Well, somehow you got here. And somehow, you'll make it to your new place. It may help to remind yourself of these truisms as you look around your rental and wonder how you'll have everything packed and ready to go before moving day.
Of course, you've probably acquired a few possessions in the last year, so you'll have more to pack this time around. It takes more than wishful thinking to make one of life's top challenges go smoothly. It requires (at least a little) planning and some outstanding packing tips from professional movers.
Plan with purpose
- Lighten your load by isolating those items you don't use or want. Do a thorough scan of every nook and cranny in your rental and put everything you don't want or need in a pile before making your next smart move.
- Schedule a pickup of those items with a charity or sell them to a local resale shop.
- Be flexible with your moving day, if you can, to save money. Weekend rates are usually higher than mid-week rates.
- Place important dates on a large, easy-to-see-and-alter calendar. Put first things first and highlight your 30-day written notice to your landlord and the day you wish to notify utilities of your move.
- Take the time to call several movers and encourage them to visit your rental rather than give you an estimate over the phone. They might encourage you to accept a “ballpark price,” but it won't be accurate without an in-person inventory.
- Gather boxes from local grocery and liquor stores to save money on the boxes movers can sell you.
- Look for the original boxes for your electronics or find worthy substitutes.
- Stock up on moving supplies such as packing paper, packing tape and bubble wrap. Buy extra extension cords and light bulbs now to save time later.
- Decide how you want to pack up your rental, by room or by category (by packing all books together, all electronics together, etc.). Both ways have their merits. Do what will make unpacking easier for you.
Pack with purpose
- Set aside suitcases, hampers, sturdy wicker baskets and other storage bins. They're moving, too, so you may as well capitalize on the space inside them.
- Begin by packing off-season, little-used and decorative items first. Packing up your rental a little at a time will be far less stressful than trying to cram all the activity into one weekend.
- Designate small boxes for heavy items, especially books.
- Designate larger boxes for light items, such as towels, sheets, blankets and pillows.
- Cushion boxes containing fragile items with those lightweight items and achieve two purposes at once: stow your linens while protecting the fragile items from breaking.
- Pack plates and bowls vertically, not horizontally. Put dishes on their sides gently and fill the spaces with bubble wrap to reduce breakage.
- Cover shampoo, conditioner and other toiletry bottles with plastic wrap. It will take a few minutes to unscrew the caps, wrap a small piece of plastic over the tops and put the caps back on. But you'll eliminate sticky leaks and gooey spills.
- Label or mark boxes on all sides as well as the top so you can identify the contents from any angle. Label by room (kitchen) and category (plastic bowls).
- Augment your labeling system with a numbering system, if you like. Give each box a number and then document the contents. This method can be a real time-saver, especially if you have a great deal of one item type.
For example, labeling a box “Kitchen, plastic bowls, No. 4” should guide you to exactly the box you're looking for so you don't have to rummage through three other similar boxes.
- Pack a separate box containing everything you'll need for the first night in your new home, just in case the move from your apartment goes late or you're too tired to unpack.
You will make it out of your rental and to your new place. Keep reminding yourself – and know that these tips will make the transition so much easier. For more tips, check out our Ultimate Moving Guide!