Moving isn’t the same thing as traveling. While you can just travel on a whim, throw some clothes and other necessities in the bag, and off you go! You have to be mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially prepared when moving to a new place.

Here are 17 packing tips that would ease your moving day and ensure you don’t leave out anything. We have divided the tips into three sections for ease of comprehension.

Section One: Before the Moving Day

• Prepare Friends and Family: Packing will take several days (if not weeks). So, if you feel like you would need your friends there with you, let them know few days before the moving day so that they would have made time to help you pack.
• Start Early: It’s best to begin packing two weeks in advance to avoid rush and damages while packing. You can also create a checklist of things you’ll need to carry. Some people also download checklist apps on their mobile phones to ensure that nothing is forgotten.
• Choose Your Moving Medium: Before deciding the date for moving, you have to choose the best transportation medium for you. You also need to decide if you would do it yourself or use a moving company? If you would use a moving company, you’ll have to contact them and make an appointment.

• Research On The Moving Company: Your items and properties are valuable to you, so you have to ensure that the removal company you chose can manage your items and deliver them in one piece.

Some of the things you should check are, if the company has insurance, are the vehicles in good working conditions, and a professional driver/mover.

• Moving Contract: The contract given to you by the moving company o is called the Bill of Lading. Make sure that you read this contract from top to bottom carefully. Do not sign blank documents.

It’s always better when these negotiations are done in person. You can visit their office or have their representative meet you in person. Also, confirm that there is no extra cost that wasn’t addressed in the document.

• Give Out Excess Items: Sometimes, it can be hard to let go of some items we have even when we no longer use them. However, to avoid extra load (leading to additional costs), you could give out a few of those items to those who might need them.
• Don’t Stock-up: Yes, it’s understandable that you might want to get some more items since you are moving to a new place. But we suggest you don’t. However, you can pack some food for the moving day, so you don’t starve out, but forget the frozen chicken laps or cans of beer.
• Settle the Law: One of the things that can ruin packing is paying for parking tickets for the truck (or your car) while packing. This is why you should make sure the moving company parks well.

If your new home is close to the roadside and without a garage, you might have to consider obtaining a parking permit so that you don’t have to worry about paying a large sum of money for parking tickets.

Section Two: While Packing

• Labeling: Make sure to label boxes so that you can differentiate between fragile and heavy items. For instance, dishes and glasses should be secured with packing paper.

Also, place the boxes from the same room together to make unpacking easier and quicker. Don’t forget to pack your books in small containers.

• Valuables: Pack all your valuables in a box and plan to carry that with you (personally). You wouldn’t want to risk losing them while moving.

Besides, expensive furniture, wine collections or fragile art collections should be packaged differently and safely. Don’t hesitate to pay extra for custom movement if need be.

• The Magic of Garbage Bag: Using wardrobe boxes for your clothes seems like the go-to option. However, if you plan to save space in the truck/van, put your clothes in garbage bags. They don’t consume as much space and can fit anywhere. You might just have to iron out your clothes later on.
• Heavy Furniture: It is always tricky when moving heavy furniture. You can secure them with blankets to avoid scratches. You could also wait for professionals from the moving company to help you handle it.

For mattresses, use a mattress cover to avoid staining the bed or tearing the fabric while moving.

• Take A Picture Before Disconnecting: When removing the connections for your TV or your decoder, or any other electrical appliance, take a photo, so you don’t get confused when trying to put them back together. You can also do the same thing for other items or gadgets that you need to disassemble for easier packing.
• Pets and Kids: When packing, don’t place your pets in a box. Keep them with a friend or a family member while you pack and move. Kids, too; they can disrupt the whole process. You can get a trusted babysitter to look after them until the packing is done.

Section Three: Into the New Home

• Bed First: You might be wondering if the plates or TV are the first things to move to the new house. Nope. It’s the bed. This is so that you can get some sleep/rest before continuing with unpacking.

• Change Your Address Now: Now that you’re in your new home, you wouldn’t want your mail sent to the old house. So try to change the address on all relevant documents.

• Storage Facilities: Feel free to rent a storage facility if your things are more than the space you have in your new home. Until you can re-arrange your things, it is normal for your items to look more than they are.

Conclusion

Packing is a tasking job, and it’s best not to do it alone but with friends, family, and a professional moving company. Don’t forget to follow these tips and share them with your friends; you can never tell who will need the information.