5 Packing and Moving Tips for a Successful Move

Moving to a new home in an up-and-coming city is exciting. It’s a chance to turn the page and begin a new chapter, full of different experiences and getting to know a new community. It can be daunting, especially when you have to manage packing all your stuff and the busy work surrounding the move. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the entire process because there are quite a few moving parts that can change instantly.

If you’re wondering what’s the best way to pack and move, we’re going to explore that question here and give you actionable steps to make your moving process easier. One of the best ways to simplify your move is to hire professional movers who will use their expertise to help things go off without a hitch. It still helps to know some nifty moving tips. To understand how to move smarter, you need to pack smart; that means knowing how to pack but also what to pack for your move. Let’s look at some important packing and moving tips that will set you up for success.

What is the Hardest Room to Pack? 

The kitchen is by far the hardest room to pack because of how many items are in there. You’ve not only got a load of dishware, cookware, cutlery, and fragile items; you have to deal with large appliances like fridges, stoves, and microwaves. Issues are compounded because many kitchen items are oddly shaped, making it difficult to pack them safely. Use old blankets or trash bags to protect kitchen furniture from dust and damage.

Your ideal strategy for packing and moving should prioritize the kitchen. Packing the kitchen can take an entire day and requires up to $100 worth of packaging. Get started on the kitchen as soon as possible. You can’t fully pack up the kitchen until move-out day because you’ll still need to use it, but it’s best to get the process going early. Start by packing a box or two of items you won’t need to use before completing the move such as most of your cookware and lesser-used appliances.

Get rid of anything that’s worn, damaged, or you don’t need anymore. Items you won’t want to ship, such as wine glasses, recipe books, baking pans, and other bulky items should be well-packed with bubble wrap to prevent damage during the move.

How Soon Should you Start Packing for a Move? 

The easy answer to this question is to start packing as soon as possible. The sooner you get things squared away, the smoother the move will go. Having said that, moving is easier said than done, especially when you have a family’s worth of stuff to think about. Before you start packing, develop a moving plan. Make sure you have an idea where everything will go and what materials you need to safely pack your valuables.

This plan will have to account for each room because each area has unique circumstances to consider. For example, your kitchen is likely full of bottles containing various oils, drinks, and soaps. These will need to be well secured so they do not leak. In the bathroom, you have harsh cleaning agents and other bathroom supplies that are generally small but need just as much care when packing to prevent leaks and dangerous chemical interactions.

5 Packing and Moving Tips

Gather Your Supplies First

Once you’ve got your plan and know what you need, it’s time to stock up. Have a checklist for moving. This helps you buy everything you’ll need and avoid those mid-day trips to the store for one item. The main thing you need is, of course, boxes. While you might be tempted to grab a box from your local grocery store, our pro packing and moving tip is to go for moving boxes instead. The boxes used by dedicated professional movers are stronger and more durable. They are designed to hold the weight of your valuables and can stack without collapsing.

These boxes can be pricey, but the cost is worth it. It’s better to spend extra on a solid box than have a shoddy one collapse and destroy your nice bowls. You’ll need to pick up some tape, utility knives or scissors, permanent markers, and something to pad your items. It doesn’t matter if you’re just moving to a new California town or out of state, padding material for your fragile valuables is essential. A combination of bubble wrap, old newspapers, and even blankets will help protect your items. You might also want to buy a handcart because these will help you move heavy boxes.

Get Rid of Stuff 

Whether you’re moving with children or on your own, this tip for moving is a universal one. Chances are you’ve accumulated a whole bunch of unneeded items. It makes no sense to bring them along to your new home; get rid of them instead. Before you pack, sift through each room and get rid of anything you don’t want to take with you. This is one of the best packing tips for moving because it will save you from spending money and energy moving stuff you don’t need. 

Label or Colorcode Boxes (or Both) 

Another helpful strategy for packing to move is using labels, color-coding, or both to make your moving boxes easier to distinguish. You do not need a complicated system for this. Simply labeling the boxes based on which room they are from will go a long way in making the moving process easier. You can buy labels from most grocery stores and every hardware store. You could also use masking tape that’s likely already in your home. The important thing is to make sure you use a permanent marker for the labels so they don’t rub off in transit. Of course, if you hire local moving company they’ll have all of these materials and help you to categorize your moving boxes.  

Give Yourself Enough Time 

When it comes to strategies for packing to move, this one is essential. Nothing feels worse than compounding the stress of moving by battling against the clock. This is the main reason why the best way to pack for moving is to do so early. Take whatever time you think you’ll need to pack everything up, then add a little more on top of that for a healthy margin of error. The easiest way to pack and move on a schedule is to write down a simple packing schedule that helps you visualize the entire process and how long it will take.

Packing Outdoor Furniture 

As any California moving company will tell you, outdoor furniture requires unique strategies for packing. It’s important to note that packing strategies for moving outdoor furniture will differ from techniques used for indoor furniture. By outdoor furniture, we mean lawn chairs and benches, grills, and decorative garden items.

Outdoor furniture will likely be dirty, so it’s worthwhile to give it all a wipe-down before packing. You may need to disassemble bulkier items before they are packed away. Grills will have plenty of sediment, charcoal, burnt wood, and other grime that will need to be removed. Give your grill a thorough cleaning before packing it up. If any outdoor item has sharp ends or edges, pad these up with cardboard so they do not pierce your moving boxes.