Moving: How to pack your home

The thought of packing can be daunting to some but I look at it as an opportunity to clean house and set yourself up for success in you new living space.

Logical packing of your belongings make the unpacking and putting away process much easier.  If you are familiar with the space you are moving to, you should use that as your guide for packing.  In other words, pack your items according to where they will be living in your new space and mark your boxes accordingly.  By doing this, you are addressing the dreaded decision making process from the onset which will alleviate a lot of anxiety at unpack time.

Collect or purchase packing materials ahead of time so you have what you need on hand before you begin packing up your belongings.  Packing supplies you will need are:

• boxes; small, medium, large, dish packs and picture boxes
• print paper
• bubble wrap
• sharpies
• tape
• Colored sticker for color coding rooms

Start packing as early as possible.   Begin by packing up the items you use the least like books, memorabilia, garage items and fragile items.

Make sure to write the destination on your boxes so that it can be easily seen by the movers while they have the box in hand.  I always use the top righthand corner area. Write the room destination in capitals and a brief description of the contents underneath.  I use different color coded labels for each room of the house which works well and allows for less confusion when boxes are being placed.  The last thing you want is a box of books ending up on the wrong floor.

Number each box as you pack it and log it onto an inventory sheet for tracking purposes.  By doing this you will always know where your things are located in case you need to retrieve something unexpectedly.

As you pack up the kitchen pantry, make sure to toss all items that are expired, not sealed properly and stale.  Prior to packing up liquid items, line your box with a plastic bag.  Securely seal the bag once finished for insurance against messy spills that can occur.

Plan on packing the essentials that you will need right away in a separate box, container or suitcase and carry it with you to your new home.  Make sure the box is labeled ” OPEN FIRST” This box should contain:

• change of clothing
• toiletries
• clean bedding for all beds
• medicines
• pet food
• snacks
• and anything else that is important to you.

If your bed contains a dust ruffle, make sure it is clean and on hand for easy assembly while the movers are there to assist.

There is also the option of hiring a professional to assist you throughout the moving process that will coordinate, organize and supervise any or all, of your relocation project.

This is part of a series of posts on how to relocate with ease. Visit more posts in this series, Getting Organized For Your Move and Preparing Your Home For Sale – Move, Step Two.  Be sure to come back for more, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter to get all kinds of organization ideas!