Wherever and whenever you move, packing is part of the moving process that takes the most time to complete. Additionally, it can be the most stressful part of it too. The reasons are numerous. It seems to be very difficult for people to have all of their belongings packed and ready for loading onto the truck when it arrives. To help you with getting through it all, we’ve made this quick packing guide for beginners. Read on to find out how to pack your home on time, in a manner so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.
General packing tips
If you have never moved before, and if you’re a beginner in all of this, you need to understand that packing is one of the most important aspects of your move. You need to organize all of your things by function, rooms, or any other factor that you find to work. This will help you massively with keeping track of your belongings during the move, as well as when you need to unpack everything. There are challenges of domestic moves and here are the guidelines to stick to.
- Pack similar items together. Start packing every box with a layer of protective padding. Many things can be used for this application. Newspapers, protective wrap, blankets, or towels. Remember to put the heaviest things in the box first.
- Label each and every box. And here we mean not only by room but by its contents too.
- Essentials box is a must-have. This is a crucial part of a quick packing guide for beginners. Put everything you might need during the move in this box. Tools, snacks, drinks, changing clothes, medications, etc.
- Try not to fully load every box. This will keep them away from getting too heavy which is an important thing when you have a big move to tackle.
Gather moving supplies
As you probably have already figured, you’ll need some things for your packing. For starters, boxes. You can buy cardboard boxes for dirt cheap, or you can even find them used for free. Be sure to gather a whole variety of sizes and use only ones that are in good condition.
The protective layer is the next thing. Our professionals from Verified Movers tell us that pretty much all of the damages that occur during the move do so because things weren’t protected as they should have been. You can find variations of packing wrap in office supply or department stores.
The last thing you should do is to rent a dolly. This will help you massively with carrying boxes around as it will minimize the chances for drops. You probably will be able to rent this from your movers directly for a small fee.
Quick packing guide for beginners – Room by room packing
When you have gathered all of the needed supplies, you can start making an inventory list. Go through all the rooms and take notes about everything that you want to transport to your new location. Do the same for the things that you’re going to leave behind. You can donate them to the less fortunate ones. If you can, make the ultimate international moving checklist. All of this will help you to keep track of your progress as well as not to forget anything.
When it comes to packing itself, try to pack the similar or the same things together based on the function, and by rooms. For instance, you should avoid packing kitchen supplies with anything but the things from the kitchen. Things can easily get out of control if you choose not to go down this path.
Lastly, be sure to label all the boxes that you have packed right away. Write the name of the room on the sides and on the top of the box. It’s not a bad idea to stick a little piece of paper with the contents on it on each of them. Also, if the items inside are fragile, be sure to write that in capital letters all around the box.
Additional tips
There are more things that you’ll need to think about during the packing process. Luckily for you, we’ve listed them all in our quick packing guide for beginners.
The kitchen
The kitchen is pretty much the most complicated room to pack simply because of the number of items, as well as because of their fragility. Wrap all the dishes separately and secure them in a box with blankets and towels. The same goes for glassware.
If you’re taking your refrigerator with you, be sure to defrost it at least 48 hours before the moving day. When it comes to small appliances, remove all the blades and loose components before packing them. Tape the cords to them so they don’t flap around.
The living room
When packing your living room, the most important thing is to secure all the valuable electronics. Secure the screens of TVs and laptops with blankets and unscrew the base of the device if possible. After that, tape the screws to the back of it.
Regarding the furniture, it should go into the moving truck first. Before the boxes and everything else. Be sure to remove the legs of the chairs and sofa to make them easier to maneuver. If you want to know more check out tips for packing furniture. Wrap all the artwork and mirrors in blankets and tape them so it doesn’t come off during the transport. Remember to remove all the light bulbs and lampshades from the lamps. If the base of it is also fragile, be sure to wrap it in protective wrap.
The clothes
There are a few ways in which you can pack clothes. You can always fold them and put them into the boxes. However, there are some more innovative ways for this in our quick packing guide for beginners. Simply keep your clothes on hangers, and put them in garbage bags as they stand. This way they’ll take up much less space and they won’t be any less protected from the elements.