How to Pack for a Move: A Quick Guide

Moving to a new home is one of life’s top stressful events. Packing, unpacking, and getting settled is a lot to handle on top of changing addresses, schools, setting up new services, etc.

Don’t let packing get you overwhelmed. We are here to help you. Keep reading to learn how to pack for a move, so you can focus on the other details.

Get Rid of Items You Don’t Need

As you start packing for a move, you need to go through items you don’t need. If you haven’t used it in the past year, it’s probably time to part with it. Why pack things you don’t need to move?

You can decide if you want to sell or donate items. If you sell items, you’ll have extra cash in your pocket. You could have a garage sale to try to get rid of as many items as possible or list items online on places like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.

Gather Moving Supplies

Now, you need to start gathering your moving supplies. You don’t want to continually run to the home improvement store as you start packing.

See if any of your friends or neighbors have boxes they need to get rid of. You can also ask your local grocery stores if they have boxes you can have.

Make sure you have plenty of packing tape to seal your boxes along with markers to label each box. You will need items to help protect breakable items like grocery bags, newspapers, bubble wrap, or towels. You can also use clothing or blankets to help protect delicate items.

Organize Your Belongings

Now it’s time to start packing room by room. You want to keep like items together. For example, all your kitchen supplies should go in the same boxes. Then you should label each box accordingly. Fight the urge to just throw something in the box because you have space because it will make it harder later.

Another way to make it easier is to color-code all your rooms when labeling. This will make it easier for you or the movers to know where to put a box. Make sure you stack all these boxes for each room close together, which will make it easier when you remove them from the moving truck.

You should create a packing checklist so you can tackle some packing each day. Try not to pack everything in one day, so you will need to start early.

Pack Your Boxes Using These Packing Tips

When you start packing, use smaller boxes for heavier items. You should use larger boxes for lighter items. You can also use laundry baskets and hampers to move items.

As you pack dishes for your residential move, stack them vertically. It helps give them more cushion and they are easier to unpack.

Don’t overstuff a box. You don’t want your boxes to weigh more than 50 pounds if you can avoid it.

You can also pack clothing by leaving it on a hanger. Place a garbage bag over the top and cut a hole at the top for your hangers.

Have an Essentials Box

Create an “open first” box so you can find items you need immediately. This should include everyday essentials like phone chargers, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, utensils, toiletries, and a change of clothes. Pack these items in a clear box so you can find them quickly.

Looking for More on How to Pack for a Move?

Now that you know how to pack for a move, you can start preparing for the big day. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time.

Looking for help preparing for a move? Contact us today. We are a team of expert movers that can help you get the job done right—without all the additional stress!