Nearly 31 million Americans relocate every year, and nearly 15 million American households are moved as well. Can you imagine how this will be done without proper packing tips for moving? A relocation process can be overwhelming if you decide to do everything on your own.
On the other hand, if you know packing and moving tips, this whole process does not have to be a drag. With our tips for packing for a move, you will learn how to pack everything up without much fuss. Keep reading and find out some of the best packing tips for moving.
When we talk about what is the most efficient way to pack for a move, planning and organizing every step of the way is the most important detail. When relocating to a new state, you have to think about many things, such as registering a car in a new state, finding a place to live, getting a job, and on top of everything, relocation of your entire life. If you wish to move efficiently, one of the best relocating tips is to create a detailed plan and timetable. Make a checklist of all the things you have to do, and once you have everything on paper (or in a document) in front of you, your relocation will be much easier. Here are some of the things you have to put on your list:
Once you made your list, you should start with all arrangements early. First, you will have to set a relocation date, and once you have it, you can start with other preparations. When we talk about how long before moving should you start packing, the answer will be – the sooner, the better. It would be good if you begin with preparations at least one month before the big day. Everything should be packed one week before it, but declutter your home at the very start. Get rid of all unwanted items and stuff you don’t want to bring with you.
One of the best tips for packing to move is to clear one room in your home where you can pack everything up. If you have a garage, this will be an excellent choice, but the basement and guest room will do just fine. If you have a totaled car in your garage, that is waiting for ages to be fixed, now will be a great time to finish this. And if you don’t have time and energy for this, you can always sell a car through an auction. The third option is to sell that car in parts. If you know how to replace a valve stem or even how to properly dispose of a car battery, you will get quite an amount of money.
Once you get rid of all bulky stuff and clean your garage a bit, you can declutter your home. Go to every room in your house and make a pile of stuff you don’t want to bring with you. Then put all of it in your garage and make a yard sale or donate unwanted items. You will have fewer belongings to pack, and you will have space to pack other things without clutter getting in your way.
As you can guess, you can not do anything without proper packing materials for relocation. You can take some of the stuff from your house as a substitute for some protective materials. For example, instead of buying protective blankets, you can take your old sheets or towels, a newspaper can be used instead of packing paper. But for some belongings, it is better if you have proper materials, especially for fragiles. Here are some of the materials you should buy:
One of the most common things people forget to do when they move is to fill a box of essentials. This container should contain all the stuff you will need the day you arrive at your new location. If you don’t plan on shipping a car across the country, this box should be one of the things to keep in your car. But if you plan to use an auto transport company and transport vehicles on the open trailer, all your stuff will go on a truck. Knowing how to pack a relocation truck is also important. Your boxes should be properly labeled, and the essentials box should enter the truck last, so you can take it off first at the new location. You can put everything in a transparent container in order to see what is inside. Here are some of the things you should consider putting in this container:
And, of course, you can make more than one container of essentials. Just be sure that you label them correctly, so you know what is where once you arrive.
The best relocating hacks we can present you with mean making a great strategy to pack everything up. If you have followed our instructions so far, you should declutter your home and garage. You have your protective materials in place, and now it’s time for some more packing tips for moving. Don’t forget to make a household inventory list. This list will help you in labeling later on and with getting your quote with movers.
We mentioned that you should make a pile of belongings you won’t bring with you in every room and eventually get rid of those. Now you should do the same with stuff you are taking along. If you wonder, what should be packed first when moving, the answer is “the things you don’t need right now.” Go in each room and separate all that you don’t have any immediate use for. Move those to the garage and box them up.
Also, start with rooms you don’t go to that frequently, like a guest room, basement, or attic, and wrap them up. Also, if you are relocating in the summertime, your winter clothes can safely be packed in the first wave. Things useful until the relocation day, like dishes, hygiene products, or food, should be packed last.
If you already have an inventory list of your belongings, this part shouldn’t be a problem. When labeling your boxes, the best thing to do is implement two or three labeling systems simultaneously. For example, you can use color stickers for rooms, numbers for specific shelves, and writing to mark stuff inside boxes (write “fragile” or “heavy,” for example.) When relocating the entire house, a good labeling system is a lifesaver for loading and unloading your stuff on a truck and unpacking later on.
Also, when making your strategy, don’t forget to learn what stuff movers won’t move. For example, one of those is food. So, if you have a lot of food in your freezer and pantry, start eating it on time or donate it. If you have a gun, you should know that most companies will not transport it, just like flammable stuff. Also, if you have important documents and belongings of high value, you should contact your company and ask them about them.
If you are relocating at the last minute, you will have to learn how to pack your items quickly but yet with some sort of organization. It’s easy to just make a huge pile of everything, but it will turn into a nightmare when the time comes for sorting. But don’t worry – with these couple of relocating tips, you will finish everything in no time.
For example, you can leave clothes on a hanger and just put them all together in garbage bags that will, for the time, take the role of garment bags. You can wrap glasses in socks, and small trinkets can go in zip lock bags. Use vacuum bags for your coats and bedding, while books can go to contractor bags if you don’t have time to procure boxes.
If you wish to pack breakables like a pro, the golden rule is to wrap each item from top to bottom and even the insides. There shouldn’t be any hollow spaces – fill them with bubble wrap, paper, or some cushioning. If necessary, secure pieces with duct tape and place them in a container. If you wish to give your glasses extra protection, buy some sectioned cardboard boxes made specifically for this purpose. Here each of your glass will have its own section, so breakage during the trip would be an extraordinary feat. Bear in mind that glasses should be properly wrapped even in this container.
There is also a certain order you should follow when putting fragile belongings in a container. First thing first, put a cushioning layer on the bottom of your container. Then insert heavier pieces and then lighter ones on top of them. Add cushioning between each layer of breakables, as well as on top of everything. Reinforce your box with extra duct tape on all sides. Check out this video for more info on how to protect your fragile belongings.
Whether you plan to get to know some of the most famous routes in the USA with your freshly-bought family car or to ship a car across the country, you’ll have to take some preparatory steps in both cases. If you decide to hire a USA auto transport company, you will have to prepare your car for shipping. You will have to have all your car documentation ready for the movers. You should get gas out of your car and all your personal belongings and take pictures for insurance purposes after a good car wash. Then contact the chosen company and ask if you need to disconnect the car alarm, and your vehicle is good to go.
On the other hand, if you plan to go on a family road trip, you probably stopped asking yourself whether owning an RV is worth it since now it will definitely pay off. You will be able not only to enjoy beautiful American sights, but you can bring all the things you wouldn’t be allowed to had you gone with professional shippers. Don’t forget to put your essentials in your car. You should have essential bags for your whole family like you are going on a short vacation. Also, bring some snacks, water, and toys. Don’t forget to book motels on the way and plan what you can see on your trip to a new destination.
When it comes to transporting cars from state to state, if you own one of the most expensive cars in the world or maybe even some of the best electric cars, you will want to use exotic auto transport, which is usually an enclosed trailer. So, when contacting the car shipping company, keep this information in mind. Also, aside from enclosed auto transport, you can ask them about pick up and delivery options. Most companies offer two options – door-to-door auto transport, where your vehicle will be delivered at your doorstep, and terminal to terminal car shipping, where you leave and pick up your car at the nearest terminal. There is a difference in price between these two options, so choose the one that fits your budget.
