It’s safe to say everyone’s least favorite part of making a move is the packing and unpacking of belongings. Over the months, years, or decades that we live in one place, we end up acquiring more things than we realize and packing up a home can be intimidating! But, have no fear, with these packing tips you may just find this move easier than you expected!
· Plan out your packing supplies. Need boxes? Packing tape? Bubble wrap? You can calculate how much of these things you’ll most likely need based on the size of your household, number of bedrooms, etc.
· Eat what you have. Plan to not restock on groceries unless your cupboards and fridge are as empty as they can be. This way you won’t find yourself packing unnecessary boxes of pasta or bottles of ketchup and can start fresh with new groceries at the new place!
· Purge belongings that you haven’t used or thought about in a year. Oftentimes our belongings are used cyclically – certain items come out each spring, others get packed away for the summer, etc. If you’re debating on what’s worth getting rid of, think about whether you’ve used or thought about that item within the last year. That old VCR? You probably don’t need it. That hobby you swore you’d try 7 winters ago? Maybe it’s time to let it go. You’ll thank yourself when it comes time to haul and unpack boxes and can rest assured that only the essential things were kept.
· Pack drawers as-is. Take the drawers out of the dresser, leave the clothes in, and wrap each drawer up in plastic wrap. Dresser drawers will take up the same amount of space whether they’re empty or filled, so you might as well make use of that space!
· Keep clothes on hangers – just wrap them in large garbage bags and hang them right up in your new home!
· Use linens and towels to wrap up breakable or sharp kitchen objects or to add extra padding to boxes.
· Use pots and other kitchenware to store small items – again, that space will be there either way, so you might as well make use of it!
· Fill suitcases and duffel bags with belongings and you won’t need as many cardboard boxes!
· Color code boxes – save time by assigning a certain color sticker to certain rooms or categories rather than labeling each box with a marker. When it comes time to unpack, just carry the boxes to the appropriate room!
· Snap pictures of each box before it’s taped up and loaded into the car – it may help jog your memory when unpacking where certain items were placed and what else is in with it.
· Pack a moving essentials bag – the stuff you’ll definitely need before you get around to unpacking and settling in at your new home. Include a couple of changes of clothes, medications, important documents, toiletries, chargers, etc.
· Hire a mover (at least for the big things). Don’t break your back trying to tag-team an entertainment center. Paying your friends and family in pizza and beer is not worth the exhaustion and potential injury! Let the professionals take care of it…if you’re in the Madison area, we recommend Big Dog Movers!
Save this list for the next time you make a move. These tried and true packing methods will save you a whole lot of time and energy when you have to tackle your next move!