How to Pack for a Move

You never thought you owned a lot of stuff before. Now you have to move and you’re
not sure where to begin. It probably feels like too daunting a task to get everything done
by your completion date.

How are you supposed to pack it all up in time?

Take a deep breath. With the right packing tips, you can have everything out before the
deadline and keep your sanity.

This guide will show you how to pack for a move when you don’t have a lot of time to
spare, so keep reading.

Rent a Moveable Storage Container

Packing for a move is much easier if you can take the boxes out of your house and load
them up in a storage container as you go. This will help you save precious time.
You won’t have to rent a truck or a moving team to transport all your belongings to a
self-storage facility. In this way, you’re cutting out travel time to and from the unit. That
can take up a lot of time.

A portable storage container will also take all your belongings to your doorstep. This
means you won’t have to make several more trips to unload everything from storage
when you get to your new home.

While this isn’t the right fit for everyone during a move, it can make the entire process
less overwhelming.

Don’t Do It Alone

Trying to pack up your entire house on your own is a massive chore, especially if you’re
in a time crunch. Everything will be much more manageable if you have help.
Hiring a moving team is a smart choice for many homeowners. However, you won’t
have to if you can call on your friends and family and ask them for a favour. Set up a
packing day where you treat them to a meal after a day of work. You can always return
the favour when they need it.

Write a To-Do List (And Stick to It!)

Thinking about all the chores you have to do to prepare for a move can be
overwhelming. It’s easy to get distracted and overthink it. Then you may end up not
able to finish anything on time.

Don’t let yourself get carried away.

Instead, write a to-do list that includes everything you need to get done before you
leave. Focus on one step at a time. Tackling small tasks one at a time will keep you on
track and speed up the process.

Sort as You Pack

Keeping things you don’t need will take up space in your storage container or moving
truck. This means you’ll have to pay extra money for more space and spend more time
moving useless boxes.

You should try to get rid of as many items as possible while you’re packing.
Don’t let go of anything you’ll regret though.

Saving space and money is important, but it’s not worth losing precious keepsakes. If
you’re having trouble deciding whether or not you should let something go, keep it for
now. You can always get rid of it later when you have more time to think about it.

Throwing things away too quickly could bring about a lot of heartache. It will defeat the
purpose if you have to buy new replacements later.

Label EVERYTHING

Do your best to write a list of everything you put inside a box. Tape this list to the
outside so you know where to find things when you’re unpacking. If you can, label every
box with a room, such as “kitchen,” “bathroom,” “primary bedroom,” “laundry room,” etc.
This will make it easier to put every box in the right room. It will also reduce your risk of
losing anything during the move.

If you need to be out of your house quickly, you might not have time for such organized
packing. In this case, do your best to just get everything in a box. Though it will be
harder, you can sort it all out again later.

Pack a To-Go Bag

As you pack for a move, you should always load a to-go bag with some basic
essentials. Keep it with you during your travels. The storage container you rented might
get delayed (unlikely). The moving team might not show up at your new home on the
same day as you. A to-go bag will ensure you have enough with you to survive a day or
two without your belongings.

Here’s what you should pack in your bag:

● Wallet
● Keys
● Medications
● Important paperwork (such as your SSN, birth certificate, passport, etc.)
● Phone charger
● Toiletries
● Change of clothes
● Roll of toilet paper
● Food and water
● Pet supplies (if necessary)
● Kid supplies (if necessary)
● Bedding (if you have space)
If you have any expensive jewelry or other belongings, you should keep these with you.
It’s a good idea to pack valuables in your to-go bag to ensure they don’t get lost or
damaged during the move.