Moving always seems to feel stressful and chaotic no matter what. However, it's something we all deal with at least once in our lives. For the most part, moving can be exciting, but it's never something anyone wants to do.
Simplifying your move can help you reduce stress by avoiding mistakes and planning ahead. Luckily, there are tons of tips and tricks to help you make your moving process easier. In this article, we'll focus on simplifying one of the most daunting parts of moving: packing. If you pack correctly and plan, you can make unpacking easier. Here's how you can make packing easier to simplify your move.
1. Toss What You Don't Need
Before you start packing, toss everything you don't think you'll bring to your new home. Of course, getting rid of things is more easily said than done. To start, you might need to organize your home so you can get a clear inventory of what you have. After you've organized, you can start cutting back on clutter as much as possible and purge all of your unnecessary belongings.
By tossing what you don't need, you'll have less to pack and less to unpack so you aren't bringing clutter into your new home.
2. Start Early
If you're moving in the summer, then you won't need to worry about packing away your winter clothes. Plan to pack as much as possible early on so you don't feel stressed as moving day approaches. It's best to give yourself at least a few weeks to pack, but you can start by packing off-season clothing and items you won't need before the big move.
As your move-in date gets closer, you can start packing away things like dishes and more clothes so you won't have too much to do days before the move.
3. Use Storage
If you know there are some things you won't need to immediately take to your new home, consider using storage containers that will help you get rid of clutter so you can pack easier. Anything from office furniture, old couches, and even clothes you no longer wear can be put in a storage container and taken out at any point in time when you need them.
4. Pack Your Essentials Last
Everyone has essentials they'll need as soon as they move into their new home, like clothes for the next few days, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, and more. Pack these items on the day of the move so you can use them, and then throw them into a suitcase or bag that you'll keep with you. Packing your essentials last can be beneficial the day after the move if you don't feel like unpacking everything in one day or searching through multiple boxes to find what you need.
Make sure everyone in your family packs an overnight bag of essentials so they don't have to worry about unpacking everything the day of the move. If you have pets, make sure you create a bag of essentials for them as well so they can have access to food, water, and toys.
5. Stock Up on Supplies Early
There's no worse feeling than realizing you don't have enough boxes or moving supplies the day before the move. While you can start packing early with as many boxes as you can find, make sure you do an inventory of supplies a few days before the move, especially if you still haven't packed a lot of your belongings yet. Doing an inventory will allow you to order or purchase the items you need if you run out so you don't have to worry about running out of boxes or bags the day before the move.
6. Put Heavier Items On the Bottom
When you're using boxes, put the heavier items on the bottom of the boxes and lighter items on time. This will give you a more even weight distribution to make carrying the boxes easier. In addition, while loading up your truck, put the heaviest boxes near the front of the truck for balance.
7. Don't Mix Items
Try packing from room to room so you can make unpacking much easier. If you start packing up the bedroom, don't switch to the living room. Instead, work your way from room to room so you know all of a room's items are together. You can also label each box by room so you know where all the belongings are for each area.
8. Label Your Boxes
Always label your boxes correctly with a description of their contents and the room that it's for. Labeling your boxes will help you know where to put the boxes when you move into your new home. Labeling every box may seem daunting, but it's necessary if you want to make the unpacking process as simple as possible.
9. Give Yourself a Timeline
If you want to make your move as simple as possible, give yourself goals to achieve with end dates in mind. For example, make sure you've completed most of your packing at least a few days before the move so you don't feel overwhelmed. If you want to make sure you have enough time to pack, try making a schedule for when each room will be packed and how long it will take.
10. Utilize the Entire Box
Unless it's the last box you packed, make sure you utilize all of the boxes and fill them up so you won't have to grab more supplies the day of the move. Be careful not to pack too many heavy items in the same box. Instead, pack heavy items with lighter items so you can create balance while still being able to lift the boxes.
Simplifying Your Move
While one of the hardest parts about moving is the move itself, packing can make the whole experience less stressful. By staying organized and on top of the deadlines you set for yourself, you can ensure both your packing and unpacking processes are simple and easy.
Matt Casadona
Matt Casadona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. Matt is passionate about marketing and business strategy and enjoys San Diego life, traveling, and music.
