Packing your bags for a two-week vacation is difficult, but packing the boxes to move in is a real nightmare. Few people are thrilled with the idea of doing so, although they can't wait to move house. Start collecting boxes at least one month before the expected date. Supermarkets and hospitals have great clean boxes, so try to get some every time you pass. Start dealing with it early to avoid doing everything at the last minute and get on with the work.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Getting started and getting organized
Step 1. Gather all the materials you need to fill boxes of different sizes
You will need sturdy boxes of various sizes to fit various types of items. Make sure you buy good quality materials and get sturdy boxes, be it plastic or cardboard. Maybe ask a moving company for advice. Here's what you should buy:
- Box fillers.
- Bubble wrap.
- Sheets of paper for packaging.
- Newspapers, non-marking wrapping paper.
- Scissors.
- Parcel adhesive tape.
- Stickers to label the boxes.
- Permanent markers.
Step 2. Create a folder dedicated to the move, keeping all the documents necessary for the move
Include the following: moving company booking and attachments, documents related to your pet (if you have one), cash to tip the movers, hotel booking, contact information of important people (real estate agent or homeowner) and other essential documents that you may need before you have a chance to empty the boxes.
Keep the folder in a safe place, for example in a bag or backpack you usually use, so it doesn't accidentally end up in a box. It should be in a place where it will not be buried by the chaos that will inevitably ensue
Step 3. A few days before, pack a suitcase or box for each family member
Include a travel-sized stick of soap, a new toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, a small and a large towel, a disposable razor (if needed), clothes to stay indoors (coveralls, etc.), two suits of spare clothes and everything you know will come in handy during the first few days in the new home (when the boxes are still full). This way, all the necessary things will be at hand.
Keep these boxes or suitcases in a safe place, where they will not mix with anything else. For example, leave them in the car or elsewhere (at work or in a neighbor's house). On the day of the transfer, take it with you by car or by any other means you take
Step 4. Get old clothes that you can use as fillers in boxes
Instead of buying yards and yards of bubble wrap or kilos and kilos of box fillers, use clothes to do it. You won't just save money - if you still want to take it with you, you'll actually kill two birds with one stone. Among other things, clothes are often more malleable than paper and bubble wrap.
For fragile items, such as glass, wrap them one at a time with a sock. The socks seem to be made for this. They will not break even if they collide while moving
Step 5. Take pictures of everything you need to reassemble, especially if it is particularly complicated to do so
Television cables are an example of this. Consider appliances and furniture that have asked you an eternity to be functional: you will not waste time and you will not be unnecessarily stressed. Just an image: it will be your point of reference.
You should also take a picture of the organization of the paintings and other decorations, so you can reproduce them in the new home and recover your memories without problems
Part 2 of 3: Filling the Cartons Effectively and Efficiently
Step 1. In the house you currently live in, set up a space for packing boxes
You should have a free place to drag and drop all things, as well as fill the boxes. Keep containers, packing materials, markers, tape, and labels with us. This is where the move begins.
After you have filled and closed a box, number it, adding the room for which it is intended and the contents. Having a total number of boxes X, you will know when one is missing and you will be able to tell the movers how many there are
Step 2. Start packing the boxes carefully, taking advantage of every space
Properly wrap each item with enough layers of wrapping paper, bubble wrap or clothing. Arrange them all in a box with extreme care and in the best possible position to avoid damage. Heavier objects go to the bottom, lighter ones go to the top. Try to optimize the space available to move with fewer packages.
- Put larger items, such as books and toys, in small boxes. While you need to take advantage of the space available, don't overfill the boxes so that they are too heavy and risk breaking.
- Put fragile items in boxes with special care and attention. If necessary, use multiple layers of wrapping paper or bubble wrap to wrap them. Place cling film between bottle holes and caps to prevent leakage. You could also wrap fragile cosmetics in cotton clothing.
- Use rolled up newspapers or cut into strips to fill in empty spaces in containers.
Step 3. Make sure you pack items intended for a certain room in the same box
Then, label it. This way, unpacking will be easier once in the new home. Start working one room at a time, packing the smaller items first in order to get rid of them. Carefully write down what they contain and tape them closed, so you can find everything when you empty the boxes.
This will also make the work easier for the movers. If they are polite and have no time restrictions, they will likely take each tagged box to the room that matches them
Step 4. Start dealing with the big articles
Arrange all the equipment corresponding to a certain piece of furniture in particularly thick airtight sachets, so that they end up in the right room. Store all bags in a box along with tools, Allen keys, screwdrivers, pliers, etc. It will be easier to put everything back together when you are in the new house.
Make sure you keep the toolbox in a visible place, so reassembling will be easier. Also include other small objects inside, such as earplugs, remote controls, boxes of nails and everything else you will need immediately after the move
Step 5. Clean one room at a time, starting with the kitchen
Take out the trash and pack only what you will use. Use the bins you have served so far to store food in order to put items you find in them as you empty drawers, tables and other furniture throughout the house. Label the boxes according to the contents and the rooms they belong to, then close the lid tightly or use duct tape. Use envelopes of various sizes for the same purpose. Add a sticky note on each of them noting what it contains, such as “Stereo cables” or “Pens and pencils”. Arrange all containers and bags in a large box, properly labeled with the name of the room and indicating the contents.
