Packing has been identified as one of the key reasons why moving is a stressful event. But packing isn’t as stressful as it seems, especially if you know how to pack like a pro. So, we’ve decided to share various top packing tips to help you pack like a pro. These packing tips will come in handy when it’s time for you to move.
Useful Packing Tips for a smooth relocation
Follow these simple and easy packing tips, and your next move is bound to go more smoothly and less stressful.
Let’s start packing!
- Use strong sturdy moving boxes for packing. Moving boxes come in different sizes. You can even get wardrobe boxes that you can use to hang your clothes just like in a closet, making it a breeze to pack and unpack. Used boxes are just as good as new one in most cases.
- Label everything as you pack, clearly, on the outside of the moving box. Mark what’s in the box and the room or area where it should be placed at your new location (i.e. living room, garage, attic).
- When packing liquid items like soap, shampoo, oil etc check all the lids to see if they are secure. As an extra precaution, put bottles in ziplock bags to prevent any damage in case of a leak.
- Use lots of tape on the seams of moving boxes, at least three strips on the bottom.
- Don’t overload boxes, try to stick to 40 pounds or less per box.
- Pack all of your valuables and paperwork (such as jewelry, photos, keepsakes, medicine, and financial records) in a separate box, and handle these yourself. Don’t turn them over to a moving company.
- Give yourself adequate time to pack – start at least 30 days before the moving company arrives.
- When disassembling furniture, make sure you pack the screws and other parts securely and label each of them. Tip: Put parts in small ziplock bags and tape them to the respective furniture so you don’t misplace them.
- Backup all of your computers before you disconnect anything, and clearly mark the cables so that you can easily set up your equipment once you’re in your new home.
- Make sure you count all the boxes and make an inventory list before the movers pick up your stuff.
- Packing your kitchen should be done by packing rarely used items first. Check your cabinets, drawers, and cupboards for items you don’t use always and start by packing them. Learn how to pack your kitchen in 10 easy steps.
- Don’t forget to pack an essential box which will contain all the useful items and materials you’ll need for the first few days after moving into a new home.
- When packing big screen TVs such as LCD, make sure they don’t lie flat. The screen can break easily if anything falls on it while lying flat. Rather, let the TV stand on its edge or the position it was designed to sit. Learn how to safely pack and move your big screen TV.
- Declutter as you pack. Packing is an opportunity to declutter your home. So, don’t forget to sort as you pack. Separate items you’ll like to donate, sell, or keep. You shouldn’t pay to move items you no longer need. If you intend to sell, here’s how to plan a garage sale that sells in any neighborhood. You can use these yard sale mobile apps to sell various items too.
- Rate each box as you pack to help you figure out their priority to be unpacked. Boxes that need to be unpacked in 24 hours or less should get a 5 star, others can get 3-star, 2 star, and 1 star.
- Avoid the mistake of indicating the valuables in each box. This will keep all your boxes safe without making any of them a target. If you have to label for any reason, indicate the room e.g. Kitchen, room 1, room 2, etc.
- Make sure your boxes aren’t too heavy. Despite taping all the bottom of your boxes, they can break away if the items in them are too heavy. More so, heavy boxes are difficult to lift and carry around.
- While packing plates, if you ever run out of paper, you can place plastic plates in between each plate to prevent them from breaking.
- You can avoid the confusion of having the wrong cables attached to the wrong electronics by simply taping the cables or cords to the base of the electronics. Chances are the tape may leave a sticky mark, and having that at the base of the electronic won’t matter.
- The content inside your moving boxes should never be left hanging. You should use plastic grocery bags, blankets, or soft cloths to keep the content inside the box in place.
- You’ll have to empty your fridge and pantry before packing. So, stop stocking up new items and start consuming the food you have in your fridge and pantry.
- When you start packing in full swing, do so room by room. This makes the entire packing process faster and more organized. You wouldn’t have to bother about missing anything as you pack from one room to the next.
- You should avoid hurting yourself by lifting heavy boxes. So, make sure your boxes aren’t too heavy. The weight of your boxes shouldn’t be more than 50 lbs.
- You should never mix various items from various rooms in the same box. This will make packing your items easier and organized. Also, unpacking and finding your items will be easier.
- Set a packing schedule. Rather than packing in a hurry, you can start packing several months or weeks prior to your moving day. In fact, you should start packing, as soon as you make up your mind to move. You can set a time and pack for at least an hour a day. This will give you the opportunity to pack at your own pace.
We hope these packing tips will help you in making sure your items are protected and you move is a safe one.
