Advice from our moving experts to make your next move smoother, safer, and less stressful.
We'll give you an exact quote in minutes. No pressure. No surprises.
Published on Dec 29, 2024
•6 min read
By Murphy Jackson,Guest Author
Moving house is rated as one of the most stressful life events for families- especially if there are multiple family members to account for.
Naturally, you’ll want to pack up and transport all of your most cherished belongings to make your new house feel like home. But packing up is often where the stress begins.
With an organized room-by-room packing guide, you can streamline the entire process. Here’s how to do it…
Planning your packing and actually doing the work are two different things. Once you have drawn up your packing plan-of-action, it’s important to stick to it as best you can.
Systematic packing is 100% necessary for a stress-free move, especially when organizing a large home. This is why you should tackle your house room by room as each space comes with its own set of challenges.
Here’s how it’s done:
This is one of the biggest pressure points in packing up your home. It may seem like a daunting task, so begin with your kitchen first. Your kitchen is often packed with such a vast array of both small and large objects, so where do you begin?
Start by clearing out your pantry. Box pantry items that are sealed and can be used, donate other items that you won’t use. Tackle your fridge and freezer last, probably a day or two before your actual move.
Move onto awkward Tupperware and ”junk” cupboards, scale down on what you don’t need. Donate things to charity, family, and friends or send it to recycling.
From here, move onto pots, pans, crockery, cutlery, and glassware. Pro tip: don’t forget to pack an essentials box for your first night in your new home with all basic necessities. Make sure to include things like dishwashing liquid, dishcloths, mugs, plates, cutlery, your toaster, a basic set of pans, cooking utensils.
Pro tip: Make sure plates, cups and bowls are packed vertical. This is a lot safer than laying items flat and will avoid damage.
Another difficult room to tackle is generally the master bedroom. This is a room that tends to accumulate clutter, just like the kitchen.
Start with those dreaded closets and drawers crammed with all sorts of random items. Work your way through them and designate each item into different boxes: donate, keep, or recycle.
Move on to your own clothes closet and drawers, then tackle your master bathroom if you have one. Top tip: pack your clothes into empty suitcases so you can save your boxes for other household items.
The same goes for bathroom products you’ve accumulated over time. Designate items into boxes: donate, keep, and recycle.
Carefully wrap up ornaments and lamps with bubble wrap or newspaper and pack into boxes. Roll up your rugs and label them so you know which room they belong to. Check out this guide on how to help your children pack up their own rooms.
Perhaps your living room is a little less inundated with clutter, but it can still seem overwhelming to pack up. This room will probably still be in use right up until the day you move, so start with all the unused items first.
Start by clearing out bookshelves and boxing up rarely used items such as electronics, reading books, decor, and other knick-knacks. Dismount pictures and mirrors and wrap them up for move day.
Pack up extra blankets, roll up the rugs and leave behind just the couch and television until move day arrives.
Your home office is an important room to pack carefully because of all the important items within it. This includes bookkeeping files, insurance records, and expensive hardware.
Begin by sorting and filing important documents and packing those up methodically. Tackle bookshelves and drawers next. Wrap up and prepare your electronics and make sure to include all relevant cables in the same box.
Your home is most likely host to more than one bathroom. These rooms can also be tricky to pack up because of all the small knick-knacks they can accumulate over time. Going through each bathroom will take patience as sort through each drawer and cupboard and all the random items.
Set up a donate, keep and recycle system as you go. If items are open or half-used, it’s best to donate them if they’re still safe to use or toss them!
Create a specific box for all prescription medications and important medicines. Don’t forget to create an essentials bathing box too for your first few nights in your new home.
The items in your dining room generally need a little more care in their handling. Some of these could include fine china, antique ornaments, crockery or detailed chandeliers.
For all of these fragile pieces, take in care in wrapping them and packing them in boldly labeled boxes. For expensive furniture, wrap or tape the edges so that they are protected from scuffing or scratching during the move. The same goes for large mirrors. It may be best to dismantle large chandeliers so that they aren’t damaged in transit.
Pro tip: Put an airy layer of packing paper at the bottom and top of any box you are filling with fragile items to provide an extra layer of protection.
Ah, the garage. It may seem like the lowest priority area to pack up, but it’s also a room that tends to accumulate stuff you never knew you had. Yes, this is usually the domain of the man-of-the-house, so task him with the packing up!
Make sure old electronics and appliances are recycled or donated. Drain the fuel from all gas-powered equipment that is being relocated. Protective covers must go on all equipment too. Detachable parts of powered equipment should be removed and packed separately.
Bundle up your garden tools with long handles and tie them together – wrap them in blankets for better protection. Try to be brutally realistic about the garage or storage items you intend to keep and use. The rest should be donated or recycled!
Whether you need assistance with a local move, long-distance relocation, packing up or unpacking, Muscleman Elite has got you covered.
Based in Austin, we offer a professional and fully licensed service, along with transparent pricing and free estimates. Get your free quote today and make the right move with us!