Six Tips for Packing Your Belongings for a Move

Six Tips for Packing Your Belongings for a Move

Moving can be stressful. You have to pack up everything you have accumulated during your lifetime and move it to someplace else. Still, the process can be a lot less stressful if you plan ahead. With that in mind, below are six tips for packing your belongings for a move.

1. Record Everything when Packing your Belongings

One of the worst possible results of a move gone wrong is never being able to find something valuable to you again after you unpack your belongings. One way to avoid this problem is by creating a list. The list should include everything that has been packed. To save yourself some time, create this list on a digital spreadsheet. With each item, add a number. Then put that number on the box containing that item. This way, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for if you forget where you packed a specific item.

2. Have Enough Supplies Ready for Packing your Belongings

Packing your stuff to get it ready for a move requires more than a truck. You’re going to need things like boxes, packaging tape and packing materials like newspaper or bubble wrap to make sure valuable items are not broken while in transit. Always make sure you have more than you need. If you think you need 40 boxes, get 50. It’s better to have a few extra than to run out and be forced to go look for more. Packing is already a very time intensive process. You don’t want to slow down your progress even more.

3. Take Your Most Valuable Items in Your Car

While you will certainly need a moving truck for most of your possessions, especially larger things like furniture, you should consider packing some items in your car so you can keep a closer eye over them. Do this with your most valuable possessions. For example, jewelry and silverware could be packed in the trunk of your car. While you may trust your movers, there’s always the possibility of something getting misplaced on accident.

You should also do this with items that may not be worth a lot in the monetary sense but are worth a lot to you in sentimental value. This includes things like old family photos and heirlooms. You don’t want a bad moving experience to stop you from passing on your family heritage to your children. Important paperwork such as birth certificates, high school diplomas, insurance documents and so forth should also be taken with you. These items should already be stored in a safe deposit box, so simply place the box into your trunk.

4. Keep Your Possessions Organized

Beyond creating a list of everything you are going to pack, you should also make a good effort to keep things organized to make unpacking a less bewildering process. Group items together in ways that make logical sense. For example, kitchen appliances should go with other kitchen appliances, cords should go with electronics, bookends should go with books and so forth.

If you have children, make sure all their possessions go into the same boxes instead of having their stuff mixed up with everything else. Smaller components and parts should also be stored with the larger items they go with. Otherwise, they’re bound to get lost. If you need to, place them into an envelope or zip lock bag and tape it to the inside of the box.

5. Schedule Your Packing

You should make sure you get packed on a schedule. If not, you could easily run out of time. Schedule at least five days to pack all your stuff. Include a weekend in that timeframe so you have two full days to devote exclusively to packing for your move.

Make sure to schedule your packing to finish at least two days before the actual move. If getting your stuff together takes longer than you expected, the extra day can give you enough time to catch up. After your plates, silverware, etc. are packed up, order delivery food and use the plastic utensils provided. Overall, don’t underestimate how much effort and time will be required. Always assume it will take more time than you think.

6. Use Wardrobe Boxes for Packing your Belongings

For clothing, you should use something known as a wardrobe box to pack. A wardrobe box is a tall box designed for shipping clothing that includes a pole that clothes hangers can be hung from. Implementing these boxes is one way to efficiently store your clothing without wrinkling or damaging them during transit. On the bottom of the box, you could pack other clothing items such as shoes or bags filled with jeans or underwear. Just make sure the box doesn’t become too heavy. The bottom could fall out when it’s lifted up it if that’s the case.