Packing for a move is a universally dreaded chore. There’s no real reason for packing to be so terrible, though. Preparation is the key to successful and unstressed packing, so read on for tips on how to do it right.
Gather supplies
Packing for your move will require plenty of supplies, so begin gathering as soon as possible. You can get boxes from a liquor store, grocery store, online or from a local moving company. Used boxes from a store are free, but if you’re packing your own truck, consider that boxes of different sizes are harder to stack. Some moving supply companies offer used boxes at a discount. Whatever type of boxes you choose, remember that you have to lift them all when they’re full, so keep them to a manageable size.
You’ll also need packing tape, scissors, colored permanent markers, garbage bags (clear ones for packing clothes and linens), newspaper or inkless packing paper and/or bubble wrap for packing breakables.
Remove the clutter
Why go to the trouble to sort, pack and unpack things you don’t really care about? There is no better time to declutter than when preparing to move. Bring three boxes or garbage bags into each room and assign each one a “keep”, “give” or “toss” label. Be honest and don’t hold on to clothes or other items you don’t use. As soon as you’ve filled up the “give” or “toss” containers, get them out of your home, either to the curb or to the charity of your choice.
Get a packing system
Before you begin packing, create a manifest that will list all of your box numbers, colors and contents. Your colored markers will indicate which room each box belongs in when it comes out of the moving truck — yellow for the kitchen, for example. To coordinate the bags properly, tie them with scrap ribbon in the desired color.
One handy numbering method is to pack your least important items first, so that when you begin unpacking, your highest number boxes or bags are the ones you need and retrieve first.
Slow and steady
Pace yourself. It’s a good idea to set a goal of five boxes a day and keep them in the room they were packed in. List their contents and room name on the outside. Stay organized by keeping your packing supplies together in a bag that you can carry with you throughout your home as you pack.
Packing usually seems overwhelming because we remember all the other times we left it until the last minute and had no rhyme or reason to how we did it. A few easy steps, a coherent plan, manageable bites of packing time and before you know it, you’ll be happily on your way to your new home.