Moving & Packing Tips
It always seems that moving from one home to another comes with highs and lows. All that excitement of settling into a new place can be curbed by the daunting fact of sorting, packing and moving.
Choosing to pack your own boxes has the great advantage of the chance to declutter any excess items in your home and garden.
Clearly, there are obvious benefits to hiring a mover to pack your home for you. Still, you might at least consider doing it yourself if you feel you have a lot to be rid of, or simply want to change out furniture or decor items once you’ve changed homes.
PACKING TIPS
Declutter ruthlessly !!! This is one of the best perks of packing your home yourself. And the best way to get started is to get rid of anything that you just don’t use anymore. Then, add to that list all the items you just don’t love anymore. And finally, pick out all the items you have simply outgrown the style. This is not only for clothing but for decor items as well. Think of using the Marie Kondo “Does It Spark Joy” method. “No Joy = Don’t Keep”
Selling some items online is a great way to supplement the moving costs. And if you don’t love online marketplaces or just don’t have the time, you can always donate to local charities or thrift stores. You may not suit those items anymore, but for others, it may be just what they need.
Get matching boxes or containers. As tempting as it might be to try and save all your Amazon boxes or gather some from your local grocery store, it’s worth it to get boxes that are all the same size. The best choices are medium boxes and banker boxes. Small items and books (which can be heavy) are best in a banker box because of the size and it’s great to have the handles and lid. And if the idea of buying moving boxes makes you feel guilty, just remember that uniform boxes and bags will make your truck packing fit more tight and professional.
Be sure to pack your boxes fully. Your moving truck or rental truck will only have so much space and you don’t want to stress about making sure all the boxes fit in. If a box is not quite full … top it off with hangers, rolls of toilet paper and any other lightweight items so as not to make the box heavy.
Another tip is to make “comfort boxes”. Each member of the family should have a comfort box they can pull out on the first night to feel welcomed and not out of sorts in a new place. Examples include the kids’ favourite blankets and stuffed toys, coffee or tea and evening snacks, overnight items like toothbrushes and favourite shampoo. Even your pet can have their own comfort box.
Now don’t forget about a box specifically for important items like passports, bills you will need to take care of, documents and school schedules. Anything you may need to get rolling in your new home should be in one place. You will be so happy to have easy access to these items.
Use clothing bags. Your linens and clothing are best packed up in clothing/storage bags. Purchasing plastic storage / carry-all bags is a good investment for moving all your “soft stuff” like clothing and linens, pillows and kids’ soft toys. What’s great is that these bags surprisingly fit a lot more in them than boxes do.
Label everything !!! Labelling is so, so important. Instead of making notes on where things might be packed … label it. One of the best reasons, in my books, is because you may not be unpacking a few boxes for some time after you move. Plus, it’s great to know exactly where items are so you can get exactly what you want in a jiffy. Packing labels are easy to find online and you just have to print off as many as you need.
Seek help. Don’t hesitate to enlist the help of friends and family. Having extra hands on deck can significantly speed up the packing and moving process, allowing you to focus on other important tasks. Plus sharing the workload with loved ones can make the experience more enjoyable and less stressful.
But, if you’re moving in a hurry … a professional is probably the best way to go.
MOVING TIPS
There are a couple of options here. You can hire a professional company … or you can do it yourself with the help of family and friends. Another alternative is to use a POD to store your items while you sort and pack. This really comes down to affordability and your capability for all the work.
One of the differences between using a POD and a moving truck rental like U-Haul is that you don’t have to drive the POD yourself. Meaning that once you have packed the POD and locked it up, you can leave with a minimal amount of belongings and then know that your POD will be delivered in time when you need it.
And one last tip that is more crucial than you can imagine … book your mover at least several weeks ahead of time. Good moving companies and rental truck companies can get very busy. Give yourself some peace of mind and book well in advance.