How to Pack Up Your House

Tips for Packing to Move to a New Home

Apr 6, 2009 Venice Kichura

Backing to move to a new residence is a tremendous job. However, if you tackle it one step at a time, the process goes much smoother.

Packing up your house to move to a new home can seem overwhelming. However, if you take it one step at a time you'll do a better job and won't be as stressed. Before you start packing there are several steps you need to take to organize your job.

Decide Whether to Do Your Own Packing

If your company is moving you, typically they pay for the packing as well as the moving. If’ it’s not a company move chances are you probably want to do your own packing because you'll have to pay for it. However, packing isn’t an option for some people who are not strong enough to do the job or young enough to tackle it. Before making a decision of whether or not to do your own packing, get estimates from your moving company as to how much you can save if you pack yourself.

Declutter Your House

Before even beginning to pack get rid of everything you don’t want to take with you to your new home. If you’ve never decluttered before, this can be overwhelming so you may want to solicit help from family or friends. As a reward for helping you assure them they can take any items you don’t want for them. Get two large boxes or bags. Label one box “Give Away” and the other one “Throw Away”.

Collect Boxes

Moving companies usually furnish a certain amount of boxes as part of their moving package, however you’ll need more than the boxes they supply as part of the moving contract. You can either purchase more boxes or find them on your own. Because, most likely, you’ll need more boxes than you think you’ll need, round up as many boxes as possible. Many grocery stores put out boxes early in the morning, as well as stores such as liquor shops. Call ahead to find out when is the best time for picking up boxes. Thrift stores also have boxes from people who drop off donations so when you’re at a thrift store dropping off your donations, pick up boxes there.

Other Packing Supplies

• Packing tape – Buy the type of tape that’s held in dispensers. If others will be helping you should buy several tape dispensers.
• Colored permanent markers
• Newspapers – Start saving old newspapers to wrap fragile items such as dishes. Moving companies should give you some bubble wrap for cushioning, but you’ll probably need more than they give you.

Managing Tips

• Start early. Begin packing the moment you know you’re going to move. Decide which items you can live without for the next few weeks or months. Designate one room you in your house, such as a spare bedroom that is the “box room”. Don’t be afraid to let potential buyers see your boxes as this is a hint that you’re serious about moving. Just stack them neatly and have a system for organizing them.
• Keep records. Record everything you pack so you won’t wonder if an item such a particular book is packed or not. Either use a notebook or a computer software program such as Microsoft Excel to keep track of everything that’s packed and any other details relating to items.
• Label each box with a different colored marker. Besides writing down what’s in each box, indicate where it’s to be located in your new home. For example, one box could read: “Art supplies: Spare Bedroom” in red, indicating that red represents the spare bedroom.

Finally, don’t do all your packing crammed into a short time period. By staring early you can spread it out, doing a little portion at a time. As FlyLady advises packers on her web site, it’s best to “take baby steps” rather than pack everything all in one day.

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Moving Boxes