Moving – Make Packing Easy

Kitchen

When it comes to moving, the kitchen can be one of the most difficult rooms. There are so many small pieces that need to be packed and many items are considered fragile. Pack things into the box that go together in the cabinet. This will make it easy to unpack and put things right back into a cabinet when you get to the location. Take your time and label with the moving date quickly approaching, you need to get the house packed up and ready to go. Gather up the supplies and maybe a few friends and jump right into the process. Begin in one area of the house and move from room to room, deciding what to keep, what to get rid of and where things should go.

What Should Not Go

Before putting one item into a moving box, think about the things that you aren't going to take with you. Start out in one room and begin looking for things that you never use. When it comes to clothes, look for things that don't fit. In the kitchen, pick out the plastic storage containers with no matching tops. In every room, there is something that doesn't need to go. Don't waste the space and give it away or throw it away.

Make a Plan

Whether you are moving all by yourself or getting help from friends, you want to have some idea of how you are going to get things packed. If you know how things are going to go, you can share the information with your friends and keep things running smoothly. If you are packing, but you aren't ready to actually move, start with the things that you don't need on a daily basis. Pack up books, movies, keepsakes and picture frames. When it gets closer to moving time, begin to pack up the other important things around the house.

Assemble a Crew

Need some help from friends and family? Ask everyone to come over and pitch in. Provide some sort of easy lunch and keep some music playing in the background. While it is still work, people will enjoy the music and it will make time go by faster. Be sure that you offer to help everyone out with something they have going on as well.

Label Everything

Don't just write the name of a room on each of the boxes. When it comes to moving into a new place, you want to be able to look at the outside of a box and know whether or not it contains what you are looking for. When a box is full, take a thick marker and write down the room it belongs in. Next, put down a few details about the items inside. For example, don't just write “clothes.” Write “winter clothes” or “shoes and coats.” The more specific the description, the easier it becomes to unpack.

Unpacking

When the time comes to unload the truck, start with the things that you will need first. Toiletries, clothes, towels and kitchen items. Be sure to get everything out of one box before going on to the next. You don't want the new place full of half empty boxes. You can also start in one room, get it situated and head out to the next. No matter what, do the best you can. People will understand the mess as you are trying to get settled in a new place. If there are still things you aren't sure what to do with, toss them in the attic or the garage until you get around to finding them a home.