Moving home is one of the most stressful and incredibly exciting things you can do. Packing is never an operation we look forward to and it can be very overwhelming, with most people rarely knowing where to start. In this blog, we’ll talk through 5 handy tips for packing up your home.
You have to contact your utility companies, clean your entire home and pack up all of your belongings, not to mention the countless other things that go into moving into a new home.
So, how to pack up your house for relocation and make sure you don’t forget something in the process?
Here are 5 tips for packing up your home.
1. Declutter before you move home
You don’t want to take EVERYTHING with you to your new home, especially if you don’t need it anymore.
Decluttering is one of the best ways to ensure your move is stress- free. It can be a great way of honouring the memories you made in your old home and taking time to reminisce before starting your new chapter. Chances are, everyone has at least a handful of things they could live without or don’t need. Decluttering is a way of saying goodbye to the excess.
You think you know how much stuff you have until it comes time to move it all to a new home. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by things you’ve forgotten about entirely or you have multiples of the same thing because you had forgotten you even had it in the first place.
Getting rid of items you don’t want or need will save you valuable time, money, and effort.
You don’t have to throw things out either, donate things to charity, sell them for some extra income or simply give them to a friend or family member.
2. LABEL Your Moving Boxes!
Name your boxes, and if you want to be super organised, put an itemised list of everything that’s in the box on the outside.
Labelling your boxes might seem like a pain, however, it’s one of the most underestimated tasks when it comes to moving from one home into the next.
You can help your future self when you’re packing by writing the name of the room on the boxes and by writing an inventory list for each box. This will make things quicker and easier to unpack, also you will save yourself time from not having to rake around to find things in different boxes. As believe it or not – it might take you a week or two to unpack!
It’s also better to write on the sides of the boxes and not on the top, this makes it easier to recognise things when they are stacked.
Why not get your kids involved, you can let your kids decorate each box with the things inside it, let them get creative! Kids absolutely love colouring and drawing, by letting them decorate the boxes they will get them involved in the move and help them cope with the new changes!
3. Pack Your Moving Boxes Room by Room
Pack one room at a time and pack items from the same room together. It will make it so much easier when it comes to unpacking.
If you work from the top of your house to the bottom, you’ll be able to methodically work from room to room and pack your belongings for that room together. This way, you’ll be able to stay organised with what you have and haven’t packed and you’ll be able to keep everything in the rooms together – making it so easy when unpacking!
Additionally, you’ll be able to start unpacking from the top to the ground floor – getting the heavier items out of the way first.
4. Protect Your Breakables
There’s nothing worse when packing than opening one of your boxes to something having smashed or exploded! Whenever you’re packing up fragile items, the best thing you can do is make sure they are heavily padded.
You could even save on bubble wrap by wrapping breakable items in clothes, or even putting mugs and glasses in socks ( just make sure they’re clean first!).
5. First Night Box
Create a first night box. There’s nothing worse than getting ready for your first night and having to hunt for your toothbrush!
Your first night in your new home will be the time where you will finally unwind, don’t be surprised if you feel exhausted- It’s only natural from all the adrenaline in the build up – make it easy for yourself.
Pack the things in your box you’ll reach for throughout the day. Things like pj’s, clothes for the next day, your hairbrush, some snacks and your phone charger can be a game changer. Here is a short list of things you can pack in your first night box.
- Toothbrush
- Hairbrush
- Clothes for the next day
- Phone charger
- Tooth paste
- Toiletries for showering
- Snacks to get you through packing
- A speaker – Listening to your favourite tunes while packing can make all the difference, it will boost your mood, help you focus and let the time fly by.
BONUS TIP! For When You Are Moving Home
Keep a bottle of prosecco and glasses handy, you’ll want to toast your first night in your new home.
HAPPY PACKING!
For more blogs about moving home, check out this blog about moving home and for things to do in Johnshaven, check out this article.
