Did you know that more than 40 million Americans moved every year in the last five years? 65% of those moves were local, within the same county. Are you one of the millions of Americans planning to relocate? Packing for moves can be overwhelming but this guide has all the tips you need to make the process easy.
Keep reading to learn some important tips that can help you when you start the packing and moving process.
1. Make a List
When planning a move it’s crucial to stay organized. You’ll want to start by creating a moving budget to see how much you’ll be able to spend on supplies and other expenses.
Make a packing supply list so you know exactly what you need to buy without overspending. Tape, scissors, boxes, and bubble wrap are a few essential items to have.
You should also take this time to create a packing schedule. If you know your exact moving date you can create a calendar of days you’ll take to pack.
2. Consider Hiring a Moving Company to Help
Moving comes with a lot of stress but one way to take a huge task off your plate is by hiring movers to help you. All the time and physical labor needed to pack up your home and move everything can be spent on other important tasks when you hire a moving company.
MuscleMan Moving offers a great packing and unpacking service so you don’t have to worry about a thing. We also provide all of the packing materials necessary.
Whether you only want help packing and want to take care of the unpacking or if you only need help packing one room, we can help in any way you need.
3. Get Rid Of Things You Don’t Need
Decluttering your home can save you time, money, and stress. Decluttering is vital when you’re planning to move.
Organizing your things and getting rid of what you don’t need will prevent you from having to pack up and move more things. Make a separate pile for things you’ll keep.
Set up some boxes and fill them as you organize around your home. Items that are too worn down can be thrown out. Pack a box for donation items and another for things you can sell.
4. Pack One Room at a Time
When you decide to pack up your belongings on your own you have to start with a plan in mind. The easiest way to pack is to focus on one room at a time.
Start with the room that’s used less. You can pack up things you’ll need from your garage like yard equipment. Art supplies and your children’s outdoor toys can be packed at this time too.
5. Choose the Right Boxes
When you start to plan your move you’ll need to have different box sizes to pack your belongings. While you can purchase boxes for your move there are many ways to get used boxes too. Grocery stores often give away boxes they don’t need if asked.
Make sure to use thicker cardboard boxes for heavier items. Smaller boxes can be used for packing small jewelry boxes and other accessories.
6. Keep a Box for Essential Items
When moving with your family there are a lot more things to pack. Every member of the family has items they need once settled into your new home.
While you might not want to do all your unpacking on the same day you move in, you’ll still need a few important items right away. This is why it’s important to pack a box or two with essential items.
In these boxes, you should have clean bedding, cleaning supplies, your phone charges, a few changes of clothes including pajamas, and toiletries.
7. Pack Seasonal Items Early On
There are a few categories of items you should consider packing well in advance. Seasonal decor and decorative pieces can be packed ahead of time.
These things don’t require daily use so it won’t be an inconvenience to pack them early. These items are also larger so figuring out how to wrap them with care might require a little extra time.
8. Learn How to Pack Clothes
It’s important to learn how to pack clothes for your move so that they don’t take up too much space. You don’t need to remove any clothes from your dresser if you’ll be moving them to your new home unless they’re weighing it down too much.
Bulky clothes can be packed up in your suitcases. Another idea is to put them in compression bags and stack them up in boxes.
9. Use Padding for Fragile Items
Fragile items are the trickiest to pack when moving. These items are easy to break so handling them with care is vital.
Padding items made from glass is the best way to protect them. You can use clothes or bubble wrap to wrap these delicate items.
10. Label Everything
Getting labels for boxes when shopping for packing supplies is an important part of making the moving process less stressful. You need to clearly label every box after packing it.
This will help everyone know which boxes belong in which rooms in the new home. It’ll also help ensure your fragile items are handled with care when being moved.
Packing for Moves Tips You Should Know
Packing for moves doesn’t have to be stressful if you follow the tips in the guide above. Planning and creating a packing schedule will make the process easier.
You should also consider hiring movers to help. Check out the MuscleMan Moving Services page for information on long-distance movers, local movers, or packing and unpacking services. Whatever your moving needs might be, we can help!
