Moving/packing Tips

Excellent tips. I would also label the boxes with the season of the contents or date packed. That way you will remember that you placed winter sweaters, the dark heavy bedspread, and the long sleeve PJ's.

I would not buy clear plastic bins, it seems wasteful and I not very helpful. I would start not by packing but with purging. Try to get through one very specific area or piece of furniture each day, carry a trash bag and a donate box, and be ruthless. Remember anything you save you will have to haul with you and find a new home for it as well.

Places to think about: bathroom cabinets, junk drawers, hall closets, any furniture with storage (dressers, furniture in dining room, home office cabinets including file cabinets). Make a list and check something off every day. It sounds like a huge commitment, but some spots will take a half hour, and others may take a few hours.An hour or two a day should mean at the end of a few weeks you have a much easier job packing and unpacking.

Then when you get ready to pack, here are a few things that helped me:

Start with the unessentials, like books, pictures on the walls, home decor, long-term storage items, and toys or out-of-season sports equipment. Rugs on the floor, throw pillows, unneeded table lamps all count as home decor.

When packing closets take out what each family member would need for a couple weeks time, put it in a hamper in their room, and pack the rest up.

Wash all the towels except one set for each family member and pack those as well.

Pack the kitchen dishes and appliances and leave just one pan and one pot, a can opener, a spatula and a stirring spoon. Buy a box of paper plates and disposable silverware to last a week or two.

Have your kids pick 5-7 items from their rooms they think they will want immediately, and pack those in a special first-open box with their names on it. Do the same for you and your DH.

Good luck!

First, have a major yard sale or two. Get rid of stuff! Give to your neighbors. What's left, donate to a charity. Even old towels and sheets and pillow cases can find a great home at the local animal shelter - they do't care if stuff is ripped or stained as long as it went through the washer once. If you haven't used it in a year, really really think about what justifies you keeping it. Same thing goes for kids' school projects. You couldn't bear to toss them when they first made them, but really, what's the plan in the new house?? They'll make new stuff! Take a couple of representative things but not every greeting card you ever got. You'll be so glad you downsized and purged so you didn't have to spend time packing it and spend money moving it. And it's often cheaper to buy at the other end than to pay hourly wages to movers to move inexpensive, non-sentimental things.

Don't buy the bins. Waste of money, and it's not all that easy to see inside - and you'll have stacks of them and still be squinting to peer inside!

Start ONE plastic bin of basic supplies though: labels, tape (masking, colored, scotch), scissors, note pad & pens, etc. Try a binder with 3-hole punched paper and jot down notes, either by topic or by room, and also a reminder sheet of what's to be done. If anyone's looking for something you already packed, a notebook will tell you where it is so you don't have to open every box. Put your "new house maps" in here, quotes from movers, etc. using a binder with pockets or by keeping a 3-hole punch in the bin and just punching everything you have for insertion in the binder rings.

Color code by room, by person. Base this on the destination, not where it is now. You can use colored paper but it can rip off so go for colored labels, tape or markers. Each room (including basement, attic, garage) gets its own color. Be sure to put the labels on the side of the boxes so when they are stacked you can see the contents. Boxes with "games" or "sports equipment" doesn't need more detail, but some things you might want to inventory on the label so you can find it quicker. You can buy labels of different sizes in any office supply store, sometimes with bargains in the dollar stores. If you use different colored markers, you can vary the size of the label based in the detail needed, and still stick to the color scheme idea.

Use moving boxes provided by movers or large hardware stores. Use wardrobe boxes that hold stuff on hangers, so it all goes from the old closet to the new closet. Liquor store boxes are free and can be great for packing glassware (use the 12 or 6 section dividers in wine cartons) but they are covered with writing so be sure to use a big label so it's obvious what's inside. Beer cartons are also good because they almost always have cut-outs for "handles" and are easy to lift. They are all designed to stack well. You can also look for used boxes on Craigslist or Freecycle, and you can get rid of yours the same way. The use of labels is great here because the second user of the boxes can just label on top of the old ones.

Then prioritize by 1, 2 and 3. #1 is stuff you need right away when you move (and it will likely be the last stuff you pack). However, if you will be moving right around Thanksgiving, then you can pack that stuff now but it will still be #1 because you'll need your gravy boat & turkey roaster and holiday decorations right away. #2 is what you unpack after all the #1 boxes are done, #3 is "down the road". So if you move in November, summer clothes and toys and gardening equipment is #3.

Use the same color coding at the new destination, with each room labeled with the person's name & in that color. Recognize that some people are color blind, especially men, which is who your movers are likely to be. So do a master map and make copies, then put one at each entrance and at the top of the stairs.

Finally, have the movers load the truck in reverse order. For example, you want your refrigerator to go on last so it comes off first and you can plug it in and have it start to get cold. Then while the movers are doing their thing, someone can go to the supermarket and get some basics for dinner (although I recommend take-out!) and breakfast/lunch the next day.

I've moved around a lot. You could start packing winter clothes, Christmas items etc. I agree you would do yourself a huge favor by purging first and then packing. Encourage your kids to do the same.

Less is always better. My rule is if I haven't used it in the last 6 months it needs to find another home. You could have a garage sale or donate.

Might be helpful to put on a calendar when you want to accomplish your goals. I know it helps me to stay on track even if I'm a little late getting things done. Breaking it in smaller pieces helps me feel in can accomplish my end goal easier. Not to mention I'm more forgetful lately. ;)

Blessings!
L.

