1. Start prep work as soon as possible!
Purge any items you don’t need and get rid of
any clutter. Sort these into three piles: donate, sell, or trash.
2. Keep essentials with you.
3. Make sure you have the proper supplies!
You will need an assortment of boxes. This
includes small boxes, medium boxes, large boxes, wardrobe boxes, picture boxes, and dish
pack boxes (these are heavy-duty for your fragile china, etc.). You will also need packing paper,
and packing tape!
4. Start with one room at a time so it is not overwhelming.
Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box. For example, start in your bedroom and then categorize between fragile, light items, and heavy items and pack accordingly by following the next steps below. If there are items you are still using during the move or want to keep separate we suggest making a bag for each person or room with the items you need accessible during the move.
5. Pack small LIGHTWEIGHT items in large boxes!
This commonly includes blankets and linens, pillows, etc. but really anything lightweight. This way you can fit many lighter items and the box will not be too heavy to carry. On the other hand pack HEAVYWEIGHT items in small boxes (yes even if you have to use several) this commonly includes books, paper stacks, etc.) Try not to leave any empty spaces in your boxes of any size.
6. Don’t forget to label your boxes!
A brief description of the contents with a sharpie will suffice. With that being said, if you want to color code for each room, be my guest! The more organized you are, the easier the unpacking will be. Be sure to tape your boxes well going over them several times to ensure they are sturdy and structured for a good load. The last thing you want is your boxes to be crushed or worse, the bottom falling out while carrying.
7. Clothing in dressers should be left in dressers.
Professional movers will pad and shrink-wrap the dresser so drawers stay closed and furniture is protected and now your dresser is an oversized suitcase ready to go! Plus less work for you, so forget about it!
Other clothing in closets can be hung nicely in a wardrobe box. There is typically a room in the bottom of wardrobe boxes for shoes and all your other closet accessories. If you have extra suitcases by all means you can use them for miscellaneous items as well. This takes care of all closets! That was easy.
8. Large frames and photos can be wrapped with paper and placed in picture boxes, these are thick and protect your beloved artwork and photos.
9. Dishes and fragile items should be placed into dish packs and don’t forget to use your packing paper generously!
You want these protected at all costs and packed tightly enough so there is no wiggle room for errors. Leave these fragile items for last this way you are handling these boxes the least which means less room for breakage! They will also be put on the truck last so they are on top and not on the bottom of the load. This means these items will be first off the truck so you can store them in a safe place out of the way until you are ready to unpack.