Packing Tips For Moving

It’s never easy to pick up all of your possessions and take them somewhere else, especially during the stress of buying or selling a home! Luckily for you, we have a comprehensive guide that should make your next move a little easier! From making an initial checklist to driving that uHaul off the lot, we hope this guide helps you during your next move!

1. Make a Checklist – There is a lot to do when you decide to move and it can be nearly impossible to remember everything! We recommend you sit down and make a checklist of all the things you need to take care of before moving. Be sure to include things like forwarding your mail and transferring internet service as these are things many people forget to do. Put your checklist in a brightly colored moving binder so it is easy to find and use throughout your move!
2. Declutter – The first thing you should do when preparing to move is declutter! You don’t want to pack and move things that you don’t plan on keeping do you? We recommend getting rid of as much extra clutter as possible before moving so you can have a fresh start in your new home. If you have a lot of stuff to get rid of, consider having an estate sale! It is a great way to get rid of things and make some money while doing it! Lori Fortney, owner of Memory Lane Antiques in Pagosa, will run an estate sale for you from start to finish for a fee.
3. Find Boxes – You probably need some boxes to move, right? Investing in good quality boxes can make packing up much easier than it would be with recycled boxes of various condition. Both Walmart & uHaul sell good boxes for fairly cheap! If you would prefer to recycle boxes, try to find boxes in good structural condition. They will save a lot of headaches down the line!
4. Set Moving Goals – It can be easy to fall behind during your move so we think it’s smart to set specific moving goals to keep you on track! These goals can be as simple as just packing up a couple rooms per week! Just look at your moving timeline to decide what goals you need to set to be fully packed and ready by your moving date! We recommend putting these goals in writing and adding them to your moving binder so you can keep track throughout your move!
5. Pack Essentials Separately – There is nothing worse than getting everything packed only to realize you boxed up the things you need for the week! We recommend putting all your essentials in a brightly colored plastic tote. This way, you have everything you need in one easy to find spot! Be sure to label this box well so it isn’t accidentally packed away!
6. Pack According To Room – Moving is almost always a chaotic event. It is easy to get things mixed up and turned around! One thing you can do to help stay organized is to pack room by room. By only packing up one space at a time you decrease the chance of misplacing your things. We recommend breaking up each room into sections. You can pack your closet and dresser items first, then bookshelves, desk items, etc. This will make things much easier to navigate when you get around to unpacking and finding things!
7. Packing Boxes Correctly – While packing a box seems very straightforward, there are a couple guidelines you should try to follow! The first is simple. Light things go in big boxes and heavy things go in small boxes! You don’t want to be carrying a huge box
8. Use String To Open Boxes Easily – Unpacking boxes after a move can be very tedious and time consuming. You can cut that time down considerably with this simple trick! When you are taping up boxes, place a piece of wool string along the box seam where you are taping. Be sure to leave enough of a tail on the string exposed outside of the tape to grab and tape it up like normal. Now when you go to open the box you can simply pull the string and it will cut the tape for you!
9. Label & Take Photos of Furniture Parts – It can be easy to lose parts and pieces of furniture during your move. That’s why it is a good idea to label things as they are taken apart! We recommend putting furniture hardware in plastic bags and taping it to your furniture. This will hopefully prevent any hardware loss during your move!
10. Have a Game Plan – Your job isn’t over once you have all the boxes packed! Now is the the time to come up with an actual moving plan. It is a good idea to designate one person to oversee loading the moving truck. This way there is less confusion as far as what needs to be loaded and when. Remember to take your time when loading up. If you get into a rush things tend to be forgotten and you will get frustrated! Take your time and things will get done, the right way.

Hopefully this article gave you some direction for your next move! While the moving process can be stressful, it is so worth it in the end! If you are reading this article and thinking it may be time for a move, give us a call at 970.507.8655. We would be more than happy to help with your buying and selling needs! We even offer reduced commissions!