- Avoid the stress of moving
5 Tips to Moving
Moving is often fraught with challenges and frustration when your entire home is turned upside down and you are under deadlines to pack and move by a certain date and then unpack and set up a new home often in the same breath.
Moving challenges us because we have to uproot ourselves, pack our belongings, make decisions about things we’ve let sit for years in various places and then find places for our objects and items so we can access them when needed.
The First Tip to moving is if you don’t need it, don’ t pack it. This is often easier said than done especially if the move is sudden and you don’t have the luxury of time to sort through clothing, kitchen items, camping gear, holiday decor, children’s items and the like. If you can do ANY type of sorting, do it. Many people will find they sort on both ends, packing things they think they want and then decide, once moved, they don’t need or want these things after all. Some items to purge: clothes you haven’t fit into for years, outdated magazines and old books you’ll never read again, kid’s toys they’ve outgrown, furniture that has outlived its usefulness, can be donated or recycled.
The Second Tip is pack smart. Personally, I prefer small and medium sized boxes which makes it much easier to manage, lift/carry, especially for books, records, papers and any dense-dead weight items. Things like comforters, pillows and large, light, bulky items can go into heavy duty garbage bags rather than boxes and are packed last, thrown on top of heavier items or to fill in any gaps in the truck or car. Make sure you mark at least the top and one side of the basic contents in each box (two sides is best). You can also code the box with a bold letter in color for the specific room it was intended (ie, K for Kitchen, MBR for Master Bedroom, etc). Important Note: DO NOT pack items you need access to such as important documents, electronics, etc. Keep these aside so you can find them and use them.
Tip Three: pack boxes with as much stuff that relates together, such as all bath items in one, kitchen in another, which makes unpacking that much easier. I prefer bubble wrap layer on the bottom or packing paper to cushion any thing that is breakable. Stand dishes upright on end. There is much less chance for them to break rather than piling all the weight on top. Keep plenty of paper on hand (or bubble wrap). The goal is for things not to shift and move. Fill in the top layer with more paper to support the box top from added weight of other boxes and to maintain a strong cushion all around.
Tip Four is packing the truck so heaviest boxes on bottom with lighter and more fragile items on top, ensuring they don’t have room to shift and fall. Again, packing clothes and bedding around fragile items serves as a cushion and adds extra protection for breakables.
When moved to the new home, Tip Five helps us get all the boxes to their respective spaces. If you didn’t get to do any or only some purging on the front end, now is the time to revisit these things and let go of more, especially if you are downsizing to a smaller space. We will be forced to keep just what we need and to eliminate the rest. Make sure each storage area has specific zones for things, containing smaller like items together so they can be easily found and utilized. Boxes and paper/bubble wrap can be put on Craigslist and Freecycle for others to use.
Ensure a smooth move with organization and order. If someone is helping you unpack, make sure you are directing where things go and you know where things are so you can find them as needed. If you’re getting help packing, hire organized and experienced packers so your treasured things arrive in top condition. If you should need help, call Creative Space Organizing at 510.501.1213.