They say that you never know how much stuff you really have until you move. Often when you truly have to go through everything you own, you’ll find a whole lot of things you forgot about or didn’t even know you had — turning the process of boxing up your household possessions into a long, hard slog.
But packing for your move doesn’t have to be as painful as pulling teeth. Follow these steps to simplify your packing experience and get your house ready to relocate sooner, with less stress!
Start the Purging Process Early
As soon as you know you’re going to move, you can begin reducing the amount of stuff you’ll need to bring with you. Keep two boxes (or a box and a bag) in every room of the house. Use one for items that are broken or otherwise need to be thrown away, and the other for items you no longer want or need and won’t take with you.
These unwanted items can be donated to thrift stores, or you can hold a yard sale to help increase your budget for the move.
Appoint a Packing Room
Once you start packing up your house, rather than leave boxes in the rooms they’re loaded in, choose a single room and make it Packing Central. If possible, make it a room that’s close to the door you’ll use to carry boxes out and load the truck.
Clean this room out first –if there’s a lot of furniture, push it to the sides after you’ve prepared it for moving — and place all fully packed boxes in the room. Make sure to label each box clearly as it’s packed, so you know exactly where it goes when your stuff arrives at your new home.
Fill All Your Substitute “Boxes”
Many people empty out dressers, chests, and other storage furniture in preparation to move. This is actually a waste of space. By keeping clothing, linens, and other non-breakable items inside dresser drawers and storage chests, you can reduce your packing time and the number of boxes you’ll need for moving.
Don’t forget about suitcases! There’s no sense packing an empty suitcase when you can fill it for the move. Or, an alternative use for suitcases is to create overnight bags for each family member with toiletries and a change of clothes, so you don’t have to unpack all of your boxes on moving day.
Use the Materials You Have
It’s important to protect fragile and breakable items during the moving process, but you don’t have to invest in a lot of bubble wrap and moving blankets to accomplish this. Use clothing, towels, linens, and blankets to protect furniture, wrap dishes and fragile items, and generally make your packing process easier. Shirts and pillowcases are perfect for protecting plates, glassware, and other kitchen items, while socks make convenient cushions for mugs, glasses, and stemware.
Choose the Right Boxes for the Right Items
Most people believe that big boxes are for heavy items, while small boxes are for the light stuff. Actually, the opposite is true — big, heavy boxes are difficult to move and slow you down when it comes to loading and unloading the truck. Choose small, sturdy boxes for your heavy items, and fill large boxes with lightweight items, so they’re easier to move.
Now you’re ready to enjoy easy packing and take some of the stress out of your move! For an even less stressful move, call on Cheap Movers Cleveland for help with your relocation! We can help you find everything from hourly movers to full-service moving providers.