June 19, 2021
Five Packing Hacks for A Stress-Free Move
If you’ve gone through the process of moving, you probably already know that it can be a very stressful experience! In fact, moving is one of life’s most stressful events after divorce and the death of a loved one.
The prospect of packing up your entire life can seem overwhelming, especially when it comes on top of finding and hiring a moving company, preparing a new space, and many other painstaking logistics. Many moving companies offer packing services, but if packing is something that you’re going to be handling on your own, here are five ways to help make it an easy and stress-free experience:
#1 Lose Unnecessary Items
Moving is a great opportunity to ask yourself Marie Kondō’s famous question: “Does this spark joy?”. Start with your clothes. If there’s a sweater in the back of your closet that you haven’t worn in years, or a pair of jeans with a stain that won’t budge, it might be time to say goodbye. If they’re in decent enough condition you can donate them to a local charity of your choice.
The same strategy goes for appliances, furniture, and other household items. Whether it’s an item past its prime, or one that goes unused in day-to-day life, consider leaving them behind. One good rule of thumb is to ask yourself whether you would purchase this item again today, given the chance. If you decide to discard a bigger object, like a couch or TV, make sure you schedule a garbage or charity pick up in advance.
#2 Use Space Efficiently
With all the physical exertion that goes into transporting boxes and belongings, it’s important to pack strategically in order to maximize space. When packing luggage (duffles and suitcases) make sure to fill them with clothes and other belongings. The same goes for dresser drawers – remove the drawers, fill them with clothes, and secure them with plastic wrap. You can even use pots to transport things.
In order to be kinder to the movers as well as yourself, pack heavy items in small boxes and light items in big boxes. A heavy big box is not only more difficult to transport, it is also more likely to break and get damaged. Within each box, make sure the heavier items are at the bottom and the lighter items are on top to keep the lighter items from being crushed.
#3 Secure Items For Transport
Repurposing your linens and clothes as packing materials will not only save you money, but will also help maximize your packing efficiency. Use things like dish towels and socks as padding for more delicate items, such as dishware, lamps, decor, bottles of wine, etc.
Be sure to keep toiletries and other potentially messy items in plastic bags or tupperware to prevent any annoying spillage. But don’t pack away any essential toiletries – you’ll need to keep those out for the moving days!
#4 Embrace Master Organization Skills
Invest in a few different colored permanent markers so that you can label and color code your boxes. It can be easy to forget what is in which box, so make sure to write a little reminder on the outside. Using different colors can also be helpful. For example, use blue to label boxes of kitchen items, red for bedroom items, green for living room items, etc.
In addition to labelling boxes, another trick that can be useful is to take a picture of the contents of each box. That way, you can keep track of the contents of each box even after they’ve been taped up. While each item might not be visible, the picture will hopefully be able to trigger your memory and remind you what’s inside.
#5 Get Ready For The Day
Now that the big day is right around the corner, there’s one last thing you need to prepare. Pack a small bag or suitcase of essentials for the days during and after the move. Essentials include a change of clothes, toiletries, medicines, important documents, and anything else you will need to have accessible for the next few days. In the chaos of moving it may be hard to locate something among the pile of boxes and furniture, so it’s crucial that you set aside everything you might need in a separate bag.
Using these hacks can help take away some of the stress of moving and let you focus on something more positive: the beginning of an exciting new chapter in your life.