- Just like discs, platters are stacked vertically. Don't forget to check if you've left anything in the dishwasher.
- Are there objects you don't want to lose their shape and become tangled (like necklaces)? Wrap them in cling film, then put them in the box.
Part 3 of 3: Finishing the Job
Step 1. At the end of the job, prepare a box that you will open immediately
You should keep the items you need with us until the transfer date. Think about those little things that you will use even before you unpack everything. You should therefore add items such as dish soap, sponges, kitchen paper rolls, handkerchiefs, a pair of pens, scissors, forks and plastic or paper plates, bottle openers, towels for each family member, a frying pan, a saucepan, a plastic ladle, extra utility knife, etc.
- Keep in mind that everyone will need to wash their hands, eat, and shower a long time before they have a chance to get all the packages in the new home. This container meets these needs.
- Also, save us cereal bars or other foods of this type: someone may be hungry or have a low sugar on the day of the move. They will help you avoid bad moods.
Step 2. Stack the boxes after you have finished filling them, close them and label them
Try leaving them in the rooms once they are ready. Keep multiple sockets, extension cords and adapters in a specific container; later it will be much easier to find.
- Clearly label the toolbox and extension box. You could paint them a bright yellow or red with spray paint.
- Arrange all screws and bolts in a piece of furniture or other object after taking it apart. This way, you can reassemble a bed or lamp right away instead of struggling to remember where you left off.
Step 3. If you wrote down the total sum of the boxes, count them
Do you know where each of them is? Is it necessary to fill more? Do you have more stuff than you thought and need to warn the movers why you need a bigger van?
Do you have fragile items? Are there any things you want to carry yourself for safety? Put them aside, so you always know where they are and find them without problems
Step 4. Check each room to make sure you have cleared all of them
Put last-minute items found in one space. Remember, once the van is full and the movers tell you they have it all, making a final search to make sure nothing has been left is your responsibility. Once you are sure of this, close the door and leave.
Advice
- If you can't find cardboard boxes or want to use the containers after the move to store things in the basement or outside, better buy plastic boxes. You can find them for a slightly higher price than cardboard in stores that sell homewares, but they are firmer, have built-in handles, stack more securely, and are water resistant.
- When filling the boxes, remember that towels, tea towels and socks are great for protecting fragile items. The plastic bags they give you at the supermarket are also ideal in this regard and trap air.
- Book the van as soon as you know the exact date of the move. A week before the big day, call and check your booking.
- Use Styrofoam discs between the actual plates to keep them from breaking.
- Put detergents and other such products last in the van, because you will need them in the new house.
- Start packing seasonal items, such as holiday lights, coats, and garden tools, well in advance if you no longer use them in the house you live in now. Then, set them aside. Throw away or donate items you don't use.
- Bags filled with clothing can be used as a barrier between fragile items or to fill open spaces that form when you load the boxes into the van. Label them individually based on the content and target room.
- Use packing tape, not common tape, to seal the boxes.
- Towels, sweaters and all other sturdy items can be stored in garbage bags. Make sure you use heavy bags with strings. Also, don't overfill them, or they'll be hard to carry. Label them so you don't confuse them with trash.
- Use masking tape to make a large X on mirrors, glass cabinets, and anything else that has this material. It may not prevent them from cracking due to vibrations, but it will help contain the broken glass, as a good part of it will stick to the duct tape. You could take the glass panels off and pack them horizontally in a drawer or storage container. Take the measurements to a moving company to have a customized box.
- If you need to disassemble the furniture for transport, keep the screws in a box and label it indicating their purpose. Attach them to the cabinet with duct tape. This is especially important when you move abroad, as you may not be able to find what you need to reassemble them.
- Many supermarkets sell vacuum bags, which save a lot of space. Don't know where to store your bedding and don't want it to get dirty? Buy a large vacuum bag, fill it completely and then suck in the air using a normal vacuum cleaner after placing the tube. That's all! The envelope will be less bulky and more tidy (but be careful: the weight is still the same).
- Set aside the shopping bags and boxes before the move. Use them to progressively store things around the house, including the attic, basement and garage. Place mothballs inside them and the contents will not get dust, will not become impregnated with bad smells and will not be damaged.
- Preserve the contents of the drawers without modifying them. If there are any fragile items, wrap them with towels or socks to prevent breakage.
- Use pillow cases to wrap pictures and frames so they won't break.
Warnings
- Once you arrive at the new house, let the movers empty the van, do not intervene. In case something is broken, the responsibility falls on them. If you help, you won't be able to appeal.
- Have work or gardening gloves available to protect your hands when moving. Don't put them in a box. You will need it to load and unload boxes in case you handle them yourself.
- As the move date approaches, put all the boxes in one room so that furniture and heavy items can be loaded into the van right away. Among other things, the movers will not stumble on the boxes, which must be placed last instead.
- A free thing is not always preferable. Avoid boxes that contained food. They probably have bugs or eggs. Try liquor bottles instead (more durable for carrying glass bottles) or buy them from a moving company. Looking for boxes in offices and stationeries is best, because those that contained reams of paper are great for storing everything and small enough for children to carry.
- Make sure you empty the waterbeds about two days before the move. It takes a long time to do this, and by the transfer date they should be blank. Load them into the van along with a garden pump, so you can start adding water as the movers unload the boxes.
