5 steps to help you pack your house when moving
Couple packing up for a move

One very important thing when moving is planning out the process of packing up the items in your home. It is easier to pack up when you already have a procedure mapped out to follow. With pre-established steps to follow, the moving process is faster and more efficient.

1. Get organized

One of the most important steps when packing is planning. You need to have a well-defined plan to follow when moving and you can either draft it manually or get a moving checklist online. The checklist will outline all the necessary steps and it will recommend you when to start doing them. Being organized will also prevent some hidden costs of moving.

2. List and buy quality moving supplies

It is also recommended that you are in possession of the necessary materials and equipment prior to the packing day. Making a list of all the moving supplies can be extremely helpful. The most common moving supplies are suitcases, boxes, tape guns, scissors, permanent markers, wrappers, and many others. Materials such as newspapers, sheets, clothes, and blankets can also be used as a means of packing.

It is not a good idea buying moving supplies at the last minute. Also, you’ll need to figure out if you want to go the eco-friendly way with reusable plastic boxes or the old way with plain cardboard boxes. This decision will help you prepare for this step in the packing process.

3. Strategize your moving

When there is more than one room to pack, then there is a need to strategize the packing pattern. Some rooms need to be packed before others, while there are items that need not be packed until the last minute. The first room to pack when moving should be the one with fewer items and belongings.

It is also a wise decision to pack items based on their needs. When packing in the few days before moving, the needs should be of importance to you. Some items need frequent use until you move, and these can wait till the last minute before moving so you don’t have to pack and unpack certain items.

4. Start packing

A large percentage of people who pack forget to label their items; this is a very common mistake, although it might not be necessary to label boxes and items if the quantity is small. However, labelling helps keep track of the items packed and saves time during the unpacking process. It can also help make better decisions when loading the items into the vehicle and determining which should be exempted from pressure, or placed in a spot that can be easily accessed when needed.

If there are fragile items on the list, proper handling becomes very necessary. Therefore, fragile items need to be packed with soft materials and be well labelled so as not to mistakenly mishandle it. If necessary, the package should have a coat of soft material before the actual wrapping or boxing. This is to shield it from external shock.

Furniture is often big and rigid, and packing it can prove tricky. The general idea is to cover the piece of furniture using materials such as bubble wrap to shield the wood pieces. When packing upholstery, plastic wraps are preferred. Small home appliances are less fragile and best kept in boxes to preserve their mechanical functions.

5. Load items that are ready for moving

Various options are available when loading your items. The first option is to use your car, or else rent a moving truck or book the best movers. When using your car, there is a limit to the space available if your items are big. Moving truck rentals offer bigger vehicles perfect for all your furniture and boxes; however, if you want to hire professional movers, it is also a great option. They are the best in the business as they not only have large trucks at disposal, but they will assist with the loading and unpacking process and take care of moving large items that you might not be able to do by yourself.

Unpacking your boxes

Unpacking is not as easy as it sounds. When the unpacking process is not done properly, it can even cause you more stress than the packing itself. We recommend that everyday items be unpacked first, because there are basic items that need to be unpacked before others. You should also consider items that need quick access when unpacking and organize your home accordingly. Also, the empty boxes should go away from the room or space when unpacking, which means the recycle bin should also be easily accessible to you to cart away useless items and wrappings.

Conclusion

Generally, when packing, it is important to get organized. Following a scheduled plan is great because it saves you cost as well as unnecessary stress. To effectively pack your house when moving, you also need to determine and list the moving supplies you’ll need. Then, label and pack your belongings. When you will unpack at your new home, you’ll be happy to have followed these steps.

 

Sonnet and MovingWaldo have a commercial partnership.

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