As you prepare for an upcoming relocation, it’s no surprise that packing can be one of the most stressful and long-winded parts of the entire process. After all, packing up an entire home is no simple feat, and it involves a lot of planning and care to be a success.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of tackling packing, never fear! Although the task can feel like a challenge, it doesn’t have to be. By equipping yourself with the right know-how and following the proper steps, you can pack like a pro and save yourself a headache.
Interested in discovering how? Keep reading for our 10-step packing guide!
- Plan and Conquer
To get your packing off on the right foot, start with a master plan. Before you even begin packing, you should think about the order of operations as you approach this process.
Decide which room you will pack first, and determine how much time you will spend on each room. Creating this schedule will allow you to strategically handle the task that lies ahead, setting you up for a more organized process overall.
- Declutter Your Home
Next on your list, you’ll want to declutter your home before you pack for your move. Decluttering reduces the amount you’ll need to pack and unpack, and it creates a tidier space for you to live in.
To declutter effectively, divide your belongings into four different categories: donate, sell, trash, and keep. Start the task of decluttering by sorting through areas of your house that have accumulated the most forgotten items, such as closets, drawers, and cabinets. Many unwanted and unneeded items are pushed to the back in these areas, so starting here may be easiest.
If you’re having trouble determining what items to get rid of, enlist the help of a loved one to add in an objective perspective. Once you’ve sorted your belongings, you can find a new home for your gently used items, which is a great way to reuse and recycle items.
Donating to a local thrift shop or hosting a garage sale is a smart approach that reduces waste throughout this process.
- Acquire Supplies
To pack successfully, you need to have the right supplies available for usage throughout the task. It’s important for you to have the following materials as you pack your home:
- Sturdy cardboard boxes
- Bubble wrap
- Packing paper
- Packing tape
- Permanent markers
- Moving blankets
These materials, and any others as you see fit, will be critical to packing your items in an organized fashion.
- Label Your Boxes
While you fill your boxes, be sure to thoroughly label each one with lots of details. Your labels should provide specifics about what the box contains, rather than just including general information about the contents.
Including details sets you up for an easier, more efficient unpacking process, making a huge difference in the overall time and energy spent throughout the task. Additionally, take the time to include your labels on more than one side so you can see the boxes’ contents from numerous angles.
- Create an Inventory
If you’re interested in going beyond labeling, creating an inventory is a way to take your organizational system a step further during your move. An inventory requires you to list all the items you have packed, and this running list will correlate each item to a number.
This number will be assigned to a box, allowing you to use numbers to label your boxes as a way to keep track of every item inside. This is the ultimate tactic for a neat and organized move, making packing as structured as possible.
- Don’t Overload Your Boxes
Although you’ll want to make sure your boxes are packed fully without wasted space, it’s important to remember not to overload your boxes with heavy items.
Keeping your belongings evenly spread out will prevent boxes from becoming too heavy or awkward to carry, and it will also decrease the likelihood of your boxes breaking open when lifted. These are important considerations, as the transportation of your boxes is a huge part of any move.
A great way to ensure you don’t make your boxes too heavy is to put your heaviest items in smaller boxes and your lightest items in larger boxes. This tactic can be extremely helpful in keeping the weight manageable, so if you have numerous box sizes available to you, consider using this method.
- Protect Your Fragile Items
As you go about your move, you’ll want to use the appropriate protective measures to keep your items safe and sound. Your most fragile items should receive ample amounts of support to keep them guarded in transit.
Especially for long-distance moves, there will be plenty of opportunities for your belongings to sustain damages, and the last thing you want when you open your boxes is to see broken items. Take the correct actions to safeguard these items, whether they’re inside boxes or larger furniture pieces wrapped in moving blankets.
- Prevent Movement
In the same vein as using the right protective supplies for your belongings, be sure to prevent movement within your boxes. To do this, you should be strategic about the way you place your belongings in the boxes, taking care to intentionally arrange your items to minimize empty space.
If you have empty space left in a box but it’s already getting too heavy, use lightweight supplies such as bubble wrap to fill the space with little weight added. This is an effective way to limit movement and keep your items in good condition.
- Disassemble Furniture
Whenever possible, take the time to disassemble your larger furniture items, rather than transporting them in full. Breaking these items down into smaller pieces will allow you to fit them into a moving truck or mobile storage unit more conveniently, and it also makes your furniture easier to carry, especially if it’s a heavy item.
Once your furniture is disassembled, you can protect the items by wrapping them in moving blankets, which will offer protection from scratches and scuffing while being transported.
- Save Essentials for the End
Last but not least — your essential items! The belongings you use the most should be saved to the very end, since you will need to use them right up until moving day.
You should always keep an essentials bag with you that contains the items you will need right away in your new home. This will include a change of clothes, toiletries, medications, and anything else you might need on moving day.
Packing Done Right with the Best Long Island Movers
With these tips in mind, packing doesn’t need to feel like an uphill battle. Instead, you can make this task manageable and simple, and soon, you’ll be packing for your move like an expert!
Need a reliable moving company to help you with your upcoming relocation? Count on Austin Moving & Storage, your trusted Long Island movers for three generations! Our team of dependable professionals is ready to handle all of your relocation needs with confidence and expertise, transforming your move to feel like a breeze. Request a free quote online today, and find out what Austin can do for you!