Keep in mind, sometimes it is cheaper to get rid of stuff than to move it and purchase it again in the future.

Example?
Gift wrap paper, gift bags and gift boxes.
Do you honestly need all of those baking pans?
Do you need 4 giant platters?
These things can be purchase at Goodwill , sometimes brand new, for very few dollars. Way less expensive than having to move them with a moving company.

And get rid of excess.
Do you need 4 pairs of Pj's?
All of those worn out pillows? Why are you holding onto them?
Extra pots and pans you have not used in over a year?
Towels in the back of the linen closet you have not used in a year?
Old worn out blankets?

Be honest with yourself. How many times do family and friends ask you, what would you like for your birthday? In the future, if you have worn out your Pj's.. Good time to ask for the as a gift.

Also in each room, place a "packing box" and a "donate box". Write "donate" on the boxes that donated items will go in. Once they are full, place them together in the garage so you can have someone pick them up or have someone drop them off.

On the packing box write what room it should be delivered to at your new home. "TV room", "Dining room", "John's room", "Susan's room.".

This way you know exactly where the boxes should "land". In your new home. Place signs next to the these rooms in your new home. . "TV room". "Dining Room", "John's room" "Susan's room"

Things to be stored at the new home?
" Johns winter clothes - Garage"
"Susan's Winter Clothes Garage"
"Christmas decorations - Attic"
Halloween decorations - Honestly, is it less expensive to purchase some new things next year? than to have the moving company charge you to move that box?

Use boxes and a packing roll of tape. Label the boxes on all 4 sides, the top, and the bottom.

Put ALL winter blankets in one box. Put similar things in each box that is general things. This way you can pack up those items and put them in storage. Things you don't need now, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and pretty much all holiday stuff. Put any sort of winter stuff, if you have any, or clothes you are keeping to pass from kid to kid. Sports equipment that is in the off season, anyway, you get the idea.

Then get paper plates and plastic ware as you get closer to the day and pack the kitchen. You can do microwave stuff or eat out some.

Getting as much stuff in boxes will help you.

This is the perfect time to throw a yard sale/tag sale/garage sale. Go through the house systematically with three boxes: "sell it" box, "store it" box, and "keep this handy because we will totally need it before I move and don't want to hunt through boxes for it" box. And then it's pretty simple. Sell the items you don't need anymore, pack up the 'store' boxes, and leave the other stuff out. And another tip: write everything that's in the box on top of the box with a big black sharpie marker. Lifesaver!
Good luck!

I've heard flylady.com has good moving tips. Don't forget stuff in the attic (probably don't need it) and the garage.

Anything you, the kids, or your husband do not currently use can go. Toss it. Donate it. Sell it.

Then you can start packing anything you won't need or use before you move. Like decorations, holiday items, and clothing.

After the move - donate, toss, and sell anything you don't use. This will help keep your house organized. The next move will be much easier.

I would only get the plastic bins if your stuff is going into storage, they help with keeping bugs and stuff out. I used them last year when our house sold and we had to wait a month before closing on our new house. Now I have a bunch of plastic totes stacked in the garage.

Box up what you want to keep but don't need to use everyday (just mark the outside of the box which room it come from). If you have time, do a yard sale to get rid of kids toys and other stuff you don't want, then donate anything left over.

As you get closer to a move date then just leave out the basic necessities, that makes it much easier on moving day.

The bins can be sold or donated after you move... look on Craigslist... you might find some there... cheap... try freecycle.org as well.

Purge anything that you haven't touched in six months. The only exception is holiday items like Halloween and Thanksgiving...

Color code each room. Use colored duct tape so you aren't buying new bins...

Have several garage sales to get cash in hand.
When you get to your new location? Have another garage sale and put your bins in that as well.... you'll find stuff that you packed and when you open it you'll ask yourself why you packed it!! Promise!!

What doesn't sell at your garage sale? DONATE!! DO NOT CARRY IT WITH YOU!!!

When you get to your new location? Have a map of the house for the movers... each room color coded... so that the movers know where to put the bins.

Make sure your TV and other expensive items are wrapped in heavy blankets so they don't get damaged.

Go ROOM BY ROOM - don't try to do it all at once... on the show Clean Sweep - it's no longer airing - but they took EVERYTHING out of one room at a time and lined it up... then decisions were made. ONLY the things that were NEEDED went back in the room..

Keep in mind - it's STUFF... yes, there are memories and such with many items..but if you have NOT used it? It's only weighing you down. Take a picture of it and sell it or donate it.

Good luck!

1. I don't know if you have access to the new home as yet. Consider scheduling a professional deep cleaning before your move date. Moving is taxing enough. If someone else has put the elbow grease in and given the kitchen cupboards a good scrub so all you have to do is to give them a wipe before unpacking the dishes, all the better.

2. schedule a deep clean one month to 6 weeks after your move. It will motivate you to get all the boxes unpacked and all the stuff put away.

3. inform the kids and hubs, each of you will be responsible for unpacking xx boxes a day until they are all unpacked.

4. takeout is your friend.

Best,
F. B.

I bought colored tape. I then numbered the boxes and wrote a list on my ipad of the big items in each box. So colored coded by room, and numbered so I could list what's in them.

Don't pack anything you're not 100% sure you need to keep.

Three piles: keep, donate, pitch.
Sounds like no time for a yard sake-- that's fine.

Clothes that don't fit anyone NOW? Donate.
Games toys not age appropriate NOW? Donate.
Broken, outdated, useless things? Pitch.

Be ruthless! Lol
Good luck!