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Make a packing plan

Making a packing plan is critical in keeping your move on track. Mark your move date on a calendar and develop a plan for tackling each room in your place. Take note that plans often deviate, and you’ll need to leave time for flexibility.

Once you prepare with packing supplies, you can declutter and enlist help for getting rid of the unwanted things and packing the rest. It might help to make a list of the important things you use most, and designate sections of your home for what you want to donate and throw away.

Gather your packing supplies

From boxes to tie-down straps, it’s important to have all the packing supplies you need before you start packing. Make a list and gather enough supplies for the entire move before starting. That way you won’t have to waste time and money going to the store multiple times.

Get enough moving boxes

The best way to find out how many boxes you need is to go to each room and determine what it will take to pack each one. When figuring out a number, you should also think about the sizes of boxes you’ll need. From small to extra-large wardrobe boxes and wine boxes to guitar boxes, everything you need can be ordered online or bought at your local moving stores.

You can find sturdy boxes of all sizes at your local grocery stores, and they’ll often give them to you for free. Looking into rubber tubs or crates for belongings you’ll be keeping in the attic for an extended period of time is also a good idea to keep everything safe.

Choose reliable packing tape

One thing to remember when choosing your tape is that they’re not all created equal. Low-quality tape often unsticks and doesn’t hold the box together. Make sure to consider the type and adhesion strength. Plus, we recommend using a dispenser so it’s easy to apply.

Before purchasing, you need to determine how much you need. The width and length of the tape is usually listed on the packaging. The width of the tape you find will most likely be between half an inch to four inches and must be wide enough to seal your boxes. We recommend buying more than enough so you don’t have return to the store for more.

Use extra-wide plastic wrap

Plastic wrap comes in very handy when packing for a move. One tip is to leave your clothes in the dresser drawers and wrap them in plastic wrap. This saves you time and money because you don’t have to pack them separately or use additional boxes and tape.

Another tip is to use plastic wrap to bundle items with cords. Everything from lamps to stereos have cords that can become damaged if they’re not packaged properly. By wrapping the cords around the electronics, you’ll ensure they stay where they need to be and don’t get damaged.

Get a variety of colored markers

Labeling your boxes is crucial for organization in your new place. Use several different colored markers to label your boxes according to types of belongings and the rooms they’ll go in. Keep it simple by writing “living room,” “kitchen”, “bedroom #1,” etc., so unloading and unpacking is easier.

Borrow or rent a dolly or hand truck

What you use to move your things is very important for your physical well-being as well as the efficiency of the move. Keep the following things in mind to decide whether you need to rent or buy a dolly or hand truck.

Dollies:

• Transporting heavy loads is easy
• Can move heavier and bigger items
• Easy to move things from room to room or inside to outside
• Easy to use and more stable than a hand truck

Benefits of hand truck:

• Moves smaller items around the house
• Easier to use on steps and over thresholds
• Can be used by children or adults
• Easy to move things room to room or inside to outside
• Less expensive than a dolly

Repurpose your sheets, towels and blankets

Protecting your belongings is important during a move. That’s where moving blankets come in handy. You can use them to wrap furniture to protect it from damage like scratches and dents. But there’s a more economical way to do this. Instead of buying moving blankets in bulk, repurpose your sheets, towels and blankets instead.

On top of keeping your furniture safe, it will also protect your walls and floors from the corners of your furniture when moving everything out of your current place and into your new one. You can also wrap your sheets, towels and blankets around breakables, or stuff them into empty spaces inside your boxes so everything is more secure as you move them to the truck and into your new place.

Have enough rope, bungee cords and tie-down straps

Whether you’re using a moving truck or a truck and trailer to move, ropes, bungee cords and tie-down straps are important. Strap them around your load to secure it from moving, tie down loose items, or keep tarps in place on trailers or in the back of pickup trucks. They also come in handy inside a moving truck to keep heavy items secured in place or when you don’t have a full truck and don’t want boxes moving around the truck.

Don’t pack anything you don’t want anymore

If you’ve been in your home a significant amount of time, you’re likely to have things you don't need or want. But what do you do with those items? There are several options for your unwanted belongings.

Have a garage sale

This is a great decision because you won’t have to move the belongings that you sell, and you’ll get money in return.

Sell online

This is another way to make some money to help with your move. You can sell anything from clothes to appliances locally or simply charge the buyer for shipping.

Give away to friends and family

This is a great way to help people in your life who may need something you don’t want. It’s also an easy way to have it moved for free.

Donate to local thrift stores

You’ll be helping people in your community while getting rid of your unwanted belongings in the process.

What to pack last

This part is important. In the boxes, pack the electronics and charging cables, tools and cleaning supplies at the end in case you need them at the last minute. As for important documents, you’ll want to keep these with you in your vehicle in case you need them for moving out or moving into your new home. On top of contracts and insurance policies, this includes your driver’s license and passport.

The very last thing you’ll pack are things to go inside a bag you keep with you. Your documents can go here, but you’ll also want enough clean, comfortable clothes to get you through the move and a few days afterwards. It’s very important to keep vital medicine in this bag. You don’t want to run out of your medicine if you have trouble locating your supply when you get to the next place. Lastly, make sure you have your toiletries. Moving is hard work, and you’ll want to have all the toiletries you need to freshen up between hotels and getting your new home set up.

Packing dos and don'ts

From packing the first box to leaving the property with the moving truck, there are lots of things to remember when planning a move. Use these dos and don’ts for helpful tips on how to have a successful move.

Packing dos

• Set aside a whole day to pack each room of your house
  
  
• Measure the rooms in your new place to make sure everything fits
  
  
• Take pictures of the back of your electronics so you can put things back together the way they were
  
  
• Remove the bulbs from your lamps so they don’t break during the move
  
  
• Leave clothes on hangers and wrap the hangers with zip ties — or the clothes with plastic wrap — to keep them together and ready to hang in your new place
  
  
• Pack small items in suitcases and pots and pans with lids to save space
  
  
• Check every room before moving to ensure nothing is left behind

Packing don’ts

• Don’t wait until the last minute to pack, hire movers or reserve a moving truck — check reviews so you hire credible companies
  
  
• Don’t forget to label every box with the color-coded markers we discussed earlier
  
  
• Don’t fill your boxes so heavy that you have trouble moving them
  
  
• Don’t pack boxes with heavier items on top, and never pack books in big boxes
  
  
• Don’t forget to plan meals and drinks for moving day
  
  
• Don’t pack all the toilet paper so you don’t have any to use on moving day

Packing for a move: a checklist

It’s your choice whether you pack yourself or hire a company to do it for you. If you plan to pack your home yourself, the information above can help make it easier. Use this downloadable checklist for a time-based list of what needs to be done before and after you hand in the keys.