This is a guest post from Roadway Moving featuring thoughts and musings from the real estate industry brought to you by AgentDrive.
Without a doubt, packing is the most time-consuming and stressful task when moving. Packing can become a struggle especially if you own valuables which are either too big or too small. Aside from the packing itself, you have to sort out all of the items in the house and decide if you’re going to bring these and come up with strategies on how you can adequately dispose of useless items. All of these tasks will still be on your to-do list even if you’re hiring expert movers on moving day.
Regardless of how and when you’re moving, you’ll still have to pack all of your valuables. Disregarding this task and its importance can mean expensive costs and a lot of stress. You can steer away from that direction by using the following packing hacks to make your move less stressful:
1. Make sure that you’re using the right boxes.
Moving boxes are a staple when packing for a move. Your move – no matter how near or far – will never be complete without moving boxes. To make the most of out of these boxes, pay attention to how you’re using them. Heavy items should be placed in small boxes while lightweight items should be in bigger boxes. This is a general rule which most homeowners fail to follow. The rationale behind this is pretty simple: using large boxes in packing heavy items such as books and shoes have better chances of breaking.
2. Don’t leave any empty spaces in your moving boxes.
Regardless if you’re moving alone or hiring movers from NYC to lessen the burden, all of your moving boxes should be filled. There shouldn’t be any spaces because one, you paid for your packing supplies; two, you should transport as many valuables in one box as possible; and three, movers won’t move any boxes once these are unbalanced or loosely packed. Stuffing all of your valuables in one box also makes the box less wobbly, lessening the chances of damage.
3. Avoid mixing different items from different rooms in the house.
One of the most effective packing strategies you should try is organizing all of your valuables based on the room where these are located. This strategy can also make unpacking less stressful because you can determine where to rearrange all of your valuables without opening all the boxes. You can do this simply by putting all of your kitchen utensils in one box and your bedrooms linens in the other. As much as possible, never mix items which are from different rooms in the house. Not only will this make unpacking tedious but you’ll likely have a hard time keeping track of your valuables, especially during transportation.
4. Tape all of your moving boxes.
Aside from your moving boxes, tape should be your best friend when you’re packing for a move. This supply can be very handy in more ways than one. Once you’re done filling up an entire moving box, put some tape on the bottom and top seams of the boxes. This technique will add to the durability of the moving boxes. While you’re at it, consider using a trick used by most movers today – wrap your moving boxes while focusing on the top and bottom edges. The weight of the valuables inside the moving boxes are usually on these areas and using tape can improve strength.
5. Breakables should be bundled together.
Most often than not, your silverware is one of the most fragile items during the move. You might also be bringing with you some of your prized possessions such as a glass figurine or centerpiece. As one way of making sure that all of these will be in one shape the moment you arrive in your new home, wrap these individually in newspaper. Yes, you should do this for every breakable you own. Once you’re done wrapping, pack them in bundles. Plates should be packed in groups of six with more paper. All of your breakables should be packed with a lot of paper in between. The paper you have in your moving boxes, the more secure your valuables will be.
6. Don’t handle everything by yourself.
No matter of how hard you try, there will always be items in your home which you can’t pack on your own. If you own important art pieces, a huge piano or bulky pieces of furniture, you need to ask professionals for help. Several moving companies now offer packing services so take time to scout for options in your area and consider hiring them to make your life easier.
Use Other Resources Too
You can never skip any of the tasks required for a move, but you can always change how you do it. Instead of focusing on how daunting packing is, look for ways and means on how you tick this task faster off your list. Use several resources so you can find a strategy which fits your preference. Packing can be easier and even fun once you know how!
