Part of home life involves moving out of your home to relocate. Moving can be a stressful experience for any family, but these tips will help make the job a bit smoother.
1. Start early. As soon as you learn that you will be moving, start packing things you don’t need right away. Take down artwork and pack it up. Pack your holiday decorations and other seasonal gear. Anything that isn’t a necessity can be packed early. Designate a space for pre-packed items, such as one closet, the guest room, or an area in the attic.
2. Sort before you pack. It makes no sense to bring things with you that you don’t need. They will only clutter up your new home. It’s easier to sort now and get rid of such items. Throw things away, offer items to someone you know who might like or use them, or donate to charity.
3. Medium sized boxes work best. Boxes that are too small don’t hold enough, and while larger boxes hold more, they tend to become very heavy. The result can be injury or the bottom of the box may fall out, causing a mess or damage to the packed items.
4. Limit the number of books or other heavy items you place in each box, for the same reasons as above. Place a few books in the box and top with lighter items such as accent pillows or a throw.
5. Pack one room at a time. It’s easy to get distracted if you walk into another room to get something or put something away, but try to stick to just one room at a time. Label each box, first with the name of the room it belongs in, followed by the main items inside.
6. Wrap breakable items carefully. You can purchase all different kinds of packing materials, but newspaper or tissue paper will work if you use them generously. You can also use things like kitchen dishtowels to wrap breakables such as serving pieces.