It’s time to start packing for your new home. If you’re foregoing hiring professional movers to save money, it can feel overwhelming to figure out how long it can take to pack everything up, how to pack different items, and even knowing where to start with the packing process. Here are some packing tips to help make the whole moving process less stressful.
Create Checklists
Packing checklists can be a great start, especially if you’re getting ready to pack for a cross-country move. You’ll want to go through each room of your home and create a checklist of what needs to be packed and what you’ll need to leave out until the last minute. You can also create checklists for who is in charge of what so there is no confusion.
In addition, have a checklist ready for that last day when you start pulling moving boxes and furniture out of your old home and giving it to the movers or packing it in a moving truck yourself. This checklist can be vital when you get to your destination to make sure that everything arrives safely, and in one piece.
Declutter First
Before you start the packing process for moving to your new home, it can be a good idea to declutter first. Are you moving to a new area where it never snows? You may want to get rid of items you won’t use for your new place by donating them or having a yard sale. There’s no reason to bring anything you no longer want or need in your new home, especially if you use a moving company that charges by how many boxes you bring along.
What Supplies Do You Need For Packing?
Here are some basic packing materials you’ll need:
- Moving Boxes – a variety of sizes
- Packing Paper – old newspaper or craft paper
- Bubble Wrap
- Tape – scotch tape to secure bubble wrap and packing tape for the boxes
- Markers – in different colors to designate specific rooms or fragile items
How Long Does It Take To Pack a House for a Move?
Give yourself plenty of time to pack, you don’t want to be rushing the day before your move. The amount of time you want to give yourself will differ based on how big your current home is and how many items you have to move. For example, a small studio apartment or one-bedroom house may only take a few days, while a more extensive home packed with items can take a week or longer to pack up.
Below is a breakdown from Moving.Tips that details how much time you should allot based on how big your house is:
- Studio or 1-bedroom apartment: 2 days
- Two-bedroom home: 3-4 days
- Three-bedroom house: 4-5 days
- Four-bedroom home: 5-6 days
If you have a garage, attic or basement they also recommend adding an extra day for each space.
What is the Easiest Way to Pack For a Move?
You’ll want to go systematically through your home room by room. Start by packing boxes with anything you won’t need during your remaining time. End with the items you’ll want to keep using until you move, like toiletries.
Imagine how frustrating it would be to still be in your old home for several days and not have your bathroom supplies, kitchen utensils, and clothing changes. Plus, you’ll want to make sure these essentials boxes are marked and put in a place that’s easy to find right away, so you’re not drinking coffee out of your favorite vase the first morning in your new home.
How to Pack Different Items
Remember that all your items should be packed appropriately based on their material and importance.
- Breakable items, such as dishes, glasses, art, and figurines, should be packed carefully with bubble wrap and packing paper to protect them from breaking during the move. It would help if you also note on the box that it has fragile items so extra care is taken packing them into a moving truck.
- You may want to consider doing the same with your heirlooms and essential items, even if they aren’t made of a fragile material to safeguard them from a zealous mover, such as wooden jewelry boxes or pictures.
- This step is where various box sizes for your move can come in handy. You can use small boxes to pack heavy items, such as books, and larger boxes for lighter items, such as clothing, to help make it easier to carry.
Moving to a new home can be stressful. No matter if it’s across the street or country. Using these packing tips for your next move can help you keep your sanity during the whole moving and unpacking process.
