Top Packing Tips For Local Moving
Packing up your life and moving away doesn’t always have to be stressful and scary. Since most people love staying on a budget, hiring movers and packers is not always the best choice. With planning and right tips, you can have an excellent experience packing yourself. It is well known that moving is a stressful process, so packing sounds like an easy job. Although, when you say packing, no one thinks about decluttering, spending time labeling boxes, packing fragile items, etc. It is very important to pack with meaning instead of just throwing your belongings into boxes and shutting them with tape. In order to have everything done within the time frame of your move date, follow these top packing tips for local moving.
1. Get started
If you are not hiring movers and packers, start by gathering your supplies. Make a list of supplies you will need and it’s never wrong to get extra, since figuring out exactly how many boxes you will need is not possible. Maybe considering downloading a packing app could also come in handy. When you make the list, start getting supplies.
Boxes
There are plenty of options on how to get cheap or even free boxes. Visiting a website such as NextDoor Neighbor to search for used boxes, maybe the local supermarket has some boxes they want to throw away. Asking friends to give you boxes from their previous move is also a good idea.
Bubble wrap
It keeps your belongings protected during the move. And what is best of all, you can buy it at department stores for a very cheap price, or get some for free from Facebook Market.
Tape
Of course, packing is nothing without tape. You don’t want to pack your favorite set of plates only to find out later that they broke because you didn’t shut the box with tape.
Wrapping paper
It can help a lot when wrapping fragile items. Wrapping them with the paper can help get extra protection and less possibility for the fragile items to break.
2. Make a list
Make an inventory of items you plan to take with you. Do this based on each room and this will help you stay organized and keep track of your valuable belongings. The list will also help you out when you unpack, so you won’t have to open every box that says ‘’Kitchen’’, just to find plates.
3. Pack a box of essentials, or two
You don’t want to get caught up in the pile of boxes just to find your favorite sweater. Make sure you pack a box of essentials for you and your family several days before the move. That box should contain all the important things you will need until you unpack. Include soap, toothpaste and a new toothbrush, set of comfy clothes, sleepwear and a towel. That way you will have everything ready when you move in so don’t have to unpack the moment you move in. Keep this box in a safe place so it doesn’t get mixed up with others.
4. Declutter
You know that closet in your hallway that you are afraid to open because something may fall on you? You are not seriously planning to pack those belongings and move them into your new home.
Make a list of three categories:
- Keep (items that you need and want should be considered in the keep section)
- Throw (whatever you are ready to get rid off, what can’t be donated or sold because it’s broken)
- Donate (items you don’t need, but they are still perfectly fine to use)
You can even organize an old fashioned garage sale and earn some money while getting rid of your belongings. Less stuff means a cheaper move. You can declutter either before you even start packing or while you pack.
5. Take pictures of electronics
Is there anything you have set up that took you forever to get right and now you are loathing the moment you have to disassemble it? In order to prevent yourself losing your mind while getting the cords wrong, take pictures of your complicated setups, like the back of your TV. You can use that photo as a reference later.
6. Use your electronic boxes
Remember that time when you were too lazy to throw away all those boxes that electronics came in? Who would have known that laziness can be helpful sometimes. Now that you have electronic boxes, pack your electronics in them. These boxes were custom made for your electronics and it will be super easy to move them that way.
7. Make a packing station
Make a packing station at your home. You will want a wide, spacious room where you can drag and drop your stuff. This is where you will have your boxes, supplies, lists and labels. Start packing room by room. Go to your kitchen, get a box and start packing. Advice on where to start would be a room that you are not using that often. I would recommend leaving the kitchen until a couple of days before the move. Starting with your decoration items and then ending with the most used items is a good way to start.
8. Start packing
Don’t pack air. Wrap each item individually, properly enough with layers or bubble wrap or wrapping paper. Place items inside a box with extreme care and in the best position to possibly avoid any damages. Heavy items should be placed at the bottom of the box and lighter items on top inside the box. Fill the box all the way to reduce the number of boxes you will need. Heavy items such as books should be packed in smaller boxes. Make sure you don’t overpack the boxes since they may break. Fragile and breakable items should be packed with extra care and attention. Use more layers of wrapping than usual.
9. Pack each room separately
If you want unpacking to be easier, it is important to pack each room for itself. Start packing one room at a time, kitchen items should be packed together, decorative items as well and so on. This will make it easier for the movers too. They can put each box in the room it belongs to.
10. Label
Label your boxes. Take a marker or labeling stickers and once you pack a box, label it. This will help a lot with organizing because not only will your movers know where to put a box, you will also know what box to open when you need something. Labeling is something your movers and packers would do, but since you decided to pack yourself, never forget to label.
Packing tip
Don’t pack clothes from your dresser. Instead, take the drawers out and wrap them nicely so the drawers can be moved. Drawers will be light enough for one person to lift, let alone two.
11. Seal everything that can be spilled
Items that are liquid should be sealed and taped to make sure they don’t spill during your move. You don’t want to spill your shampoo and ruin your other belongings. That is why it’s important to pack all liquids together and tape them shut before packing them.
Fun fact
Ladies move more than guys. In 2016 6.6 million more females moved than males.
12. Book everything early
If you are hiring professional movers, renting supplies or hiring painters and cleaners, make sure you book everything ahead of time. Waiting to do so can result in paying a higher price or not being able to book at all, especially if it’s peak moving season.
13. Double check everything
Are all the boxes taped shut? Did you forget to pack something? Double check everything and make sure nothing is forgotten. Also do this on the day of your move. After the movers are done loading your belongings, do a walkthrough and make sure you didn’t leave anything behind.
14. Get rid of food
Most moving companies have a policy which is not moving food. So it would be best if you stop buying groceries a week before your move and the day before get rid of the remaining groceries in your fridge. After that, disconnect the fridge and tape the cables and the doors so it doesn’t open during transportation. Everything you do can save you time and time will save you money.
15. Clean
Even if you hire movers and packers, cleaning still awaits. Toss away junk and only pack things you are sure you will use. After the packing is complete, clean your home. Start with cleaning rooms you surely won’t use again and finish cleaning the day before your move.
If you decide that this will be too time consuming and you can’t do it yourself, hiring movers and packers comes to mind. But what should you expect from them?
What should you expect from movers and packers when they come?
First we need to say that the movers are expecting your home to be organized when they come. No one wants to move couches and other heavy furniture while clothes from yesterday still remain on the couch. Make sure you get everything done before your move date and organize and clean everything.
As for what you should expect from movers is for them to be professional. Professionals tend to organize the truck while loading it. That way they make unpacking so much easier. When they start packing you, they will start room by room. While they may mix your things to make sure everything is going to fit well, they are professionals after all. Expect them to work much more efficiently than you.
One of the benefits of hiring movers and packers to do everything for you is that they know how to handle your belongings. They will disassemble and reassemble your furniture, protect it and put everything back together when they move you. Since most movers work by the hour, feel free to break down furniture yourself if you are confident enough. You will save some money.
Whether you will hire movers and packers or just do it yourself, it is totally up to you. Maybe sitting down and thinking about the benefits of hiring professionals is a good idea. With professional movers, you know you will have a professional service and doing it yourself might result in even more stress and you may not finish in time.
In the meantime, check out what we offer and visit our website to get a free quote for your moving needs.