Packing up a house can be very stressful. In fact, many people refrain from moving homes to avoid the entire thing altogether. Having said that, sometimes there are circumstances beyond anyone’s control that requires packing up your house and heading to another one.
Whether you are done university and moving out of our dorm room, upgrading your condo to a small house, or even downgrading for retirement, do not fret! You got this! There are ways to pack up a house without as minimal stress as possible.
Stock Up on Boxes and Other Supplies
Before you start tackling rooms, closets, and cupboards, you’ll need to gather up the appropriate supplies to help you with this task.
The first on that list is boxes — and you’ll need plenty of them. A good way to get a wide variety of boxes is to talk to the store manager at your local grocery store about when their shipment boxes come in. Once you know that, make sure you are there on the day they arrive, so you get the pick of the litter.
But boxes aren’t the only thing you’ll need to ensure you have an effective and organized move. Other supplies are required too! This includes:
- Packing tape to secure those boxes;
- Markers to label your boxes;
- Newspaper or bubble wrap to wrap up all your china and other fragile items, and;
- Stretch wrap for the furniture.
Start Early
The earlier, the better.
Although every person is different and every house has a different amount of items to pack, the earlier you get cracking on packing for your move, the easier it’ll be in the long run. For instance, an apartment should be able to be all packed up within a month or so. Meanwhile, a larger home could take up to two or three months.
Regardless, get cracking as soon as you make your decision to move and have your supplies in order to start on the right foot.
Purge
Before you start packing anything away, go through your house and purge all the things you don’t need. You can sell them, donate them to charity, or even offer them up to some friends.
No need to pack anything you won’t be using at your new dwelling. Plus, this will lessen your workload when it comes to boxing things up. It also lessens the number of boxes you bring into your new home, taking the ease off of moving day and unpacking.
One Room at A Time
Tackle your house one room at a time.
Start with the rooms you don’t use daily. Therefore, the basement area that holds all of the seasonal decorations you only use once a year, might be a good start. Perhaps the garage is next? Meanwhile, the kitchen, bathrooms, and other day-to-day things can wait for one-to-two weeks before the big move.
Good reasons for packing each room one at a time are that it’ll create less chaos, keep you organized around “where you are at” in the packing stage, and help when it comes the moving day.
Boxing Up Items
Speaking of moving day and packing, it’s all about the technique when it comes to boxing up your items.
First and foremost, try not to make the boxes too heavy. Aim for a 30-pound maximum weight for each box. This will make things easier come moving day and lifting the boxes at hand. After all, you don’t want anyone hurting their backs or causing an injury because boxes are too heavy. Plus, it’ll decrease any chances that the items will breakthrough their boxes, which will cause a ton of chaos on that busy moving day.
A good tip around packing is to place light items in big boxes and heavier things in small ones. Use old rags or newspaper to fill in any gaps within a box to ensure all items are safe and secure as you move from home to home. The last thing you want is to find something broken or damaged as you are unpacking and trying to get settled in your new home.
Label, Label, Label!
Pull out those markers you have set aside in your “moving” supplies bag and label each and every box.
Start with the room they “live” in and contents within the box. If you can, use a different color for each room the box resides in. Also, ensure to label each side of the box, excluding the top, as it’ll be easier to find them if they are stacked in your new home.
If you have kids, have them decorate the boxes. This will help distinguish each parcel. Not only will this help them feel like they are part of the move, but it may ease a little pain when it comes to leaving their old room behind.
Stacking Order
Once you get into the swing of things, you’ll eventually be surrounded by boxes everywhere. Therefore, stacking will be required.
Although this may seem like an obvious tip, it is important, nonetheless. Ensure heavier boxes are on the bottom of stacks, with lighter ones atop. This will ensure all your valuables are not crushed and keep your boxes in tip-top shape for moving day.
Essentials
Pack a box of essentials that you will need for the day you move into your new home. Ensure this is the last box that is placed in the moving van, so it is the first that comes out once you get there.
Some essentials to place in this box include:
- Snacks;
- A few boxed or canned food items;
- Eating utensils;
- Can opener;
- Pots and pans;
- Dishcloth, tea towels, and paper towels;
- Paper plates;
- Baby food and supplies (if applicable);
- Pet food and supplies (if applicable);
- Toiletries;
- Toolbox, and;
- First-aid kit.
