Moving can be an incredibly complicated process. Though the end can be fulfilling and rewarding, the middle of this journey can be more stressful than anything.
Key Takeaways
- Minimize your belongings and cut back on clutter
- Ensure you have plenty of packing material like packing paper and bubble wrap
- Hire a moving company to help you with the moving process
- Pack your belongings room-by-room to ensure you stay organized
- At the end of your packing journey, put together a box of essentials for easy access
- Pack items you rarely use first to get ahead of the game
- Don’t procrastinate! Pack in advance to ease your stress levels
- Properly label your boxes, so you know exactly what is in it
- Don’t overpack boxes and make them manageable
But the best way to make your move smooth and easy is by ensuring you are adequately prepared. Knowing the best way to pack your home can ensure your moving journey is as straightforward as possible.
Here are nine of our best packing tips when moving house to ensure you have the best move!
See Related: A 7-Tip Checklist For Moving Out Of Your Parents’ House
#1. Cut Back On Clutter And Minimize Your Belongings
For first-time movers, the packing process can seem relatively straightforward at first. It may feel like all you need to do is throw your stuff into moving boxes, tape them up, and hit the road.
But following that methodology will make your move a complete and utter disaster. Let us explain.
The moving process involves transporting all your belongings into a new house, whether just down the street or across state lines. And one of the primary objectives is to ensure your belongings aren’t damaged during the journey.
Suffice it to say that haphazardly throwing your stuff into boxes is a surefire way to guarantee you end up with boxes upon boxes of destroyed valuables. Your grandma’s china will get shattered and your favorite clothes will become ripped and torn.
No one wants this end to their move. So, let’s take a different approach to your packing.
The Best Way To Ensure A Safe And Smooth Move
Moving is stressful. We get that. And the best way to streamline the process is by creating less work for yourself.
Start the process by minimizing your belongings. Get rid of clutter, donate clothes you don’t wear anymore, and let go of things you do not need. You can even sell items online or host a garage sale to make some extra cash.
Not only will decluttering and minimizing set you up to have a more complete and fulfilling home. But it will also make it easier for you to pack boxes when you don’t need to worry about securing things you don’t even want anymore.
#2. Get Plenty Of Packing Supplies
Packing doesn’t happen by itself. First, you must ensure you have the necessary packing materials to keep your belongings snug inside the boxes.
Packing material ensures your items stay intact and don’t break during the move. Any breakable or fragile items will inevitably be damaged without adequate cushion and support.
You’ll need to load up on items like packing paper and cardboard boxes. It’s a good idea also to have a mix of small and large boxes to ensure you can pack your items in the appropriately sized box.
But, of course, you can never have too many packing materials. To make sure you have everything you need to complete the packing process, snag the following items:
- Packing paper
- Plastic bags
- Bubble wrap
- Packing tape or masking tape
- Packing peanuts
- Plastic wrap
- Wardrobe boxes if you want to pack your formal wear separately
Secure Enough Packing Materials To Make Your Move Easy
Many newbie movers make the mistake of not getting enough packing material. To cut costs, some may forego a couple of extra boxes. And that is a mistake that too many of us make.
When it comes to moving, you can’t simply give 50%. If you do that, you’re setting yourself up for a disaster.
So the first thing you should always do is get extra materials for packing. Ensure you have plenty of materials to secure valuable belongings and properly load them onto the truck.
Anything can happen during the packing process. Boxes can tear, or you can run out of paper. And as soon as you start to go light on the materials, you’re just waiting for a disaster to happen.
So, it’s always a good idea to get more than you need. Over-cushion items if you need to and make sure there are no empty spaces in your moving boxes.
#3. Book A Moving Company To Take Care Of The Hard Parts For You
Want to forego the stress of packing altogether? That’s when hiring a moving company is probably a good call.
Some moving companies will help with the packing process while others focus more on moving the boxes. Regardless, it’s a good idea to hire professionals to help you move in the end.
Finding a reliable and trustworthy moving company is easy if you know who to go to. That’s when The Movers Moving And Storage jumps in.
Movers You Can Rely On For More Than Packing
Our family-owned and operated business knows precisely how to make your move seamless and stress-free. There’s a reason why Floridians have trusted us for countless years to handle their entire move.
