Get it together! You can do it!
First, set realistic time-related goals to pack your belongings in your moving boxes, depending on the number of rooms in your home. To save energy, it's better to plan your packing over several days. Marking the dates on a calendar, as well as the time you believe it'll take to clear each room, can help you visualize the task ahead and adjust accordingly.
Then, for each room in your home, identify the items you need to recycle or discard. Be environmentally responsible and dispose of those items in the appropriate recycling bins or simply follow the regulations of your municipality for this purpose.
Sorting what you need to keep, what you can reuse, and what you need to discard or leave behind is truly the hardest task. The rest of the packing… is a piece of cake!
What to pack first?
Or rather what to pack last! In each of your rooms, there are essential things you will need in the few days prior to your move, things that you use on a daily basis… Only put them in boxes on the day of the move or the day before.
Everything else can (and should) be stored first in the moving boxes. Room by room, think of decorations, ornaments, paintings, books, bedding, dishes, toys and other small items that you can already pack efficiently.
Pack your clothes effortlessly.
It's time to emotionally detach yourself from the clothes you no longer wear! You can donate your old jeans to the community center of your choice or recycle your old t-shirts by turning them into useful wipes for household products.
Among the clothes you want to keep, no need to remove hangers or fold clothes that are usually hung into a regular moving box. Instead, opt for a few wardrobe boxes. This will allow you to easily carry dresses, suits and delicate pieces without wrinkling them.
Maximize space in your moving bins.
Fill the larger boxes with small or light objects and keep the smaller boxes for heavier objects. The boxes will be more compact, thus easier to transport without breaking.
When removing the clothes from your drawers, fold the larger pieces inside the boxes and roll the smaller or the lightest to fill the empty spaces. You can also use your luggages instead of the moving boxes to transport your clothes: this will free up some moving boxes. Furthermore, the majority of your cooking tools fit together: pots, pans, storage bowls and the like. So put these objects one inside the other to maximize your use of space.
Don't forget to BE GREEN! Protect your dishes or other fragile items with recycled packing paper or simply use old clothes.
Identify your boxes properly.
When it's time to unpack, you will undoubtedly be at peace knowing the contents of each of your boxes! You'll be able to put things back in order into your new place in no time. Use labels or use a color code to identify your boxes; You can place them immediately in each of the respective rooms of your home on the first day of the move.
You can also keep a notebook with the total number of boxes you used for each room in the house. Once you arrive at your new residence, it'll be easier to know if all your belongings made it!
The First Day Box
Your new home will be empty, and although you want to make it as comfortable as possible, as quickly as possible… it may not happen on the day of the move. The First Day Box is an unique box that'll keep you from feeling overwhelmed and stressed from the move. The goal is to enable a comfortable transition into your new home, so feel free to include in that box any items that you personally consider essential to adapt in your new space.
- For example, place in your box:
- Comfortable clothes for the first 2-3 days;
- Essential elements to stay clean (towel, toothbrush, soap, toothpaste, etc.);
- Chargers for your laptop, cell phone, tablet, etc.;
- Small precious objects from which you absolutely do not want to separate;
- First Aid kit
Do not forget to take into consideration your daily routine or your obligations for the few days following the move, this will enable you to pack this First Day Box accordingly: Are you moving in the middle of the week? Do you have to go to work the next day? Do you have important appointments?
Finally, the best way to avoid stress and save time is to take your time! Plan your move and take the time to pack your belongings properly in durable moving boxes: this will definitely save you time and energy when comes time to unpack and settle into your new home.
Special Mention!
Moving is often synonymous of stress, long administrative tasks and a significant waste of time and money. MovingWaldo helps you solve all these problems in just a few clicks! After some shameless self-promotion, we invite you to discover our free moving tools available to all.
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