, but it is an easily forgotten moving tip. With so many things going on moving day, the last thing you need to worry about is last-minute packing. Ideally, you should finish your packing at least one day before moving day, preferably two.

With our packing tips in mind, you can save yourself some time and stress and enjoy this exciting new milestone in your life!