Moving to a new home is always full of excitement. Whether you’re finally moving out on your own or are relocating for that dream job, there’s a lot of anticipation around getting to your new destination.
Moving is also a time when you realize how much stuff you actually have to pack. Even packing up a small studio instead of an entire home isn’t easy, but you need to stay organized to keep things stress-free.
One way many do this is with a packing list, where they track everything that goes into each moving box. But, how you pack things is only one part of the process. When you pack them also matters for a successful move. You don’t want to start too early or save everything for move-out day. You want important items to remain easily accessible, but don’t want to do the bare minimum in advance.
To keep the packing process smooth, you can get a head start. Here’s what to pack first when moving and how to craft a moving checklist that will keep you headed in the right direction without feeling like you need to wait until the last minute to do the bulk of the work.
Start the packing process
Before the first box gets packed, you have a few decisions to make. First, do you need to find movers? If you’re using a moving company, what will they pack for you on moving day? Those items can go off your to-do list and may mean you’ll spend less time packing.
Second, does anything need to go into storage? Having a storage unit is great if you know you won’t need certain items for a long time. However, it’s better to keep things in your own home if there’s a chance you’ll need whatever is inside within the next six months. Storage items can get packed first (or really at any time) to free up some space.
Third, are you moving a long distance? If you’re going far away, you need to think about what you’ll have to pack for your own trip. You may need more stuff than just a few essential items. You’ll also need to decide if you’re shipping anything. Because of the long distance, it’s wise to send a few boxes ahead. What should go in those, and when do you want them to arrive?
Answering all these questions first can help you separate special groups of items that may fall outside a typical packing timeline, so you may have to make some adjustments and concessions to stay on track as you pack.
Trim the fat
The next thing you want to do in a move is to avoid packing a bunch of stuff you don’t need at all. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to spend a day or two going through all your stuff, separating out items you don’t need and can donate, along with those in a rough condition that can get thrown out.
Old furniture or pieces that won’t work in your new place can get sold, and old clothing can do straight into a donation bin. If you’re an avid reader who loves the feel of actual books, now is a great time to whittle down your collection. Book boxes are heavy, even for a professional moving company. The fewer of these, sometimes, the better.
Move through each room of your home and collect all the unwanted items, then distribute them accordingly. Doing this before you even pack a single box will make the moving process that much faster. You’ll have less to pack and less to move.
Gather packing supplies
The final piece to starting the packing process is to gather the right packing materials. This includes moving boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper and packing tape. Don’t forget about a large marker or two to label each box, as well. You can estimate the amount of moving supplies you’ll need based on your home’s square footage, how many rooms you have or even the amount of stuff you’ve got. A packrat will need many more moving boxes than a minimalist.
To save money on moving boxes, make sure you visit local grocery stores, liquor stores and other shops that end up with a lot of empty boxes. Finding out what day they get deliveries, and going that evening to ask for empties, can yield a nice boon of free boxes.
As you gather supplies, don’t forget to grab an extra box of trash bags. You’ll end up with plenty to throw out as you go.
Establish a packing order
When it’s time to start packing, a strategy of how to tackle your stuff is essential, but you do have options. There are different ways to decide what to pack first when moving. You can go by room, rank items by difficulty or even create a pile of non-essential items to deal with first.
No method is better than the other since they all make it easier to start packing boxes. It’s the plan itself that makes it more efficient to get your home ready to move.
Go room to room
Packing up your home by room gives you easy access to what’s most important to you for the longest period of time. You start with your least-used room and move up to the spaces you use most frequently.
A great place to start with this strategy is in the spare room, if you have one. If not, your starting point could be a closet, your garage space or even the basement. If you’re in an apartment that came with storage space, go there first.
Working in this order, you’ll pack the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen last. These are the most useful rooms in any home, but also can contain a ton of stuff. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to tackle these spaces (and have plenty of boxes).
Rank space by packing difficulty
Always leaving out essential items, you can also pack by difficulty. This means starting in rooms that will be the most work. It really flips the order from going room-to-room since the most difficult spaces to pack are often the ones we use the most — the bedroom and kitchen. Both rooms can have a lot of stuff, but most of it you could live without for the few weeks you’ll be gearing up to move.
