Moving to a new house is a rollercoaster of emotions – sadness about leaving a home filled with memories, excitement about the fresh start that a new home promises – and that’s not to mention all the work involved! To help take some of the stress out of this process and make moving easier, we’ve put together some tips on how to take on one of the biggest jobs this process involves – packing.
Essential Packing Supplies
First, you’ll need to start gathering the supplies you need to pack your belongings. This includes:
- Small, medium and large boxes
- Heavy-duty boxes
- Wardrobe boxes (You can make your own by fixing a metal rail from eBay or your local DIY store into a tall box)
- Packing tape
- Bubble wrap and old newspapers. If you are worried about stains from newspaper ink, a roll of butcher’s paper is an affordable alternative.
- Markers and labels
If you’re doing the whole move yourself, you’ll also need stretch wrap for protecting your furniture. Old blankets and curtains are also useful for preventing bumps and scratches in transit.
While new moving boxes are available from various supply stores, you can cut costs by picking up used boxes for a low cost or even for free. Ask on your neighborhood Facebook, Craigslist or community page if anyone has boxes from their move, or visit your local grocery and pharmacy stores to pick up boxes as their shipments come in. Make sure that the boxes are sturdy and clean.
Tips to Make Packing Up Your Home Easier
- Book your home removal company: If you’re using a home removal company, book them well in advance (at least 6 weeks) to ensure you get the date you want, as they fill up quickly. Booking in advance also gives you enough time to find an affordable, quality option and even negotiate for a reduced rate. This also ensures that you know what services the company will take care of and what packing you need to do yourself.
- Give yourself enough time: Packing is a lengthy process and you don’t want to rush it. Sure, it will be annoying to have boxes around the house but giving yourself a month or more to pack will keep your belongings organized, reduce the risk of breakage, and make unpacking so much easier.
- Get to know your new home: If possible, organize to have a few hours one day at your new home so that you can measure for furniture, curtains and other big items. This will give you an idea of what will fit from your current belongings and what you should rather replace.
- Clear out as you go: Moving to a new house is all about fresh starts and there’s no point in packing and moving items you no longer have any use for. Sort out your belongings as you pack, putting aside items for the trash and those that can be sold at a yard sale before your moving day.
- Non-essentials first: There are plenty of items in our homes that we use infrequently or can do without for a month or so, and those are what should be packed first. Starting in the attic is ideal but don’t forget about seasonal items and clothes, DVDs and even books. As you pack, work towards your everyday goods and keep those till last.
- Label and track your boxes: As you pack each box, label it with a number and the room it should go into in your new home. Keep track of what’s in the box in more detail with an inventory spreadsheet and don’t forget to label fragile boxes clearly. Another tip is to put the number and room information on each side of the box, as when they are stacked together it will still be easy to see.
- Watch your weight: It sounds like a good idea to put books all in one box but that can make the box incredibly heavy and at risk of tearing apart. Instead, keep to about 30-40 lbs. per box to help avoid this and pack heavy items at the bottom of the box with lighter items on top.
- Fill empty spaces: Empty space in boxes allows items to shift and bump against one another, which can easily result in damage. Fill up empty spaces with dish towels, hand towels and other soft items to prevent this issue. If you run out of soft items, bunched up newspaper, bubble wrap and butcher’s paper will do the trick.
- Empty everything: Never try to move furniture and appliances while they’re full of clothing or other items, as they aren’t designed for the task and this can also make them very heavy. Instead, empty drawers completely to prevent injury and damage to your property. If you are moving with your appliances, make sure that they are clean, empty and dry – dryers and washing machines will need their barrels secured with transit bolts (these should have been supplied with the machine itself).
We hope these tips make your move easier and we wish you all the best for this new chapter in your life!