Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Packing… and moving.
MAKE A PLAN
Jumping in without any consideration is fun for kids at the lake, but it won’t make moving or packing any more enjoyable. Trust me. When you’re in your new house surrounded by boxes looking for a frying pan, you’ll be happy you started out with a system. Systems that use colour or number coded rooms and clear, concise lists (no miscellaneous – what is that anyway?) are effective and simple.
HAVE LOTS OF BOXES ON HAND
Boxes are much easier to organize than bags or open-topped containers. Having extra materials for packing, including tape, wrapping material and different sized boxes will make packing – and unpacking – much easier.
USE THE RIGHT BOXES
Those free boxes you got from the grocery store didn’t come without a cost. Produce boxes can contain insect eggs that you can’t see, plus they’re not designed to store things long term. You spent good money on the stuff you’re storing, you’re paying to store it, it doesn’t make sense to put it all at risk by storing it in a box that might be full of bugs.
Regardless of the size, most moving boxes are rated to hold about 60-65 lbs. If you need a big box to handle more weight than that, try a double-walled China Barrel, which can hold up to 120 lbs. Look for specialty boxes for things like flat-screen TVs or mirrors. And remember, full boxes are easier to stack.
GET PREPARED EARLY
The end of the month is the busiest time for moving companies. If you are using a mover or are renting a moving van or truck, book early to avoid frantic phone calls closer to moving time.
START ORGANIZING ITEMS NOW
Four to six weeks before moving day, go through and start packing items that you rarely use. Put aside things that can be donated, tossed, sold or need to go into storage. Start loading boxes if you have an out-of-the-way spot to store them. And if not, this is an excellent time to rent a storage locker.