If you start with the bedroom, begin by setting aside the clothes you’ll need or want to wear leading up to moving day and for about a week after. If it can all fit into a suitcase, set that suitcase aside, too. You can pack this all up the day before you move.
Whatever is left, you can start packing at any time. Begin with clothing that’s out of season, though, so you know for sure you won’t need it.
If you start with the kitchen, create a pile of essentials to set aside first. This should include a place setting for every member of the home, one pot, one pan, a pair of tongs, a wooden spoon and a spatula. Yes, you’ll have to wash dishes more frequently, but this lets you get ahead in packing up a very full room.
If it’s easier, move everything you want to pack first into the dining room, so you don’t accidentally pack your essentials.
You can also take this approach with items you have multiple sets of, like towels and linens. Leave out one set for every bed/person and pack up everything else early.
Rank essentials
Another way to figure out what to pack first when moving is to look at all your stuff and group everything into two categories — essentials and non-essentials. Start by packing all the non-essential items, no matter what room they’re in, and then, reprioritize your essential items to create a realistic timeline to pack what’s left. Think about what you need the night before your move versus what you can live without for a few days.
Non-essentials can include:
- Fragile items like those that are purely decorative and any fine china or fancy dishes
- Picture frames and anything hanging on the walls
- Books
- Off-season items and holiday decorations
Each room will have plenty of things in it you won’t need immediately so you can really get through packing up a lot of your stuff early. However, as you’re packing, there are certain items that won’t feel like essentials that you’ll actually want to keep out. A big one is cleaning supplies. Since you shouldn’t pack anything dirty, you’ll need cleaning supplies to tidy up whatever you pack first. You may also have to do a final wipe-down of your place before you move out, as well.
Create an “open me first” box
No matter what you pack first, the very last box to pack, using any strategy, is the one you’ll want to open first when you get to your new home. Although you’ve put important documents, a few days’ worth of clothing, toiletries and possibly any valuables into a suitcase you’ll carry with you, this box should contain a few other required items to have on hand as you begin to unpack.
Include:
- A set of towels and linens
- Toilet paper and paper towels
- Hand soap
- Trash bags
- An extra box cutter
You can also put in other personal items you won’t need immediately but may need soon. Consider creating a little first-aid kit with plenty of band-aids and maybe some extra medications, too. You can even throw in some of your favorite snacks to avoid having to run out to the store right away.
Label this box very clearly and make sure it’s one of the first boxes off of the moving truck. Stick it in the bathroom so you can find it quickly.
Solidify your strategy with a moving checklist
Once you decide on your plan of action, make a list. Breaking down the packing process into actionable items not only keeps you on track, but nothing feels better than crossing something off a to-do list. That’s why a moving checklist is one of the best packing tips out there.
When to start packing boxes
With a strategy in hand and all the bubble wrap you could possibly need, it’s time to set a packing timeline. That’s assuming you’ve already scheduled a moving company or rented a moving truck, and you’ve already donated or thrown out everything you don’t want to take with you. After you complete these items, it’s best to begin packing no later than three weeks out. You can certainly start packing earlier, but remember boxes get in the way fast.
Week three of your three-week countdown schedule should include the items or the spaces you’ve decided are least necessary. Try to pack at least one box per day. If you feel like you’re falling behind, ramp up to two boxes.
Week two means all the middle-ground packing. This is stuff/rooms you thought you might want access to, but now realize you can live without until you get to your new house. Again, aim for at least one box a day. Don’t forget about labeling boxes either and taping them up well.
Week one, the week before you move, everything else must get packed. Moving companies definitely don’t want to arrive on moving day with a bunch of stuff laying around, so make sure you’ve got everything boxed up the night before except what you need right then.
If it helps, you can break your to-do list down to the day rather than the week just to make sure everything gets done without feeling rushed as you near the end.
What will you pack first when moving?
Preparing to move means managing so many details, but what’s most important is getting your stuff from one home to the next. Having a plan is essential, but what you pack first is really up to you. As long as you decide early and collect enough moving supplies, getting to your new house will feel a lot less stressful. So, what’s going into your first moving box?
Source: rent.com