Whether you are moving a few weeks or a few months from now, it’s never too early to get a head start on the packing process. Nothing spells stress-filled disaster like a last-minute rush to pack the night before moving day. To avoid a meltdown, don’t procrastinate your move–here are some tips to help you get started.
- Create an inventory. If you have the time, making an inventory of all of your items is an excellent way to keep track of your belongings, not only for insurance purposes, but also to make the unpacking process go much faster. Label each box with a list of the contents of what’s inside and which room it should go to. Our website offers handy packing labels that you can easily print and attach to your boxes.
- Clean out the clutter. There’s no motivation like moving day to get you to finally tackle those cluttered closets and junk drawers. Sort through the chaos from top to bottom by separating items into different piles–keep, trash, sell and donate.
- Back up important files and photos. If you plan on packing up computer equipment, it’s a good idea to back up important data and photos onto an external hard drive or other storage device.
- Deal with hazardous materials. Moving companies will not handle flammable, hazardous or corrosive items like paint, nail polish remover, batteries, charcoal, paint thinner, pesticides, etc. Research your local hazardous waste drop-off site and make arrangements.
- Pack breakables carefully. Glasses, china and other breakables are time-consuming to pack, so it’s best to get those wrapped safely ahead of time. Wrap fragile items in packing paper, newsprint or bubble wrap, and fill boxes to the top with tissue or packing peanuts to prevent items from shifting.
For more packing tips, check out our packing and moving guides.
