Did you know that the average American moves 12 times in his/her lifetime? That's a lot of packing.
Did you also know May is designated as National Moving Month because most homes are sold between Memorial Day and Labor Day?
Experts advise starting the packing process one to two months before you move. However, this isn't always possible, but never fear. We have suggestions to make packing and moving as painless and efficient as possible.
Two tasks at the top of the packing to-do list are "the purge" and gathering supplies.
Packing for an upcoming move is a great time to decide systematically what you want to do with each of your belongings. There's no point in moving items into your new home if you don't want them anymore. In addition, the more stuff you part with before or while packing means less stuff you have to physically move. What should you do with the things you wish to purge from your possession? You have three options: sell them, donate them, or trash them.
For treasures you decide to keep and relocate to your new home, you're going to need packing supplies. Experts (i.e., Google searches) suggest having the following:
- Boxes of all sizes
- Packing tape
- Markers
- Protection for fragile or delicate items (e.g., newspaper, bubble wrap – which can also be used for stress relief, towels, Styrofoam/packing peanuts, etc.)
- Scissors
- Cleaning materials – This is an excellent opportunity to transfer items that have been dusted or washed into your new household.
- Crates or other special containers
Moving professionals* encourage you to:
- Pack each room separately.
- Label and, if possible and desirable, color code the boxes for easy sorting/placement after the move.
- Label boxes containing fragile items.
- Pack heavier items in the bottoms of boxes with lighter things on top.
- Don't put too many heavy items in a box as it will be extremely hard to lift and move.
- Pack items not currently necessary first.
- Don't pack valuables and necessities, including medications, medical equipment, etc. These should be kept with you throughout the transition from one location to the next.
- Pack plates vertically, not horizontally, in boxes.
Whatever you do, please don't pack your patience, because you're going to need it. For additional guidance, you can find an abbreviated moving checklist at www.protectyourmove.gov and tips for moving at www.moving.org.
*If you're considering hiring professionals movers, please read Tips to Avoid Moving Company Scams.
