Packing for life and moving down the street or across the country doesn’t have to be disastrous. Learn how to pack boxes for your move and you’ll be relaxing in your new space before you know it.
Moving—like pulling a tooth or driving long distances through uninteresting landscapes—is one of the challenges that almost everyone faces. It’s awkward at times and never really fun, but it usually yields positive results. Of course, especially when it comes to moving, the success of an effort depends on avoiding moving mistakes and planning to make the process as smooth as possible.
Fortunately, and probably because almost everyone moves at some point, many proven real-world moving tricks simplify the process. Following a moving checklist can help you make sure everything is in order before, during, and after your move; another good moving tip is to commit to a good attitude toward any upcoming changes.
Some moving tips focus on how to pack your moving truck most efficiently, while others remind you to cancel various services or get things ready in your new house; more focus on smaller details such as B. taking care of during the move What to do if you are late for pets or moving. However, the most important moving skills may have to do with the physical moving t itself.
Many problems can arise when moving. With all the details and moving parts, there is no one-size-fits-all guide with moving tips for every scenario that may arise during the move. Different people have specific needs or concerns – such as packing china when moving, safely transporting valuable wood furniture, or delicate heirlooms – but in most cases, this general list of moving tips and tricks will help.
Moving tips, tricks, and advice
- Get rid of everything you do not need
Packing all your belongings into boxes, bags, etc. can be overwhelming. Try to avoid confusion and make things easier for yourself. Before you pack a box, ruthlessly remove unused or unnecessary items. Less packing, less moving, less unpacking – you can start your new home from scratch.
- Create a mobile folder
Start collecting new addresses, lease or purchase documents, moving contracts, etc. in one folder. (Consider a printed copy rather than a digital copy, in case your computer or phone battery runs out during the move.) If questions arise during the planning process or the move, you’ll have answers (along with agreements, payment records, etc.) next to my hand.
- Pack early
Ideally, you will learn about the move weeks or even months in advance (even if you are unsure of the final destination). Start packing off-season items and items you won’t use for a while. If you’re moving in the summer, you can pack your winter clothes ahead of time—and some of the books and other temporary items. When it’s finally time to move, a lot of stuff is in place so you can take the stress out of it.
- Book early
If you are hiring porters, hiring supplies, or hiring professionals such as painters or cleaners to do household chores, book early. Waiting can mean paying higher prices or not having a truck or hauling a truck at all, especially during peak hauling season.
- Plan utilities for your new place
Once you have set up the moving date, contact your utility company to schedule a service appointment for your new home. You don’t want to get there tired of moving, only to find out that the electricity, water or heat is out. Plan and save your request in the moving folder. At the same time, request service to stop on the move-out date in your current home.
- Carry the important stuff with you
The night before you move, put your everyday items—a change of clothes, toothbrushes, essential stuffed animals or children’s toys, medications, paperwork, etc.—in a suitcase or bag, then in your car, In a truck – in the cabin or on an airplane. If disaster strikes and the moving truck is lost, at least you have the essentials with you.
- Invest in equipment
In the days before the big move, stock up on supplies. The last thing you want to do is have to run to the store while packing moving boxes or making sure everything is outside. Order or buy utility knives, Band-Aids, permanent markers, tape, tissues, and trash bags. (If they’re not all used during the move, they’re still useful afterward!)
For larger moving equipment, consider renting moving tools from a moving company. (If you rent a moving service, they may have their own.) If you move a lot, it’s a good idea to buy these tools. By buying, renting, or borrowing, make sure you have a moving van, furniture pads or covers, and tie-down straps or ropes to use while you’re moving.
- Buy a truck with a loading dock
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you need a truck with a ramp. It might be cheaper to rent a truck without a truck, but the hassle (and struggle) of lifting every box and piece of furniture high enough to fit it in the truck will add to your moving time — plus muscle soreness
 Packing tips for moving
- Use the right size box
When packing books to move, pack books or other heavy items into small boxes; lighter items like bedding and pillows can fit into larger items. (Large boxes full of heavy objects are a common complaint among professional movers. Not only do they make the job more difficult, but they also break easily.)
- Heavier items are placed at the bottom of the box and lighter items are placed on top
If you are loading the truck yourself, load the heaviest box to the front of the truck first for balance.
- Don’t leave blank fields in the box
Fill in the gaps with clothing, towels, or wrapping paper. Porters generally do not move boxes that feel loosely packed or unbalanced.
- Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box.
It will make your packing faster and your unpacking easier.
- Label each box with a description of its purpose and contents
This will help you and your movers understand where each box is in your new location. Numbering each box and keeping your inventory in a small notebook is a great way to keep track of the package’s contents—and make sure you still have everything when you unpack it.
- Seal your moving case
Use a few strips of tape to close the bottom and top seams, then use one of the moving techniques – wrap a few turns around the top and bottom edges of the box, this is where the stress is concentrated.
- If you are shipping expensive artwork, ask your carrier for a special crate
Learn exactly how to pack moving artwork to keep it safe. You shouldn’t wrap an oil painting in the plain paper; it will stick. If you’re packing a moving picture, make an X on the glass with tape to reinforce it and hold it together if it breaks. The pictures are then wrapped in paper or bubble wrap and placed in a frame box with a piece of cardboard between each frame for protection.
- Clean your kitchen carefully when you move
Kitchen packaging involves many different types of items. Learn how to pack your plates for moving: Wrap wrapping paper around each plate, then bundle five or six or six together and wrap in more paper. Set the plate aside, do not lay flat. And use lots of bundling paper on the top and bottom as a cushion. Cups and bowls can be nested with paper between them and wrapped in bundles of three or four. Pack them all in cannonball barrels.
When packing glasses, use a box with a cardboard divider to protect the glasses, and wrap them with plenty of paper to protect them.
- Organize your wardrobe
There are a few different ways to pack moving clothes – you can pack folded clothes in boxes or suitcases, or even put them in a dresser (if that doesn’t make the dresser too heavy to move! ). To hang clothes, use special wardrobe boxes so that you can hang clothes directly inside. (Bonus: you don’t have to worry about packing hangers for your move!)
When packing moving shoes, you need to protect the shoes from each other. Wrap shoes individually to prevent sharp heels or buckles from damaging other shoes, and to prevent dirt from one pair from messing up the rest of yours. You can tuck socks into your shoes to help them hold their shape.
If you’re wrapping jewelry, there are a few items that can be recycled to help you out—you can thread necklaces through straws or toilet paper rolls to keep them from tangling.
- Learn how to pack a TV for moving
Some movers treat TVs like any other piece of furniture and wrap them in quilted furniture cushions. However, if you don’t have the original packaging, plasma TVs require special wooden boxes to ship, which can get damaged if you lay them flat. If you’re packing your own, double-pack the TV by placing the box containing the TV in another box lined with wrapping paper.
