For many people, the thought of moving to a new property is anxiety-inducing. Between the packing and the organising, it can seem like a never-ending task. Thankfully, there are plenty of tried-and-true hacks to making the packing process a breeze. Here are some of our favourite tips for moving different parts of the house.
Before you begin the packing process, it’s best to set up a special moving box loaded with everything you need for organising your move. This may include a marker to write on boxes, colour-coded tape and scissors. As extra organisation, get each member in your household to pack an overnight bag with the essentials – a change of clothes, a towel, and a set of cutlery. This way, you’ll be sorted for the first night at your house without rummaging through boxes to find the items you need to freshen up.
The kitchen is often seen as one of the biggest headaches when it comes to shifting house. For one, this room is loaded with breakables. From glasses to plates, there’s a lot of liability when it comes to precariously stacking a box of dinnerware. Wrapping your plates in shirts helps in tackling two birds with one stone – protecting your plates while packing your clothes. For stemware and other glasses, socks make the perfect protective cover. For those with removable cutlery trays, a reusable shopping bag is the perfect mode of transportation. Simply slide the bag over the tray and tie it at the open end. This way, the cutlery stays in its designated compartment during the move.
In the days leading up to the big move, try to prep your meals from items you already have in the pantry. Not only does this save money in what normally is quite an expensive time, but helps in that there will be less items to pack in the shift.
One of the best ways to tackle the bedroom is to purge your extras while you pack. In this sense, it’s a perfect time to take a page out of Marie Kondo’s book and get rid of things that no longer spark joy for you. Whether you donate your old clothes or make a few extra dollars by selling your wares online, the less you have to pack the better, and gives you an opportunity to kit your new wardrobe with fresh clothes. Leave the pieces you want to keep on their clothes hangers – they can be moved by placing them in rubbish bags and tying the top around the hanger. Once you get to your new space, simply hang it onto the rack in your wardrobe and cut away the bag.
Many people have special display cases or china cabinets for valuable items. Before unpacking these units, take pictures of the way pieces are organised, so you can use it as a reference when putting items back in. When shifting these special items, it’s best practice to not write the word “valuables” or what the item is on the box as it opens up an opportunity for theft, particularly if you’re using a moving company for the shift. A good strategy is to number boxes and keep a list of what the corresponding items are. Not only is this great from an organisational standpoint, but helps you keep track should boxes go missing. Furthermore, you can use this as a reference when choosing boxes to unpack in terms of priority.
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