When you’re moving, there is a lot that needs to be done. It often seems like there isn’t enough time to get everything finished and ready to go, especially if you work full-time, have kids, and have other responsibilities to still worry about while you’re packing for the move. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to save time and help the move go as smoothly as possible.
Start Packing Ahead of Time
Make sure you start packing ahead of time. Even if you haven’t found the perfect move in ready home yet, there’s no reason why you can’t start getting ready as you look around. Go through the home and begin with the items you won’t need before you move, like sentimental items, decor, and holiday items. All of these can be packed well ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about rushing to pack them before the move.
Make a To-Do Checklist
Make sure you have a checklist of everything that needs to be done before and during the move. This helps keep you organized, which is always a time-saver. When you know what needs to be done and when, you won’t end up rushing to get things done at the end or pushing things back because something else needs to be done first. Your checklist should include when to pack, scheduling the moving company, turning on utilities at the new home, turning them off at the old home, and everything else that should be done.
Declutter As You Pack
Make sure you go through and declutter as you pack. While this might take a little bit more time while you’re packing, it’s going to save you a lot of time when you unpack because there will be less stuff to put away at the new home. You’ll only be moving what you really want to have at the new home. While you’re packing, you can toss items in a trash bag if they need to be thrown out or put them in a donate box if you don’t want to take them with you but the items are in good shape. Then simply drop off the donation boxes before you pack everything in the truck and toss out the trash to get rid of everything you don’t want to move.
Map Out the Floorplan
Take a few moments to create a floor plan of the new home. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just an outline of all of the rooms in the new home. There may be a simple one available online for your home’s model or a way to sketch one in an app to make it easier to create. This makes it easier to determine where everything will go when it’s brought to the new home, saving you time once you arrive and start to unpack.
Make Sure You Have Plenty of Packing Supplies
Start stocking up on moving supplies ahead of time. On top of having plenty of boxes, you’ll want to have tape, markers, and other supplies on hand. This saves you from having to run to the store to get more while you’re packing, which can slow you down the last few days before everything is moved.
Color-Code Boxes You Pack
As you pack everything, mark the boxes with different colors based on where the box will go in the new home. All of the kitchen boxes should have one color with bedroom boxes having a different one. Items that might go in bathrooms or the laundry room will have a different color. Color-coding boxes ensures they will end up in the right room, helping you save a lot of time when you unpack them in the new home.
Work With a Moving Company
If you can work with a moving company, it will help you save a ton of time. Along with helping to pack up everything in the home, they can help you load it all in the truck and unload it at the new home. They’re the pros, so they know exactly how to save you time during the move and they’ll make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Take Photos of Electronics
Make sure you take photos of the backs of any electronics like TVs or computers before you unplug them. This will make plugging them back in a breeze, as you’ll be able to look at the photo and see where everything goes. This helps save you from struggling to figure out how everything plugs back in when you get to the new home.
Create a Moving Day Essentials Box
A moving-day essentials box holds everything that you’ll need the day you move. It should include paperwork and valuables that won’t go in the moving truck, items you might need for the first day like a change of clothes or blankets, and anything else essential. This can help keep important documents contained and easy to find, saving you time from trying to find them or figuring out how to download something you need during the move.
Know How to Pack Like a Pro
Make sure you know how to pack like a pro. They can pack items like clothes quickly and easily, making it easier to unpack them at the new home. If you will be doing all of the packing on your own, make sure you know how to do it to save time while you’re packing and unpacking. Packing the right way can help you speed up the packing process and make sure you know where things are in the new home as you get it all unpacked.
Use these tips and tricks to make your move as easy as possible and to help save you a significant amount of time. When you can get it all done faster, you can have more time for everything else you have to do and you’ll be able to enjoy the moving process a little more.
Having a military husband, my family and I move every couple of years. It was rough at first but now we have a system. And even though it’s still not fun, it’s less stressful. You had some great tips in this article. One thing I’d like to mention is also cleaning the house. We usually hire a carpet cleaning company and it is a game-changer. It’s a great finishing touch when cleaning out the house for the next owner.