Packing is, by far, one of the most overwhelming and challenging parts of the moving process. How your packing goes may just make or break the entirety of your move. Hence, you must plan and execute this step carefully and adequately.
To help you make sure that your packing goes as smoothly and as efficiently as possible, we’ve come up with a comprehensive guide to packing for a house move. Below, you will find some tips you may find useful while packing up and moving your stuff into your new home.
10 Tips For Packing For A House Move
Start The Packing Process As Early As Possible
Packing can be emotionally, physically, and mentally tiring, so while it could be tempting to leave the packing until the last minute, it is advisable for you to refrain from procrastinating and start doing it as soon as you can.
It would be much better for you to allow several days for it and dedicate at least a couple of hours a day to packing up your stuff at a relaxed pace rather than rushing and forcing yourself to do everything all at once. Just be sure to adhere to your packing schedule and take into consideration how much stuff you have to make sure you’ll be packed and ready to go once moving day rolls around.
Get Your Packing Materials Ready
To make the process as efficient and as smooth as possible, you will want to have your materials on hand before starting the actual packing process. Some materials you should have ready are:
- Cardboard Moving Boxes
- Packaging Tape
- Scissors/Packing Knife
- Bubble Wrap
- Packing Paper
- Plastic Shrink Wrap
- Moving Blankets
- Corrugated Cardboard Sheets/Dividers
To ensure the safety of the items you will be packing, refrain from purchasing cheap, low-quality packing materials. Additionally, do not limit yourself to one type or one size of cardboard moving boxes. Make use of speciality boxes for mirrors, clothing, and many more. Read more about the types of moving boxes you need here.
Make Use Of Alternative Packing Materials
Take advantage of bags, suitcases, and other items you may use as additional containers when making the big move. For example, instead of packing your book collection in a box, why not put it all in a suitcase you can roll around? You may also use laundry hampers, dressers, and other types of storage bins to transport some of your belongings. Read more about cardboard box alternatives here.
Blankets, towels, and other linen products may double as protective wrapping or cushioning for fragile and valuable items, while egg cartons are useful for jewellery, cords, and cables.
Research On How To Properly Pack Your Furniture and Appliances
If you are taking large furniture or appliances with you, you will want to make sure to research just exactly how you are supposed to pack and move them. After all, not doing so may lead to damage on your item, or worse, to you getting debilitatingly injured.
If you purchased items like washing machines, window blinds, ready-to-assemble furniture, and more, you will also want to check out their respective user manuals. Such manuals can often be found in the boxes these items came in, the store they were purchased in, and sometimes on the manufacturer’s website. If all else fails, you may also check out online user manual directories.
Consider Hiring A Man and Van or A Removals Company
You may also want to consider hiring movers for the job. Typically, removals companies are the ones you can turn to when you require packing services. However, in recent years, some man and van companies have been seen to offer up their packing services as well.
That means you won’t have to worry about over-packing boxes, sealing boxes improperly, or damaging any of your belongings while you pack. After all, these people are professionals who have years of training and experience under their belts! They will make sure to take care of your items and have it moved to your new place in perfect condition.
Whether you choose to hire a man and van or a removals company, always keep in mind that you should not settle for the first company you come across. Take the time to ask questions, do some research, and most importantly, find the best, affordable service provider for you!
Make Use Of A Packing System That Makes Your Experience Much Easier
You may, for example, start by packing items in areas of the house you use the least. The spare bedroom, the attic, or the garage is an excellent place to start. By doing this, you minimise the disruption that you and the rest of your household may experience during this time.
Make sure no items from two different rooms are packed into the same box. Doing so will make it much easier for you to unpack your belongings later on. Also, do not seal your boxes until after you’ve packed up every room. This will save you the hassle of having to open already sealed boxes when you find and need to pack items that have been misplaced.
Sort and Declutter
For every room in the house, you will want to go through your belongings, identify which items you want to take, which items you wish to donate or sell, and which items you need to throw out.
After sorting through your stuff, you will have significantly fewer items to pack, which means packing will be faster and much more manageable!
Moreover, by getting rid of the items you no longer want or need, you are effectively minimising your moving costs and saving yourself from the trouble of finding space for unnecessary items in your new house.
Check out this Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist for more details on keeping your home clean and tidy for the upcoming move!
Look Into Renting A Self Storage Unit
During this time, it will also be ideal for you to look into the possibility of renting a storage unit for the big move. This is especially helpful when you are having trouble with the process of decluttering your belongings. After all, you may use a self-storage unit to hold on to the items you aren’t ready to sort through or let go of just yet.
A storage unit is also beneficial when you need to get everything packed and out of the house in a short amount of time. With a self storage unit at your disposal, you can get everything out of the house without the pressure of getting everything done before your lease ends or before you sell your house to a potential house buyer.
Quite similarly, this also means you won’t feel the pressure of having to unpack all your belongings the moment you move in. Instead, you can keep all the filled boxes and containers in a storage unit and only take them out when you are ready to unpack your stuff.
Pack Essential Items Separately
You will, of course, need to pack your essentials at some point. Do this last, when everything else has been prepared and packed up. After all, you wouldn’t want to rummage through all those packed boxes searching for items you know you’ll need immediately. So, pack some clothes, toiletries, medicine, phone chargers, cash, IDs, and important documents into a separate bag or box.
Although it is not essential, you will also want to take your registered firearm and its accessories with you rather than packing it with the rest of your belongings. If you have a gun, doing this before a house move will always be in everyone’s best interest and safety.
Make Sure To Label Your Boxes As You Go
Labelling your boxes and alternative containers as soon as they are packed is crucial. After all, this will make it much easier for you to keep track of your items and then unpack them later. Alternatively, you may also use number coding or colour coding to keep track of your stuff.
Whichever method you use, though, make sure to have a list that indicates what item is packed into which box.
Pack Your Valuables Separately
Lastly, whether you are hiring movers or moving by yourself, it would be essential to separately pack your valuables. Doing so will ensure the safety of your belongings and provide you with some peace of mind.
Now that you’ve read our list of valuable packing tips, you’ll surely be packed and ready to move into your new house in no time! Meanwhile, if you are planning on moving with a furry friend or two, here are some guidelines to traveling safely with your pets.
