So you’ve found your dream home – first things first, congratulations! Pinpointing that ideal property that meets both yours and your family’s needs can be quite an audacious task. It is one that requires a lot of focus, planning, and plenty of patience. Once you’ve secured your new home and signed all the papers, you will most likely have a few weeks to go before your move-in date. After all the stress of finding the property in the first place, it can be super tempting to just bliss out and relax before the time come to relocate. But, be warned – the day will come much sooner than you think! There is nothing worse than being unprepared for your move. You may look at the hoards of items you and your family own and wonder how on earth you are going to pack them all into their boxes. But there are some hacks and tips on how to master packing like a pro.
Get the right equipment
Simply shoving all your possessions into trash can bags and hoping for the best, unfortunately, isn’t going to work here. You will need something stable that will support your items and make sure nothing is liable to break. It is best that you get a variety of boxes for different uses. Try to get a variation between classic cardboard boxes and a couple of more heavy-duty, plastic ones. As far as cardboard boxes go, you shouldn’t even have to think about spending a penny on them. Most supermarkets have free ones you can take that will otherwise just go to waste. However, you will need to be savvy about the time you go to collect them, as many other people will also have the same idea! Get different sizes of boxes that all members of your family will be able to carry, or if you are hiring a residential mover. Remember to reinforce weak looking boxes with thick tape and pad some of them out with bubble wrap, if you are moving delicate items.
Pack your most used items last
This might seem obvious, but you would be surprised at the amount of people who pack up certain items in sealed boxes, only to realize that they actually need that item the next day. Pack smartly by starting with the rooms you use least. Spare rooms or offices that are harbouring a lot of clutter are usually your best bet when it comes to this. Garages too normally have a lot of things in them that you aren’t likely to need until after the move. Also, prepare a box of essentials that you can easily access on your first night in your new home. You probably won’t feel like unpacking everything in one go, so having a box of ready made food, pajamas and towels can make a big difference.
Label your boxes
Clearly labeling your boxes can save you mountains of stress when it comes to moving day. Don’t just label by room – for example, ‘kitchen’, or ‘bathroom’. Get a little more specific, relating to what is actually in the boxes. Chances are, you’re not going to remember where absolutely everything is on the day, as you will have a lot of stuff to think about in one go. Labelling things in detail can help you access items you may need quicker than you originally thought. Also, getting your children to decorate the moving boxes by writing on them is a great way to get them more involved in the move – especially if they feel stressed about it.
Labeling boxes with more detail is a good idea. Some rooms end up with so many boxes. Having a separate box of essentials is smart too. Hopefully I won’t be moving any time soon.
Labeling is such a big help. The more detail the better. It was tough when we last moved because Hubby ended up packing the last of our stuff and it ended up scattered through the house. Thanks for sharing
I have lived so many times I’m pretty sure I should get paid for it as a mover LOL. The biggest thing that always help me is label in the box but not just on one side on each side it doesn’t take that long and it’s so much easier when you get to where you’re going to see what the box is.
My sister is going to be moving into her new to her home. I need to help so these tips are appreciated!
Thanks for the moving information here.
I will be sure to pass this along to my friends.
Moving when you have little kids is a huge challenge, been there – done that. But with tips like yours, especially important “little” things like labeling boxes can make moving no matter how many kids you have a breeze.
Thanks for the great moving information!!!
I will be sure to pass this along to my bestie who is moving soon!
Labeling your stuff is so crucial and will save you so much time when you’re unpacking! These are such great tips for those who are planning a move!
Wonderful tips! We are hoping to move next summer so I would love to be a pro by then… it’s so much work and with little help I could use all the advice i can get!
We have moved a couple times and it has gotten easier each time. These tips are all so useful even for me . The one that so many people don’t think about is that you should wait until the very last minute to pack those items you use all the time.
Since we just moved and I’m still unpacking boxes, YES to label all the boxes. And pack the most used items last. My girls thought it was Christmas when they unpacked a box recently and found a bunch of stuff they had been looking for.
I hate moving. There are always so much to do. These are great tips for packing.
These are great packing tips. We have a move coming up soon .I will have to remember to label all the boxes.
I moved a few months ago and I am still unpacking. We were lucky to have an extra bedroom we could put all the unopened boxes in.
These are great tips! We moved a couple years ago and it was such a hassle I swore I wasn’t going to ever do it again lol
We moved from Oregon to Southern California about 3 years ago. Was a big trip, but luckily with planning nothing went wrong.
When we moved, we packed our NEEDS in boxes that were packed with different tape. That way friends knew which part of the new house to put them in AND we knew to unpack which ones first. Always a good idea to pack with a plan!
Boy oh boy! We have moved across country twice and I’m here to tell you… I needed thos post then!
Moving is such a stressful time that anything that makes it go more smoothly is a very good thing. I would agree with everyone about the detailed labeling. It just makes sense but can be easily overlooked in haste.
Packing can be so stressful. Always afraid of leaving something behind or it getting lost. Thanks for the great tips.
These are such great tips. Labeling is a always a good idea and makes unpacking so much easier. Thanks for this, bookmarking!
O ya I’ll need this next year! Thanks
Thanks so much for the awesome tips. i wish i knew them when i moved i sure could have used them.
All great tips. We have moved so many times and I find it helpful to label everything as you go along and save the most used things for last. Hopefully no moves here for awhile as we just moved six moths ago. This will be helpful for many though.
Decluttering is HUGE. We ended up having to make our last move on short notice on top of just losing our business a few years back so we ended up with so much extra junk in the new house that we are still sorting through it.
It’s been so long that I have moved and with all the stuff collected over the years, I wouldn’t even know where to start, it sure would be a chore!!