You need to be really organized for a quick move, otherwise you’ll get the serious ‘have I forgotten something?’ dread that will haunt you every time it takes you longer than five minutes to find something. So, for starters, make sure you get up early, have a good breakfast and mentally prepare yourself for a tough day of moving.
Then, to help you out, here are a few tips and hints on what not to forget while you’re packing.
Start off with good boxes
To make moving as easy as possible, you’re going to need sturdy boxes that look after your stuff. This means they’re relatively new and haven’t been stored somewhere damp which will have caused the cardboard to begin breaking down.
You shouldn’t usually have to pay for boxes, there are plenty of people trying to get rid of them on Freecycle forums or you can ask your local supermarket to hang on to some for you. To secure what’s in the boxes you’ll need some tape – don’t forget to check your supplies and buy some more if you don’t have much left.
Organize your clutter
Make sure you have boxes for the things that you’re going to need instantly and then separate boxes for the items that don’t get much use and label them clearly. This way when you need your hair dryer you can reach for one of the green labelled boxes instead of rifling through mountains of books to dig it out.
If the boxes filled with the unused stuff continue to get unused, consider getting some of your junk on eBay or a local selling site or alternatively put it into storage until you find the time to move it.
Smart packing
If you pack heavy items into smaller boxes then they will be easier to carry. Pack items from the same room all together so it’s easier when you’re unpacking. You also need to fill all of the space in the box, right to the brim, to make sure they don’t collapse when you’re stacking them. When you’re packing electrical items, it’s best to use their original packaging.
However, if you no longer have it to hand, pack them into boxes and make sure you pad out the voids with bubble wrap or clothing to protect from knocks and bumps. If you’re packing anything that takes ink or toner cartridges, make sure you remove them before packing so they don’t spill.
Don’t lose your screws
There’s nothing worse than preparing to build your furniture back up and not being able to find the corresponding nuts, bolts and screws. To save the hassle of rummaging through countless boxes to find them, simply tape them to the furniture they belong to as you go. If you don’t trust your tape then put them in a sealed bag first, then tape.
