5 Steps To Help You Pack For a Move

In the summer, it is easy to procrastinate before a move. Who can blame you for not wanting to pack for your move a  few months before your moving company arrives? It is understandable that you still need to live in your house and use your stuff, but there are some genuine Packing Tips to help you pack for your move while keeping your home livable.

Here are 5 steps to help you pack for a move far in advance of moving day.

1. Get moving boxes that are all the same size

It may seem like a good idea to bring home random shapes and sizes of moving boxes to fit your various sized items that need to be packed. It is actually better to get the same sized moving boxes for everything so that come moving day the boxes can be packed more easily into a moving van. It can take moving companies a lot longer to pack up mismatched boxes into a moving van and this can end up costing you more money, especially if you are paying your movers by the hour.  This may mean getting larger boxes, so you should still make sure that your boxes are easy to lift. You can do this by packing only a few heavy items in each box and surrounding it by lighter items.

2. Reduce the clutter before you begin to pack for your move

Consider that all of the things that you move to your new home will take up space in boxes and in the moving van and will take up time and energy to move. This should motivate you to get rid of the things that you don’t use BEFORE you move. A good rule to go by is if you haven’t used an item within the past year then you probably don’t need to hold onto it. This rule works for clothes, kids toys and broken things that you plan on fixing but haven’t gotten around to in the past decade (we’ve all been there). Don’t wait to get rid of clutter until the week before you change houses. You can start de-cluttering as soon as you decide to move since you won’t be needing those things anyway.

3. Pack non essential items first

Another task you can complete early on is to pack non-essential items first. Non essential items are things that you don’t use very often so you won’t be needing them until you move to your new place. You can pack picture frames, miscellaneous decorations and out of season clothing items that won’t be missed. Store the boxes in the garage or a spare bedroom so you can continue to live in your home without having to maneuver around moving boxes all over the house.

4. Pack for your move room by room and label the boxes

This may seem obvious, but it will make your job of packing and unpacking much simpler if you pack according to room. It can be overwhelming to try to pack the entire house at the same time, so just focus on one room at a time. You can set a goal to de-clutter and pack one room completely before moving on to the next room. After you complete each room you can take a well deserved break and reward yourself with a nice cup of tea or a special treat. Once you get into your new home you will be very thankful that you packed according to rooms because it will make your unpacking go so much easier. After going through the trouble of packing your moving boxes by separate rooms, don’t forget to label the boxes so the movers know where to put them in the new house!

5. Get all house members involved in packing for your move

Packing doesn’t have to be reserved for the adults in the house.  If you have kids they can help declutter and pack up their own rooms. When tackling corporate living areas like the kitchen and the living room, you can also work together with all the members of the household. Set house goals for packing and once you complete your goal for the day, do something fun with all of your helpers. This will make your packing experience less of a chore and more of a household bonding experience.

It’s easy to follow these 5 steps, so no more excuses! Get packing! If you start to pack for your move earlier, the stress leading up to the move should be reduced and your overall moving experience will be much smoother!

And as always, look to our moving checklist for a good overview and to keep everything accounted for both before and after your move.

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