Studies show that roughly 40 million people in America move into a new home each year. Even though millions of us do it, make no mistake, moving to a new home is a big deal. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be anxiety-inducing or overwhelming. The key is to plan how to pack for a move. We’ve provided the following list of what to do and what not to do to ensure your move is as smooth as possible.
How to Pack for a Move: Start Sorting
Moving into a new home offers the perfect opportunity to clean and declutter your home. So, start by sorting belongs into categories such as:
- Items that will go to the new home
- Items that should be donated or sold
- Items that you can throw away or shred
- Items you need to put in personal storage
Once you’ve decided what you’ll keep, discard, or put in a safe, secure storage unit, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
Gather Moving Materials
Anyone who has begun packing only to find they don’t have the proper supplies knows how aggravating the experience can be. To that end, as you’re planning how to pack for a move, make sure you include a shopping trip to buy the following:
- Boxes
- Bubblewrap, foam peanuts, or other packing filler
- Packing paper
- Plenty of packing tape
- Scissors
- Labels
- Markers
- Furniture padding and mattress covers
Packing Items for Storage
How to pack for a move can be very different depending on whether you’re putting your items in storage or taking them with you to your new home. The reason? The items that you’ll take with you will ostensibly be unpacked and put away in your new home. The items you’ll put in storage will likely remain in boxes.
When packing items to put into storage, consider the following tips
- Use clear plastic crates with lids instead of cardboard boxes
Clear boxes or crates allow you to identify belongings in your boxes easily, and the lids close securely.
- Feel free to pack more items into each box
In your storage unit, you’ll likely stack boxes on top of each other, so the boxes that will sit on the ground and support other boxes can be heavier than those that you’ll have to lift or carry repeatedly.
- Create an inventory list of items in each box
Because you may not access your stored items very often, it is helpful to label each box with a letter or number and jot down the contents of each box for easy identification later.
Packing Belongings to Move into Your New Home Dos and Don’ts
For items that you’re moving into your new home, follow these tips:
- Do ensure your cardboard boxes aren’t super heavy
- Do keep items from the same room in the same boxes
- Do pack essential items in one box that you can access immediately
- Do pack canned and boxed foods and beverages
- Do research before hiring a mover
- Don’t pack small valuables such as jewelry
- Don’t pack vital electronic charges (cell phone, etc.)
- Don’t overload boxes so they cannot fully close
- Don’t pack breakable items that can leak in boxes with your clothing or bedding
- Don’t pack perishable food items
Short-Term Storage When You’re Between Moves in Lane County
If you need to store items temporarily, Chambers Connector Storage offers month-to-month leasing of our welded steel cargo shipping containers. Watertight containers keep your belongings safe in between moves or when you just need extra space to keep your items safe. To learn more about our short and long-term rental options, call 541-302-8060
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