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Packing up your home and moving across the country or just across state lines can be nightmarish.
No part of the moving process is more underestimated than packing, especially if you’ve been in your current home for years.
The rate at which humans accumulate stuff is just phenomenal, and just when you think you’ve packed the last box, you open another cupboard and find it filled to the brim with memories and junk – and those two are sometimes mutually exclusive.
Packing and moving house is not for the faint-hearted, it requires determination, energy, and packing skills.
If you only have 2 out of those 3, don’t panic – below are five of the top packaging skills from moving experts:
1. Make A List
Make a list for each room and create boxes for charity/donations, garage sales, and trash. It may not seem like it at first, but those boxes will be full before you know it.
If you’re feeling super organized, list the items you add to each box and keep a running inventory. That way, if you start to look for something at your new destination, you can quickly reference back and see if you’re wasting your time.
2. Be Ruthless
If you’ve been in your current home for more than five years, there is every chance that you’ve kept items over the years that you don’t really need. Spare plugs, clothing that doesn’t fit, old toys, etc. Do a clean-up before you start packing and donate or sell anything you haven’t used or looked for in the last year.
Allow yourself a small box for sentimental items because we all have things that tug on our heartstrings but be ruthless with the rest. The less there is to pack, the quicker packing will be.
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3. Packing Material
Moving without the correct packing material is a recipe for disaster. Using old, worn boxes, and mostly popped bubble wrap will do nothing to protect your precious possessions. Pack all your items in a Gaylord box so you can rest assured that they will reach their destination in one piece.
Always have extra bubble wrap, packing beads, and Sellotape – you can never have enough of those!
4. Pack In Advance
In most cases, moving doesn’t happen overnight; that is typically for criminals and poor planners. You don’t want to be either of those two things.
Most moves are planned weeks or months in advance – which is when you should start packing too. Pack the items you don’t use, like seasonal decorations and winter or summer clothing; that way, when the time comes to pack with purpose, all the unused stuff will already be ready to ship.
5. Clothing and Jewelry
One of the top tips for packaging clothes is to roll each item instead of folding it. Clothing takes up a lot of room when it gets folded – especially winter clothing. Save on packing space and use the extra boxes somewhere else.
Transporting jewelry can be tricky if you don’t have a jewelry box. That would be the quickest and safest choice, but if you don’t have one, use a Ziplock bag and secure your items separately to avoid knotting during transportation.
When you arrive at your new destination, unpack your clothing and jewelry first so your clothes have time to straighten out and your jewelry has room to breathe.
