Figuring how to pack your stuff can be difficult. If you wait too long, you could end up feeling rushed and panicked. Likewise, if you don’t use suitable packing materials, you might break some of your things. To help you avoid that, here are some tips you can use to make packing easier for you.
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1. Pack in Advance When You Can
You don’t need to keep everything you own with you while you’re in the middle of moving houses. Between researching the best interstate moving companies and DIY moving options, you can take a few minutes every day and pack what you can when you can.
2. Fill a Box With Essentials
Things to add to a box of essentials include a couple of towels, bed linens, some extra clothes, basic toiletries, toilet paper, and hand soap. When you arrive at your new home, you’re going to be too tired to start unpacking. If you have this box of essentials, you’ll be prepared to get a decent night’s sleep before tackling the rest tomorrow.
3. Use the Right Boxes
Choosing the right box for the job is critical as you pack. If you get a container that is too big and fill it with heavy things, it won’t be easy to carry. For something like books, you want smaller boxes that are easy to handle when they are full. If you have comforters and pillows you want to pack, use larger boxes to carry them.
4. Always Fill the Gaps
To get the most out of the space you have in smaller boxes with small kitchen or bathroom appliances, fill the spaces with linens and towels. Not only do these things provide extra protection from damage, but you can also get more stuff into a single box without causing it to get too heavy to handle.
5. Remember to Use Tape
You might think using tape goes without saying, but the reality is that lots of people forget to tape up the bottom of the box for extra support or to seal it. The last thing you want to do is not put tape and have everything fall out from the bottom of a box as you’re lifting it. Even if you think it is closed on the bottom, it never hurts to add some extra tape to be sure.
6. Use the Right Gear for Dishes
Dishes are a specialty item when it comes to anything breakable. There are special boxes and kits for moving ceramics. Each plate has a pocket to go into that protects it from breaking. If you don’t want to get special kits, place a washcloth towel or hand towel between the plates to protect them and put your wine glasses in long socks for an extra barrier to breakage.
7. Use Trash Bags as Garment Bags
Packing up your closet doesn’t have to be complicated. Grab a handful of items with their hangers and put a trash bag over the top. Poke the tops of the hangers through the trash bag, and you’ve got an easy garment bag that you can tie at the bottom. Roll up each bundle and put it in a box for easy moving.
8. Get Space Bags
If you have big, fluffy things like large pillows or stuffed animals you want to move, consider getting space bags. You put your stuff into the bag and use a vacuum to suck the air out and compress the bag. You’ll be able to pack more things, but be careful not to overpack the space bag. If you do, it could burst open instead of compressing correctly.
9. Create Your Own Handles
Handles make moving boxes much more manageable. Before you pack your boxes, use a box cutter to cut some out. Cutting out a triangle or a rectangle big enough to put your fingers through to lift the box makes moving and stacking boxes less of a hassle.
10. Give Kids a Special Box
If you’re moving with younger kids, give each one a box that they can put their special treasures into. When kids have their boxes to fill, they’re more willing to help with packing. For older kids, give them a box where they can put their most important things and have them label it for their new room. If kids have a sense of ownership in the process, it can be easier for them to get through the process of moving.
The Bottom Line
Anything you can do to make moving easier is worth a little extra work. These packing tips can help you get to yourself ready to move into your new home with minimal effort. Work on packing a little bit at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be packed and ready to start the next chapter of your life.
