5 Tips for Proper Packing
Moving can be an exciting time in one’s life. Maybe you’re embarking on a new life journey as you prepare to move internationally. Maybe you’re giving your family a fresh start in a new home. Whatever your reason for moving, it’s important to be prepared and organized. The best way to guarantee a stress-free move is to know the proper way to pack and organize your items so that your moving day goes off without a hitch. Here are a few quick packing tips that will help make your move easy.
Make a Schedule
A thorough packing schedule will make the entire process that much simpler. Make a list of things that you don’t use regularly and pack those first. For example, you could pack up any formal clothing that you know you won’t wear until after the move. Next, try to schedule a room per day to pack. Get everything in that room packed up with the exception of items you know you’ll be using before you leave, such as medication or cleaning supplies.
Start Early
The early bird does indeed get the worm and in this case, the “worm” is a simple, straightforward moving experience. The more time you allow yourself to pack and get organized, the better off you’ll be. You’d be amazed at how many little things you’ve collected and forgotten about over the years. Give yourself enough time to thoroughly check all the rooms and drawers of your home, including that junk drawer.
Take Inventory
Moving is an excellent opportunity to take an inventory of all the things you have and decide which items you really need. You should ask yourself three questions when going through what you own. Do I need it? Do I want it? Do I love it? If an item doesn’t fit squarely into at least one of those categories, get rid of it. Remember, just because you may choose to get rid of something doesn’t mean it has to go to the dump. You can always donate any items that are in good enough condition.
Electronic Backup is Your Friend
Do you know what’s usually in the heaviest moving boxes? Paper documents and books. People don’t realize just how heavy and cumbersome these things can become once they’re all piled up together in one box. Do your back a favor, if you don’t absolutely need a hard copy, don’t keep one. Scan important documents to a CD or cloud storage and only keep physical copies of things like birth records or social security information. As for books, simply try not to pack too many of them in a single box, and if you do have the option of getting eBook versions of anything in your collection, consider converting over.
Use the Right Packing Materials
It may be tempting to just pick up some old cardboard boxes from work or the neighbors, but it’s worth it to seek out the proper supplies. After all, you don’t want the bottom dropping out of the box labeled “fine china”. Your moving company will likely have packing materials that they can sell to you at a fair price, or at least know where you can get some. Not to mention, many packing materials are designed to safely and efficiently transport certain items, for example, clothing on hangers are easiest to transport in wardrobe boxes.
Moving doesn’t have to be a hassle. Some simple planning and attention to detail are all you need to get the job done right. Following these steps will have you well on your way to enjoying your new home after a stress-free move.
