It feels exciting to move into a new home. After weeks of negotiations and lots of paperwork later, you are ready for the big move, but there is still the not-so-fun task of packing your life. Whether you are moving down the street or across the country, packing is a crucial part of your move. Here are five expert tips to make packing less disastrous and make unpacking easier after the move.
Create a Binder for Moving Documents
Among the items that you need more during a move are your documents. A moving binder allows you to place all your necessary moving documents in one easy-to-find folder. With the binder, you are able to keep track of all the receipts and moving contracts and also place all the moving tasks in one place for easy access. Once you have the binder, you can keep items such as:
• Moving receipts
• Utility company contact details
• List of donations
• Donation receipts
• Financial documents
• Agreements
• School records
• Moving company contract
• Medical records
• Interior design ideas
• Contractor bids
Get the Right Packing Supplies
Packing is easier when you have the right supplies. Regardless of the distance of your move, you will need moving boxes of different sizes. Before you buy cardboard boxes, you can ask family and friends if they have boxes they want to get rid of. Once you have the boxes, get packing tape, bubble wrap, plastic bags, thick markers or sharpies, box labels, moving blankets, stretch wrap, rope for tying large items, a utility knife, a furniture dolly, and a mattress bag. These items will cost you money, but they will make your packing easier and more organized. You will also need to get tools to disassemble furniture, cleaning supplies, and trash bags.
Create a Checklist with Schedules on What to Pack First
There are several items that you have to pack when you are moving to a new home and several other considerations to make before you move. You have to deal with financial obligations, find a good moving company, sell some items that you will not take to your new home, and pack what you will bring to the new home. A checklist helps you figure out what should be done and when to do it. Having a to-do list will ensure that you never forget to pack a thing, and you do so in an organized and timely manner. You can ask your moving company if they have a ready checklist, or you can create a customized list to meet your unique needs.
Pack Moving Essentials Together
On the day of the move, you will need a bag or box with essentials needed during the day to make your move a success. Without these essentials, your move might be unpleasant. Create a list of all the essentials you need for the move so that you never forget something or pack it in a hard-to-reach area. You will need items, such as medications, ID, credit cards, a set of clothes, important documents, toiletries, baby and pet necessities, bottled water, paper towels, and anything else you find essential for the move. Ask your nationwide movers if they have a checklist for moving essentials. If they provide a list, customize it to meet your needs.
Color Code the Moving Boxes
To make packing and unpacking easier, you need labeled moving boxes. You can label the boxes to correspond to different rooms and add a color code for even better organization. The color codes make it easier for you to spot which boxes have your belongings when you need to unpack. There are color-coded labels on sites, such as Amazon and Walmart, but you can create your own customized color codes. If you are running on a budget, use multicolored tapes to label the boxes. For instance, you can mark boxes with blue to go to the kitchen and with red to go to the bedroom and choose other colors for other rooms. After that, create a list of the contents of each box to make unpacking easier.
Ensure that you start the packing early. Learn how to pack different items to keep them safe. For instance, you should not leave any spaces in the moving boxes. Again, you need special packing for items, such as your TV. Your moving company should guide you where you feel confused.
