Moving is a big task that requires a lot of organization skills to be done easily and efficiently. Are you planning on getting a moving service that won’t do the packing part for you? Do you want to know what that packing entails? We have great Austin packing service tips on how to make sure you stay organized throughout the process.
1. Be honest about what you don’t need
Moving is the time to really re-evaluate your belongings and whether or not you need, or even want them. Especially when you clean out spaces such as your closet, you should think twice about whether or not you really need that ugly Christmas sweater you wore once to a party five years ago.
But how do you know for sure whether or not it’s right to let something go? There are many popular methods of deciding whether or not you should keep or throw out an item. One method that has been really popular recently is the KonMari method. Japanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo has popularized this method around the world. The theory is, you choose whether or not you should keep an item based on how much joy it brings into your life.
If you’re still not super persuaded to rid of anything, the idea that you could sell or donate your items later might help. Knowing that you’re giving away a cute but not-very-used item for nothing sucks. Knowing that you could get money for it in return is a great incentive. Similarly, donating it to someone who will enjoy it more is great too. Of course, there is always another option. You could give some things to friends or family who might want or need them more. Either way, it’s no secret that it’s easier to move if you’re moving less things.
2. Sort things by category
While this may seem like an obvious rule of thumb, sometimes people get carried away. Keeping track of moving in your head is difficult. And believe it or not, stuffing multiple random things from the same room will still be difficult to unpack. Even if it’s only meant for one room, as it still ends up being random things in a box.
Of course, if you know it’s easier for you, you should separate boxes according to room. But furthermore, you should also keep all bedding from that room in one box, books in another (and smaller, since books are heavy!), and so forth. If your living situation doesn’t require a lot of different rooms, you should definitely separate boxes by type of items only.
3. don’t be afraid to get a friend’s help
Moving alone can be an arduous task, especially if you’re a first-time college student like Brian Molloy. Like many freshman, Brian found himself alone to pack all his things in just one night. “I was really panicking for a moment, I had no idea what to do.” Brian admitted. “Thankfully, when my friends Kevin and Austin saw how stressed I was, they offered to help, and I gave in and let them. I really don’t think I would have been able to do it without them.”
Of course, unlike Brian, you’ll want to be sure to call in your favors early to ensure you get everything done and on time. Depending on what level of moving service you get, such as the one Brian got, you may be required to pack items in boxes yourself, and the moving company only moves those boxes to the correct location. Don’t feel bad at all if you find that you need a helping hand during any step in the process aside from the moving service you hire. After all, even us professionals work as a team.
4. Pick the right moving day
Too many times will a customer be more frantic than they need to be because they picked a bad day to move. Sometimes people make the mistake of picking a day where they also have work. Other days, people forget the kids don’t have school and they run around like crazy. You’ll want to do everything to ensure the move will be efficient.
Picking the right day can really solve a lot more problems than you would think. Take the day off from work. Put the kids to help you, or with a sitter if necessary. As mentioned before, you should plan this day far in advance so as to not inconvenience friends who are helping you move, and of course, for whatever moving company you hire to know when to come along.
While there are many great moving companies out there that can get your stuff in and out in a day’s notice, planning things in advance makes everything easier for everyone involved, including you. It is usually recommended that you plan at least a month ahead of time, that way you can choose to spread the packing process over multiple days if you want, or so that you’ll have plenty of time to cancel or move the date if something comes up.
5. Make a big to-do list and separate it on your calendar
It can be very easy to forget what to pack where. If you’re moving out of a space where you’ll leave some things behind, it can be easy to forget to pack what you need. A great way to avoid making any packing mistakes is to write down everything you need. This help you avoid mistakes, and also make the process feel like less work than it really is.
Our personal method we would recommend is making a big to-do list and then separating it into even more to-do lists. You can choose to make different categories of things you’ll need to pack and start listing those things that way, or you can make a big list of everything you will need to pack and then separate it by category in which it would be easiest to pack it by. Whatever works for you, as long as you write it all down, you won’t forget it.
Once you separate your tasks into smaller chunks, you’ll then want to figure out when exactly you should do them. It’s always recommended to start actually packing items at least a week before the big move. Whether you’re a college kid moving out of your room or getting a whole family into a new home, getting ahead helps. Packing can be tiring, and spreading it out will definitely make it less so.
For this, we would recommend using a calendar and choosing which days and times to pack certain things. When you do this, keep in mind which items you’ll still need to use during that week before the move. You don’t want to pack things like bedsheets a week early if you’re still going to need to sleep in bed the week before the move date.
6. Change your address a week before you move
Take some time to change your address on everything you can think of. Even if someone moves in after you, there’s no guarantee that person will be willing to get your mail to you. Plus, if you accidentally get important documents shipped to an old address, it could be dangerous. Changing your address ensures that your bills, packages, and anything else arrives on time.
7. Label your boxes
It would be rough if you packed everything and then had to open each box to remember where you put things. This is something that is forgotten more often than you would think. Even labelling boxes before packing might help in the process. Depending on what works for you, there are many different ways to label a box so you know what is where.
Using a color code system is one way you can organize your boxes. You can do this many different ways, such as getting stickers, markers, or tape. You can easily get different colors of duct tape and select a color to correspond with each room or category.
Another great way to organize and label boxes is by using a number system. Of course, you can always write “kitchen” on every box that has kitchen items in it. But if you find yourself in a desperate moment and needing a paper towel during the move, it would be much easier if you knew that bathroom box number 2 had the paper towels in it right away.
8. Pack dishes vertically
This is a neat, simple rule of thumb that a surprising amount of people don’t know about. Don’t pack your dishes horizontally and on top of each other in a box! This will make it much easier for them to break when moving. Instead, wrap each dish in packing material, and then pack them vertically like records. This will make them packed tight and way less breakable.
9. Pack a special first box
Packing a special box that you pack last and unpack first can be a life-saver. For things you use every day such as soap, towels, clothes, and other items, you’ll want to find a way to easily pack them and easily get to them so you’re not going a day without brushing your teeth or anything. If you’d like to learn more about exactly how to pack a first box, you can check out our article with all the details here.
10. Things to do a week early
We know this article might have been a mouthful. Packing to move often entails a lot more than people think, even when just moving one person or one room. Here’s a quick list of things you should do a week ahead of time to make life easier.
- Stop buying groceries
- Change your address
- Defrost your fridge
- Take pictures of your new home
- Set aside cleaning supplies
If you’re still looking for a moving company or packing service to help you move around the central Texas area, contact us at Real Men Moving to see how we can help you.
