Mention you’re moving to someone, and you’ll likely be met with a commiserating groan. The schlepping of heavy things, the packing and the unpacking, the inevitably broken items … Moving can be quite a pain, but it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.
Remember how excited you were when you closed on your new home? Try to channel some of that energy to get motivated and organized. Moving can mean a fresh start—the perfect time to take inventory of your things, get organized and get excited about your new space. The best thing you can do is plan ahead. Start making the checklists, coordinating the little details and simplifying where you can. Here’s how you can pack with perfection and mitigate the hassles associated with moving.
The packing plan
From tips on how to efficiently pack your clothes to color-coding systems to dish-packing hacks, there are plenty of ways to make your move a little easier.
Bring on the boxes
Whether you’re a “save the box, the instruction manual, the warranty sticker and every piece of packaging possible”-type of person or not, you probably won’t have enough boxes at your disposal for a big move. You can start by asking any local retailers or businesses if they have extra boxes on hand, as well as checking in with friends and family. Know anyone that recently moved? They may have a stash that’s yet to be recycled.
Next, turn to the internet. Check local community groups and tech platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or Freecycle. If you’re going to buy boxes, consider whether you want them delivered to your door or if you’re looking for a full moving kit, expert advice, etc. Depending on what you’re looking for, there’s a retailer that will have the perfect package.
No matter where you’re getting your boxes from, take inventory of your things early—before you order any boxes—so you have a good estimate of how many you’ll need. It’s surprising how quickly they can fill up.
Make an essentials box
Think about all the things you’ll want to pull out shortly upon arrival. May we suggest the coffee pot? You’ll likely want to plug that in right away. But things like towels and sheets, pillows, clothes you’ll want to wear in the next few days, etc., are nice to have in an easily accessible place.
Label, label, label
When all the packing and organizing gets away from you and suddenly it’s 11 p.m. and you’re digging through boxes trying to locate a fitted sheet, you’ll wish you had labeled your boxes. Be sure to mark which boxes are fragile as well as a description of their contents. Here’s where color-coding can come in handy. Whether you go room by room or by item type, consider a box of multi-colored markers or some colorful packing labels.
Pack an overnight bag
Besides the essentials boxes of things you’ll want to unpack right away, make sure to pack toiletries and any items you’ll need that evening/the next morning in a separate bag, away from the boxes. That way you don’t have to unpack anything to find your toothbrush or your child’s stuffie, bedtime book or whatever the “I can’t sleep without it” item happens to be.
Consider these packing hacks
Here’s where garbage bags, plastic wrap and Styrofoam come into play. Instead of pulling all of your clothes out of your dresser and off your hangers, you can leave some things in place. Keep clothes in your dresser but wrap with plastic to ensure they stay in place; leave your clothes hanging and cover with garbage bags (or you can get fancy and pull out some garment bags); and skip hand-wrapping every dish by placing Styrofoam between plates to keep them secure.
Your moving mission
Whether you’re moving many miles or just a few blocks away, you’ll need reliable movers (or at least some reliable helpers and a rented truck). Here’s what to keep in mind when booking your movers or truck.
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