Starting from the beginning, we thoroughly and carefully pack your belongings so that even the most delicate and fragile items are completely secure during the move. And even if an accident does happen, we pay out any damages in claims.
We can handle heavy items like furniture or breakables like mirrors from start to finish. It’s that easy to make your move stress-free!
#4. Pack Your Belongings Room-By-Room
As we said earlier, haphazardly throwing items into a box when packing is a surefire way to set yourself up for a disappointing failure. Not only can that lead to broken things, but it can also make the unpacking process a disaster.
Right now, you might just be focused on getting through the move. And after that, everything should be easy and breezy. Right?
But remember – you still have responsibilities even after you’re in your new home. You’ll need to unpack your items to set up your new house quickly. No one likes to sit in a box-infested home for too long.
And if you don’t prepare to unpack as you are initially packing, you can make the process at the end much more complex and time-consuming. A great way to streamline the process later is to start packing room-by-room.
What we mean by that is to pack items in boxes in groups based on what room they come out of. For example, pack dishes and cooking utensils in the same box while linens and extra pillows can go in a box together.
This makes it so that when you arrive at your new home, you can place boxes in their designated room immediately and already be one major step ahead of the game.
Bonus: 5 Ways To Cope With The Stress Of Moving
#5. Pack Your “Essentials Box” Last
When you’re packing room-by-room, make sure you pack a box filled with essentials at the end. These are the things you’ll likely be using almost every day and that you’ll need access to up until you’re on the road.
Then, when you arrive at your new home, this will be the first box you unpack. Your single box of essentials should have things like:
- Toilet paper
- A change of clothing
- Toothbrush, towel, and other toiletries like shampoo and soap
- All-purpose cleaner
- Plate, cup, and silverware
- Garbage bags
- Snacks
- Important documents
- Chargers and electronics
#6. Start With Items You Rarely Use
To pack for moving, you need to have a system in place. As we stated earlier, it’s a great practice to pack room by room and create a box of essentials for immediate use.
But another one of our favorite moving tips is to start by packing items you rarely use. For things you don’t use at all, it’s a good idea to get rid of them one way or another. But if you still need them or want to hang onto them, pack them first.
Start with rooms on higher floors or in the attic if you live in a multi-story home. Seasonal items like Christmas decorations and Halloween costumes can also be securely packed away.
Focus on packing items you definitely won’t need for a while first. Then, slowly progress towards more frequently-handled things. And don’t forget about packing your essentials box!
#7. Pack In Advance
Some of the best moving tips seem like common sense, but they are frequently forgotten. Moving is hectic and there are many moving parts, so it’s only natural for some things to occasionally slip through the cracks.
Preparing and packing in advance is the best way to ensure things aren’t forgotten. So don’t wait to pack your five-bedroom home two days before the movers arrive to haul away your belongings.
Start packing as soon as you know you have a move on the horizon. Start with items you don’t use. Stock up on moving supplies and boxes so you’ll be adequately prepared.
Ultimately, the key here is to pack in advance. Don’t wait until the last second, or you’ll just create more stress and chaos.
#8. Label Your Boxes To Keep You Organized
Another simple yet highly effective tip for packing is to label your boxes. This can really help you stay organized throughout the moving process.
Plus, this will greatly streamline unpacking. Packing room-by-room can ensure that boxes are loaded for the same general area while detailed labeling can help you know what specific items are in a box.
#9. Don’t Overpack Boxes
Nothing is worse than trying to lift an impossibly heavy box on moving day. Even if you’ve enlisted the help of your most muscular friends, a large box of books and heavy items is a true nuisance.
If you have rather weighty items, confine them to a smaller box to reduce the overall load. Save bigger boxes for light items like pillows or linens.
Make sure you test the weight of your box as you’re packing. If it gets too heavy, replace some items with something more lightweight.
From our family to yours, good luck with your upcoming move. You’ve got this!
Keep Reading: 8 Things To Do After Moving Into A New House
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The Movers Moving & Storage has been a family-owned and operated moving company for 40 years and across three generations. Serving areas in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Spring Hill, Lakeland, Wesley Chapel, Brandon, and Clearwater in Florida, our simple approach to moving has not changed since the day we opened. We treat our customers like family and their belongings like our own. For more moving facts and information, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
