Best Packing and Moving Tips: How to Make Relocating Less Stressful

Moving requires time and effort. It is a complicated process, and often a stressful one. Follow our tips to make it easier on the nerves. Here are top hacks, tricks, and organization ideas from relocation experts.

1. Consider Hiring Professional Movers

   Professionals will take a lot of work off your plate. For example, a trusted moving company in California will handle everything from packing to delivery. The team will even help you get rid of unwanted items sustainably! Before signing the contract, learn as much as possible about the service provider, and check feedback from customers. This will give you peace of mind on a moving day.

2. Create a Checklist and Budget

   Create a checklist with a timeline to organize your move visually. Every case of relocation is different — some people have 2 weeks, and others have months. Plan packing accordingly, and couple your checklist with a realistic budget. The moving company will provide a detailed estimate, so you can see which services you can afford.

3. Send Out Notices in Advance

   Tie up all loose ends in advance. Create a list of people you need to notify about the move. Decide when and how to do this (e.g., by phone or in-person). This way, you will be less likely to forget anyone, so there will be less stress on a moving day.

4. Declutter Your Home to Pack Less

   Relocation is a great opportunity to get rid of unwanted possessions. Begin decluttering your space in advance to make packing more efficient and less stressful. Group the items you do not need into three piles: “donate”, “sell” and “discard”.

   The third pile should be the smallest! Donate the rest to charity or sell online. Do not throw any items away unless it is absolutely impossible to reuse them. Check the dimensions of your new home to see which furniture items will fit.

5. Create a Daily Packing Schedule

   Create a packing strategy to break the process down into smaller and more manageable tasks. Otherwise, if you start the night before the moving day, you will feel stressed and overwhelmed. Do not bite off more than you can chew. Every day, dedicate one hour for packing and pick one room at a time.

6. Prepare a Tote with Moving Essentials

   When you finally move into your new home, doing simple things like laundry and grocery shopping right away will be difficult. Pack the essentials in a tote before relocating. This is a great hack, as moving can take a lot out of your family.

7. Use Colored Packing Labels

   Assign a special color to every room, and mark the boxes accordingly. You can do this with colored masking tape. Write down the contents of every box and the room it belongs in. Mark room entrances in your new home with the corresponding colors. This way, it will be easier for the movers to understand where to take your boxes. Color matching is much faster and easier than reading the labels or playing the guessing game.

8. Don’t Cram Too Many Things in One Box

   Do not overpack your boxes. If you do not have enough of them, get more. Create loads that are easier to lift. The biggest boxes should not weigh more than 50 lb. This means that lighter items should go in larger boxes, while things like books require smaller ones. Note that any pairs and sets must be packed in the same boxes.

   In the truck, heavier boxes must be placed on the bottom to avoid damaging more fragile items. If there are empty spaces inside the boxes, fill them with packing paper, clothes, or foam peanuts. Otherwise, the items will shift around in the truck. If you hire professional movers, you will not need to worry about it.

9. Reinforce the Seams

   The seams at the bottom and top of every box must be closed with duct tape. Stick it around the edges as well, as stress is concentrated in these areas.

10. Group Fragile Items

    Use a lot of padding for any breakables you pack. Never place them freely. Items like China require careful packaging to avoid breakage.

11. Repurpose Items for Packing

    Think about the household items you could repurpose as containers. For example, you could store clothes in suitcases, duffle bags, laundry bins, or hampers. Even dresser drawers may be used as containers.

12. Pack Clothes Wisely

    Use vacuum sealing to save space. Roll your clothes instead of folding them. Cut a hole on the top of garbage bags and place them over several hangers with clothing.

13. Label Furniture Parts

    Remove and secure any drawers and doors to protect your furniture. Label these elements, so you can put them back quickly. Bolts and screws should be placed in plastic bags and taped to the corresponding furniture items.

14. Take Photos

    Photograph any furniture you disassemble to have a guide for assembly. When you pack up electric goods, take a picture of the back configuration to understand how to reconnect the cords.

    

15. Use Wool String

    Prepare a pull tab to avoid the hassle with box cutters and scissors. After closing each box, put a piece of wool string in the center of the flaps, and let it hang over the sides. Tape the string over and use moving tape for sealing but leave a small piece of string hanging loose.

16. Know Which Items to Pack Separately

    Chemicals, painting equipment, fire extinguishers, auto batteries, and tools should not be packed with other household items. Decide if it is worth transporting them at all. Any bottles and medications must be packed together.

17. Accumulate Packing Material for Kitchenware

    To prevent dishes from breaking, use bubble wrap, crumpled newspaper, corrugated cardboard, towels, or clothing. Almost anything can serve as packaging material. You can even create buffers with paper plates! Provide ample padding, and pack dishes in smaller boxes. Remember to label them as fragile, so your movers understand where to place them in the truck to transport them safely.