As most people, you are probably excited about your new life in your new home. However, before you start thinking about what you have to do right after you move in, you first have to figure out how you are going to organize your packing and moving. Luckily, there are many tips and tricks that can help you do this easily. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Start by creating a moving checklist, timeline, and budget
So, you might be impatient to get into the heavy-duty tasks of decluttering, throwing away, and packing your personal belongings. However, it makes sense to actually devise a plan for how you are going to sequence all of this. And perhaps even more importantly, you should come up with a realistic moving budget. Once you set this down to paper, planning and executing your relocation will be a lot easier.
Some people like to have a moving checklist they can follow up any time they lose track of what they have packed and when. You can note down what you have packed along the way so that you always have insight into what remains to be done. Furthermore, you might encounter difficulties with packing furniture that is clunky or hard to disassemble. Note down which tools you need to purchase or borrow to disassemble the furniture that has been giving you trouble.
Buy strong and firm boxes for heavy or fragile items
In addition, the checklist can serve as a reminder about the most essential packing supplies you need to get ahold of. For some of your belongings, you might need industrial-strength boxes that cannot break or give in due to weight and pressure.
So, when packing furniture, be sure that you prepare enough boxes you cannot handle this without. The packing and the transportation to the moving vehicle will be much easier and quicker if you buy enough quality boxes in good time.
Decide early on if it is easier to hire professionals for packing and moving
Every moving situation is different. If you are moving locally, you can ask your friends and relatives to help you out with packing and moving. However, if you have a lot of belongings or are moving to a different city or state, a DIY move may be too exhausting or even more costly than hiring a professional moving crew.
This is also recommended to people who cannot squeeze in packing into their busy schedules. In that way, you will be able to breathe a sigh of relief since the company will take care that everything goes according to plan.
Notify everyone concerned that you are moving out
This is something that most people tend to overlook during their moving preparations. Being focused on packing and moving is important, but there are many other things that come along with it. In other words, you are required to notify everyone who needs to know that you are moving out.
So, be sure to let your landlord know you are moving out within a certain time frame prior to the move. The same applies to other legal, financial, and administrative responsibilities such as paying off your mortgage and changing your address.
Declutter your home before you start packing and moving
This piece of advice is a gold standard in the world of moving. You might be inclined to pack and declutter as you go along. However, this method can wear you out or delay your packing. You could get tangled up in reminiscing about your family’s past or how you are going to get rid of that worn-out couch that has been squatting for ages in your basement.
In addition, you will get a sense of which and how many packing supplies you will actually need. Not only will this reduce your moving expenses, but you will also not produce unnecessary waste. So, decluttering your belongings will help you organize a cost-effective, eco-friendly relocation.
For this reason, it makes much more sense to first reduce the number of items you intend to move to your new home. If you start decluttering a few weeks before the move, you will have enough time to:
- figure out what you want to bring with you
- organize a yard sale
- sell unneeded furniture online
- give some of your belongings to charity, neighbors, friends, or relatives
Plan out and stick to your packing and moving dynamics
If you have a lot of time on your hands, you might be swayed into thinking that, well, you have a lot of time on your hands. Try not to fall into this trap. You might put yourself into a situation where you postpone your decluttering or packing just because you are sure there is plenty of time until your move.
If you have several weeks until relocation, you can set aside one, two, or even half an hour each day for the moving preparations. During this time, try to devote your undivided attention to whatever it is you need to do in order to have your easiest relocation ever.
Designate one box as an essentials box
So, it is highly unlikely you will need all of your clothing or kitchen utensils the first day you arrive at your new place. You will probably have to deal with too many boxes filled with so many of your belongings. Scavenging through them just to find your warmest sweater or vegetable peeler may destroy all systematicity and order you have worked so hard to establish. With that said…
Give each room a different color label
First of all, it helps to pack one room at a time. The reason why this is one of the most efficient packing and moving tips is very simple. When you move into your new place, you will be able to unpack the boxes according to a certain priority. And having different colored labels for each room will make this process much smoother.