If you’re going the route of choosing to pack for a move yourself – you’ll be a much happier camper come moving day if you follow these packing tips.
Be prepared with a variety of box sizes.
Nothing is more frustrating than being in the middle of a super productive pack only to realize you have an item that just won’t fit, and having to stop to go out and find an appropriately sized box. Gather a variety of sizes ahead of time, and measure your largest items first so you know just how big you’ll need to go.
Stock up on old newspaper.
This is the key to avoiding any moving day breakage. Ensure your breakables are covered in layers of protection with the paper, and use leftovers to fill any gaps in the box to ensure items cannot move around.
Use cling wrap and tape to prevent leaks and spills.
The best way to prevent having your opened dish soap leak all over a box of cleaning supplies is to first cover the opening with cling wrap, and then tape around the cling wrap tightly. If you leave opened liquids to their own devices, you will certainly end up with a mess to clean up on moving day.
Cut handles into your boxes to make them easier to carry.
A very heavy box with no handles is a pain for even the strongest person in your life to carry during the move. An easy hack is to use an exacto knife to cut upside down triangles on two opposite sides of the box to create simple handles.
Colour code and number your boxes.
If you want to get really organized (and therefore make your early move in days as stress free as possible) consider using a colour coded number system to label your boxes. For example – all boxes labeled with a blue marker belong in the living room – the box labeled #1 is filled with your books, box #2 with your records, and so on. You can create a spreadsheet to track exactly what is in each box, so come moving day, you’ll know what to unpack first, and what can wait.
Double box heavier, expensive items.
The last thing you want when you move into a new home is to find out you didn’t pack your expensive items well enough, and now your beautiful 60 inch HDTV is broken. Items like this should always be covered in a blanket, double boxed, clearly labeled and marked fragile to ensure you don’t ruin your investment.
If you don’t have a wardrobe box, you can easily transfer your hanging clothes with a fresh garbage bag.
Rather than having to fold and pack them into boxes, the easiest way to transfer your wardrobe is by quickly pulling a garbage bag over each section of items hanging in your closet (leaving the hangers on), so you can just lay them flat on top of everything else in the move, and quickly take the bag off and hang them in your new home.
Leave time to clean up (or hire a cleaner to come in) before the move in date.
Once all your boxes are moved in, it will not be quite as easy to give the place a deep clean.
Don’t forget to pack an essentials box with everything you need for a day or two.
Yes – you like to think you’ll start unpacking right away – but moving is intense and you will most likely want to relax once you’ve managed to get everything from your old place to your new home. Having quick access to everything you’ll need right away (toiletries, bedding, clothes and snacks) will make those first few days a lot easier.
Consider the cost of packing services over going the DIY route.
When you factor in the time you’ll spend chasing down and paying for packing supplies, and time you may need to take off work to pack for a move, you might find hiring a team like ours to bring all the necessary supplies and do this tedious work for you is more than worth the price.
