Moving is an exciting but stressful experience for many people. It can be expensive and time-consuming, and you must ensure you do not break anything, such as a fragile vase, a lamp, or your back. Thankfully, we’ve compiled a list of moving and packing tips to make your experience as painless as possible.

Start Early

Do not underestimate how long it will take you to pack up. Procrastination is your worst enemy, so don’t wait until the last minute to start. Packing and planning is a long process, but moving will only take a few days.

Enlist Help

You will likely have a tight schedule, so you must plan. If you plan to hire a moving crew or rent a truck, request quotes from different companies in your area to find the best deal and availability. Make your reservation after you pick the company you want to handle your move.

Gather Supplies

If you’re packing your belongings and moving, you’ll need boxes. You can always buy new boxes from your local hardware store or reuse old boxes around the house. Make sure to have boxes of various sizes to pack your largest and smallest possessions. Once you’ve checked off the boxes, you’ll need protective packing materials, scissors, markers, and lots of tape.

Room by Room

Stay organized by packing and completing each room before moving on to the next. Once you’ve completed a room, use it to store the boxes for that room. This will keep certain boxes together, making it easier to unpack them in your new space.

Weight Distribution is Key

Keep in mind how you pack. Large boxes take more packing material, and the weight will add up quickly. Be mindful to start filling the heaviest items in the bottom of each box and pile them on with lighter items. Keep your boxes from spilling out on the sidewalk. Keep the boxes under 50 lbs. Another tip is to put the heaviest items in smaller boxes to avoid adding extra weight.

Safety First

Once you’ve packed up all the boxes, you’ll need lots of protective material to keep all your belongings safe. Use bubble wrap or air cushions to fill up

extra space without adding any extra weight to the boxes, and at the same time, it will protect your items from breaking. Any fragile items can be wrapped in bubble wrap or even stored in their own box to be as safe as possible.

Double Check the Bottom

The worst thing that could happen after all your hard effort of packing is if the bottom of the box gives way. Make sure the base is sturdy and lined with lots of extra tape. (Advanced tip: Try putting a piece of cardboard the size of your box at the bottom to help distribute the weight evenly across the box. If you’re not confident that your box will hold everything safely, swap the box out entirely. The last thing you want is to sit and pick up all your belongings from that box off the ground.

Pro Tip: Categorize and Label

Make your life easier by organizing each box and labeling them with the items that belong in each room. Put numbers and categorize the boxes accordingly. Mark all sides so that the labels are easily visible. Write down a list or create a log regarding the contents of each box to make it much easier to unpack. This way, you can find whatever you need faster, even if the boxes are stacked.

Once your move is complete, double-check and ensure no boxes are missing using your log.

Donate

When moving houses and going through the process of packing, you will come across multiple items that haven’t been touched in months or years. Do yourself a favor by putting all your unused or unwanted items in a box and donating them to charity, depending on their condition. Generally, some people like to get new furniture when moving to a new house, so feel free to sell old couches or tables to make way for new furniture. Besides, the fewer items you have packed up to move to your new home, the less you have to unpack. You will also end up saving more money by moving fewer boxes.

Electronics

Your electronics are expensive and should be packed with the utmost care. Start by removing cables and putting them in clearly labeled bags so you know which item they belong to. These cables should be removed and packed to avoid damage to the pins. Computer monitors and televisions should be packed individually and wrapped with bubble wrap or moving blankets. Large, television-sized boxes are also available at your local hardware store if you want to take that route. These devices are sensitive and are highly susceptible to damage. Follow instructions on moving these devices to avoid any damage that could void their warranty.

Be sure to keep all computers with older, hard disk drives (non solid-state drives), in a safe packing location as these should take as little bumps as possible to avoid damaging any of the internal plating.

Buckeye Northwest Realty provides houses for rent in Toledo, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. To learn more about houses for rent, contact us today!