Moving into a new house sounds exciting, but the idea of packing and moving sounds daunting if we think about the years’ or decades’ long worth of furniture and belongings.
Where do I even begin?
Of course, you can hire professional movers who can help you pack every single item into boxes and help unpack for you at your new home.
It saves you a lot of time and energy, but obviously, it comes with a hefty cost.
So if you’re looking to save money, but need some guidance on how to make the packing process and moving process a bit easier, here are some packing tips for moving along with the preparation guide.
Prepare your moving supplies way ahead.
You may already have had plenty of used boxes at home with all the recent online shopping.
Instead of disposing them, you now can finally put them to good use.
Whether big or small boxes, keep them as you will need them to pack various belongings.
Do make sure that the moving boxes are still in good condition, sturdy and resealable.
However, if you do need new moving boxes, you can find them at a hardware store.
Here’s a list of the types of moving boxes you may need:
- Cardboard Boxes of all sizes (Small boxes, medium boxes, large boxes)
- Plastic Container Box
- Heavy duty boxes
- Wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes, alternatively, get those IKEA shopping bags with zipper
- Storage bins and laundry baskets can be used to move items too.
Now that you have the boxes sorted, here are other packing supplies you’ll need:
- Packing tape (preferably masking tape as it sticks well, and you can write to label the boxes)
- Packing paper
- Scissors
- Bubble wrap/Plastic wrap
- Styrofoam
- Old newspapers
- Cling wrap for furniture
- Marker pen
- Plenty of plastic bags and garbage bags
- Label stickers
- Paper towels for cleaning.
Got all your packing materials ready? Let’s start packing.
Helpful tips for stress-free packing.
Packing tip #1: Always give yourself time, and begin packing early.
Packing an entire house can take up to one to two months depending on the size of your house.
But NEVER leave it to the final 2 weeks as it takes much longer than you know.
Do it progressively, aim to pack 1-2 boxes a day and do not stress yourself to pack too many in a day as it will tire you out.
It’s the same as anything you do in life, plan in advance and set smaller targets each day.
Packing tip #2: Start with rooms and household items that you use the least.
For example, begin with the store room or the unused guest/bedroom first.
Items that you do not use on a daily basis such as decorative items, gardening tools, hobby items or toys can be packed in advance.
Kitchenware that is hardly used such as pressure cookers, big pots fancy cutleries can also be packed first.
Remember to label the boxes and sort them in a corner so that you know where these boxes go.
If possible, try not to plan major cooking this season.
You can leave your everyday essentials and all the food for packing on the final week/final day.
Declutter and donate
Start getting rid of unnecessary items.
Dispose or donate toys or personal belongings that you no longer use such as stuffed animals, or clothes so that you don’t bring them along to your new house.
Packing tip #3: Box labelling.
The key to packing is to think about the unpacking process.
And to unpack fast is to ensure that you know what are being packed into all the boxes by labelling them.
Label boxes in detail especially which room they belong too.
This ensures you put all those boxes in the right room before unpacking and you can also decide which boxes to unpack first.
In addition to that it is essential that you pack one room at a time and mark boxes according to the rooms.
Packing tip #4: Pack the right items into the right box.
Pack heavy items, or pack glasses into large boxes and sturdy boxes.
This is so that you do not pack too heavy a box. 10-13kgs a box should be the maximum.
While you can pack the lighter items into the bigger boxes.
Ensure to protect the breakable items with bubble wrap, plastic wrap or Styrofoam.
Packing and moving of large furniture should be left to the moving company.
Packing tip #5: Use plastic bags for spillable items.
When it comes to packing toiletries and detergents, it’s best to reduce the number of liquid items you wish to take by packing only essentials.
Select a sturdy box and some plastic bags.
Take the bottles and unscrew the caps.
Afterwards, place a plastic bag over the neck of each bottle and screw the caps back on.
Ideally, you should be able to fit the whole bottle into the plastic bag.
Tie/Zip the bag and secure it with scotch packing tape.
That way, if your bottle opens accidentally, its contents will remain in the plastic bag.
Packing tip #6: Set aside an essentials box.
Make sure you put aside some everyday essentials for the nights before the move:
- Toiletries
- Toilet paper
- Paper plates and plastic utensils
- Some biscuits
- Overnight bag
- All your own valuable belongings
- Must-have stuffed animals for the kids
- Medication
If you find yourself too tired on the first night after the move, or unable to unpack for some reason, these items will be your life saviour.
Let’s move on to the actual moving.
There are many affordable moving companies out there with moving trucks and labour for hire. Some even come with free packing supplies such as cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape and packing paper.
Moving tips #1: Load the box into the moving truck according to the “furthest room” in the new house.
During the moving process, make sure someone is around to monitor the moving boxes. As you unload into the furthest room first, it prevents the boxes from blocking the path.
Moving tips #2: Load heavier boxes at the bottom.
I don’t think you’d want to move into your new house with damaged or dented boxes. So make sure you put the lighter items at the top and heavier items at the bottom.
Moving tips #3: Safeguard your belongings
Store all of your valuables in one place and bring them along by yourself. This includes jewellery and important documents.