Packing Tips When Moving

Packing can be the most difficult process of moving if you don’t have a mover that will pack. Below we have broken it down by categories room to room packing tips when moving.

General Packing Idea

It is best to start packing as early as possible so that you are not stressed and overwhelmed days before your move. When packing for a move, the goal is to secure your items for transport. To guarantee the safe transport of your belongings, you need to have the right materials.

The core supplies that you will need are strong boxes, tissue paper, packing paper and pads, packing tape, and felt-tip markers. It is important to know how to properly pack your things and label them after.

Clothing:

Before you start packing your clothing, be sure to set aside some clothes to wear for the following days. One way to pack your clothing is by neatly folding them and placing them into a box preferably with clean sheets of packing paper at the bottom.

You could also use wardrobe moving boxes to pack your clothing. Just take the hanging clothes from your closet and hang them in the box!

Shoes:

If you still have your shoe boxes, simply place your shoes in the appropriate boxes then place a rubber band around the box to keep it from opening. If you do not have any shoe boxes, you can just stack your shoes in a moving box.

If you do not want the soles of your shoes to rub on the other shoes, you can wrap each pair in packing paper or place each pair in a plastic bag. To prevent shoes from losing their form, stuff the shoes with socks or crumbled paper.

Electronics:

When packing electronics, it is best to repack them in their original packaging. If you do not have the original packaging, you can use paper pads for small electronics such as DVD players and game consoles. To pack a television, you will need a box specifically for holding televisions.

Books:

When packing books, it is best to use small boxes because a large box full of heavy books is harder to move. First, separate the small and medium-sized books from the large ones then individually wrap them all in clean packing paper. Large books such as heavy textbooks should be placed at the bottom of the box lying flat. Place the small and medium-sized books in the box with the spine down and the paper edges facing up. If the books are packed with the spine up and the paper edges facing down the pages will bend. Fill the extra spaces in the box with crumbled paper to avoid the books from shifting during the move.

Stemware/Dishware:

When packing stemware and dishware, more caution is required because they are delicate items. Begin by placing crumbled packing paper at the bottom of the boxes to support the stemware and dishware.

If you decide to pack the dishware first, use a few sheets of clean tissue paper to individually wrap the plates and bowls. You can double-wrap them to make sure they are secure. When placing the plates and bowls in the box, do NOT lay them flat otherwise they will break. They must be positioned on their side. Cutlery can be wrapped individually or in sets on tissue paper.

Also, all of the cutlery must be facing the same way, especially the knives. When packing stemware, use tissue paper to wrap them separately. Wrap a sheet of paper around the stems of the wine and cocktail glasses then use another sheet of paper to wrap the actual glasses. The stemware must be positioned upside down on its brim in a row in the box.

Food:

Packing food is a bit different from packing other items because you have to be selective in what you pack. The type of foods that you pack depends on the length of your move.

If you are moving locally, you can carry frozen and refrigerated items, but they need to be placed in a cooler with ice, not a regular moving box. However, if the move will take more than a day, that is no longer a solution because the ice will melt and the food could spoil. Perishable items such as bread, fruits, and vegetables can only be carried for a one-day move as well.

Canned goods are always safe food items to pack for a local or long-distance move because they will not rot or expire if kept in non-extreme temperatures. Dry foods and spices can be packed in sealed jars or zipper storage bags. Open food packages that are not properly sealed are not ideal to pack.

Bottles/Liquids:

Try to carry as few liquids as possible! When packing bottles of liquids, it is important to secure the bottle caps. Use tape to wrap around the bottle caps to be certain that they are secure. Since glass bottles are fragile, they should be wrapped in bubble wrap.

It is ideal to use a plastic bin with a lid to carry liquids instead of a cardboard box because if the liquids were to spill, they would penetrate the cardboard box. In turn, this would damage other items. Bottles should be positioned close together with other bottles upright in the bin. If there is any empty space in the container, fill it with crumbled packing paper to prevent shifting. You cannot carry hazardous chemical liquids such as paint, cleaning fluids, and detergents.