(Content submitted by Lisa Roberts.)
Pack for your move like a pro
You are planning to move and you look thoughtfully at your possessions. You have gathered so many things over the years, and you keep wondering what to pack and where to start. You also think about the cost of packing and try to think of the ways not to exceed your moving budget. All this makes you restless and a bit stressed, but there is no need to worry. Here are some steps you need to follow for learning how to pack for your move like a pro.
Make a packing plan
When planning a move, nothing compares to good organization. Make a daily schedule of activities and a packing timeline with established procedures. It will save you time and make sure your possessions are safely packed. Be sure to make a list of essential things to bring with you, which can help you survive a couple of days in your new home. If you are planning to sell your home, this may be the right time to advertise it. If you are lucky, you might manage to sell it before you move out.
Downsize your possessions
We all tend to bring new things into our homes and oversize our possessions over time. We don’t have enough time to occasionally go through them and throw them away, so we pile them up. When preparing for the move, we face the problem of a huge volume of things we need to carry with us. This is an ideal time to think about what we need to keep and what we don’t. Time to downsize! If you want to pack for your move like a pro, there are a few things to consider.
Things to throw away
Go through your home room by room and throw away everything that is damaged or broken.
Things to give away
If you come across some items you don’t really need, give them away to your family or friends. These things could be useful to them, and they will be grateful to have something in their homes to remind them of you.
Things to pack on your own
When you have decluttered your space, you’ll get a clear picture what you need to pack. It is then that you should decide what items you can handle on your own. These can be almost all things except, maybe, large pieces of furniture or special items like a piano, for example.
Hire professional packers
Packing large furniture or special items is difficult and requires not only knowledge, but also professional skills and tools. You get worried by merely looking at them. But packing doesn’t have to be time-consuming or tough work. Hire a renowned mover to do it for you. You will spend some money, but you will stay stress-free and devoted to other important things during the move.
Choose packing materials
Once you have observed all the items you are going to pack, make a list of all the packing materials you will need. Make a separate list of sensitive items and valuables like paintings, lamps, mirrors that need additional layers of packing material to be fully protected from breakage or damage.
Free packing materials
A move is expensive enough on its own. And even buying a house in this day and age can be a challenge. There’s simply no need to pony up on your moving supplies as well. If you look around your home, you might find some useful packing materials. Reuse old cardboard boxes, old newspapers, garbage bags, packing paper, etc. Since you will need a number of boxes to tuck everything in, ask your friends to bring you some or look for boxes at your local store.
Order packing materials
You can find a wide range of packing materials on the Internet. These range from different packing materials like cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, cartons to useful packing fillers such as packing peanuts and foam. If you make an online order, they will be delivered within a couple of days.
Pack for your move like a pro
How well you pack will determine how much time you spend unpacking after the move. And you definitely don’t want to waste time unpacking when you’re in an exciting new location. Just imagine moving to Morrow County, let’s say, and not soaking in all of its breathtaking natural vistas because you’re too busy unpacking.
That’s why you need to get organized. Divide all the items into four main categories and follow the tips below to pack them safely. You can decide on the order of packing, but it may be wise to pack lamps, glass items and paintings first and store them in a separate room.
Clothes and other soft items
You can pack clothes and other soft items like linen and towels in garbage bags. Secure them with packing tape, and they will be protected from stains and easy to handle when moving.
Household appliances
It is important to dismantle and clean the appliances before packing. Make sure to remove all the glass and loose parts and pack them separately. Then, wrap the appliance itself and put everything together in a box. Apply crumpled packing paper or packing peanuts, secure with tape and label the box.
Lamps and glass items
Lamps and glass items should be packed with more care. When packing lamps, don’t forget to dismantle them first and pack the lampshade and lamp base separately. Apply a generous amount of bubble wrap and secure them with tape. Then put them cautiously into a box and fix them by adding some packing peanuts or crumpled paper around them.
Paintings
Paintings should be wrapped in clean packing paper first to protect them from getting stained. Then protect the corners, wrap up with bubble wrap and put in a picture box or protect the front and back with cardboard and secure it with packing tape.
Pack a two-day survival bag
A so-called ‘survival bag’ should contain all the essential items you will need for the first two days in a new home. It should include all your personal documents, clothes, a basic hygiene bag, medicines, a couple of sandwiches and at least two bottles of water. Of course, your laptop and phone, as well as the new home keys should be in there, too.
Now you learned how pack for your move like a pro. That means you are ready to move. Good luck!
