Your moving day is approaching and it is time for the most time-consuming and least favorite task of your local move – packing. Let us help you with a few tips and tricks on how to do it in the best possible way.
#1 Hire a local movers to pack for you
If you want to hear the best advice when it gets to your packing for a local move, it is – hire professionals to handle that for you. Usually local movers don’t charge anything extra for packing, it will just take a bit more time, but it will save you energy and nerves, so we would say it is worth it! They will finish it much faster and much safer that you. If you still want to do packing by yourself, check the list below, we will try to help you pack your items as an expert.
#2 Get quality packing supplies
First step if you want to do packing by yourself is to get proper quality packing supplies. You can find packing kits pretty much everywhere, even in Walmart. Don’t try to save money on packing boxes, because they are keeping your items safe during your local move. It is always better to buy moving kits, because they have everything needed for your packing service – packing boxes, tape, packing paper etc.
#3 Start packing in time
Time is essential. You need to plan ahead the time you need for your packing. Don’t underestimate your home and think everything can be done in a day or two, because once you start packing you will see you have a lot of miscellaneous items that you don’t even know you have. That is why you should start way ahead of time in order to have everything safely pack before your local movers arrive.
#4 Sell, donate or get rid of
When you start packing, you will run into a lot of things that you forgot you have, you never used or you will never use. When you start sorting out your items, you need to have 4 piles – keeping, selling, donating and getting rid of. Whatever you actually want to move with you should go on the first pile. You can throw a garage sale for anything you think might be interesting for someone else.
#5 Check if your movers will bring wardrobe boxes for your hanging clothes
There is one hack that can save you some time. Usually local movers provide wardrobe boxes that are free to use during the move. Those are designed to relocate your hanging clothes, without a need to pre-pack them yourself. This is simple, easy and fast. Each wardrobe box can fit between 20-25 hangers and if those are included in your moving service, then you can get up to 10.
#6 Label your boxes
Not only you will save yourself from unpacking in a complete mess, but it will be easier for you to notice if any packing box is missing after your local move. Once you start unpacking at your new home, you will be able to easily locate everything you need. Especially during the first few days of your move. If it’s important, mark what side goes up or down, if items there are fragile or any additional comment you think it will be helpful.
#7 Set important things aside
There are some things you will definitely need on your moving day, as well as the first night at your new home. Here, in the moving business, we call that essential box. In this box or bag you should pack the actual essentials, such as chargers, linens for your bed once you move it etc.
#8 What to do with documents, jewelry etc…
Whatever you have and it is very valuable to you, you should pack it aside and move it by yourself. That way you will feel super safe and you won’t have to stress out about ‘what if something happens with that box’. Documents and jewelry are not heavy and you can easily relocate them by yourself.
#9 Don’t overfill the box
When it gets to the actual packing, make sure to stack the items, but not to overfill the box. If the packing boxes are too heavy, that will maximize the chance for something to get damaged. That is why balans is very important. You shouldn’t leave the blank space in the boxes either, because that way things might go upside down during the relocation and your items won’t be extra protected in the moving truck.
#10 Dishes…
Dishes are definitely the most time-consuming and the most fragile items you have around your home. It might be quite tricky to safely pack dishes. Our advice is to start with dishes, because you will be the most focused and concentrated at the beginning of your packing spree. Make sure to have piles of packing paper around. It’s better to pack dishes in the smaller boxes, so they don’t get too heavy. Make sure there are no empty spaces when you pack up the box. Shake it gently before you tape it and listen carefully if there is some movement. Don’t forget to label it as fragile, so your movers could know how to deal with those boxes where your dishes are.