If you ask a group of people what their least favorite thing about moving is, ninety percent of them will say packing. We don’t blame them! Packing properly isn’t just throwing your belongings into boxes; it means taking the time to sort, take stock, organize, and consider everything you have. It’s time consuming, exhausting, and generally no fun. The best way to make packing at least a little more bearable is to learn the most efficient ways to get it done.
That’s where we come in. Our experts put their heads together to come up with our best packing tips. If your question is, “what are the best ways to pack for a move in an easy, organized, and stress-free way?” we have the answers:
Get rid of as much as you can before you move.
If you have fewer things to move, moving becomes easier! Go through everything you have before you start packing and do your best to downsize. Go room by room and don’t move on to the next until the previous room is complete. Pick up every single thing and determine whether or not you use it or need it.
Separate your things into things you want to keep, things you want to donate, and things you should throw away. Once you’ve cleared out things that are unnecessary, it’ll be easier to organize and pack everything else.
Gather the right materials before you start.
It’s a bad idea to start packing before you have all of the right packing materials collected. If you find out you don’t have everything you need, you’ll have to start and stop again every time you need more supplies. Every time you stop, you’ll lose momentum and concentration, which will make it easier to forget things. Gather everything you’ll need before you start packing, and then try to get as much done as possible in one sitting.
For your average move you’ll need the following:
- Boxes or bins
- Cushioning material like bubble wrap, packing paper, packing peanuts, or old towels
- High-quality packing tape
- Labeling materials including permanent markers, masking tape, and sticker labels
- Helpful extra items like a box cutter, toolset, and moving straps
Stay organized.
The best tip we have when it comes to packing is to stay organized. There are a few different ways to guarantee you keep on track while packing. First, go through one room at a time. If you start packing all over without direction, it’s incredibly easy to get overwhelmed. Instead, work room-by-room to keep your progress contained.
Additionally, create a checklist. Packing checklists and schedules will allow you to divvy up tasks for easy completion. Being able to complete small tasks will give you the positive reinforcement to keep moving forward.
Know all the best moving “hacks!”
No packing tip post would be complete without some offbeat moving “hacks.” These are the little tips and tricks you can use to make your move even more effective. We’ve listed a few of our favorites here:
- You can wrap trash bags around hanging clothes and cinch them closed to make them easy to move. Just rehang them after you move in!
- Use linens and other items like socks to wrap up delicate breakable items.
- Take pictures of the backs of electronic devices like your television. You can use the photo as an easy guide to remembering where wires go once you’re hooking up the devices again.
- Store knives inside of oven mitts to protect against accidental injury when unpacking.
- Store jewelry in egg cartons to help prevent it from tangling up during the move.
Now that you have the tips, tricks, and checklists you need, you just have to actually get the packing and moving done! You don’t have to handle either packing or moving alone. Instead, give Wheaton a call. Our years of packing moving expertise will help you get your things from point A to point B quickly, safely, and easily.
