Whatever the reason behind you moving to another home, packing up your belongings can take up a lot of your time, and in many instances, not be the most pleasurable of tasks. However, with a few helpful tips, you can streamline the process and make it as stressless as possible:
Packing up the kitchen
In the days leading up to the move, start getting rid of everything from the pantry and fridge that is out-of-date, and take care over what you buy until you move. Where possible, use up all food, both fresh and in the pantry, so that you can avoid having to fill boxes with food and take them with you.
On the morning of the move, empty the fridge and pantry completely and clean them. You should also clean all appliances that you will be taking with you, before boxing them up.
Bubble wrap can help protect fragile items, and if you’re hiring movers and packers, make sure the boxes are labelled as fragile.
If you do need to take any chilled items with you, pack them a chiller that can easily be transported from a to b.
Packing up the bedrooms
If you happen to be moving in the summer, you can start packing your winter clothes away well in advance, and you may find it useful to use vacuum storage bags to protect them and reduce space.
If you have clothes on hangers, keep them on them so that you don’t have to spend time folding before you move, and then rehanging them when you arrive at your new home. Simply place them in a box or large trash bag for transportation.
Luggage, suitcases and other bags can be used to store certain items in; just make sure that any items of value to you (either by price or sentimentality) are stored securely during the move. When packing your jewelry away, thread necklaces through drinking straws to stop them from becoming tangled, and keep your earrings together with buttons.
Try to keep your pillows and bedding clean by storing them in large trash bags or big vacuum storage bags, and you can use blankets and sheets to protect your mattresses and other bigger items of bedroom furniture during the move.
Packing up the bathrooms
Toiletries will inevitably spill when being moved from one location to another, especially when tossed into a truck or a box, so keep them in individual plastic bags to prevent too much mess. Start packing items away in advance of the move that aren’t used frequently, such as towels, leaving you with only the everyday items to pack on the day.
Place labels on boxes that contain your medications, and make sure you know exactly where they are during the move. It may be helpful to keep them with you.
Packing up the living room
There may be many different types of items in the average living room, from mirrors and decorative items, to furniture and electronic items, but provided you pack them all away methodically, it shouldn’t take you too long to do.
Make sure that anything fragile or likely to smash or crack, such as mirrors and LED TVs, are wrapped tightly with plenty of layers of bubble wrap, and you can even use blankets and towels to pad them out more as they go into the back of the moving truck. For mirrors or pictures framed with glass, create an ‘X’ using masking tape to minimize the shattering of glass.
Items such as photos and videos should be kept with you during the move, ideally, as the heat inside the back of the truck may damage them.
Packing up your belongings isn’t the speediest of tasks, even when you follow the steps above, but by giving yourself plenty of time and approaching each room methodically, you can minimize the stress it causes you, and concentrate on starting your new life, in a new home.
Don’t forget that by having a cleaning service clean up your new home before you arrive, you can move your belongings straight in!