So as you all know we have officially spent a year here as of this week and you know what the means.. its time to get on the road again. For those of you who are new to these parts.. we move a lot! There is good and bad about moving so much, I'm less fond of it now that we have a house but all in all it has made me an expert at packing and moving.
I thought I would stop in today and share a few tips and tricks that make packing a much faster and easier process. I may have done a post like this a couple of years ago, or I may just be thinking I did.. however if I did I'm sure through time and a move or two I have changed a few things, so lets get started.
1. Give Yourself Plenty of Time & Find Your Rhythm
When you become a pro at moving its most likely possible for you to pack an apartment in a day, but give yourself enough time so that you aren't left in a panic with not enough time to get everything done. Moving can be a stressful time and you have to make sure to get sleep, eat and all that good stuff, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get everything done. If you are working around the time you are moving then start with a box or two a night of things you know you wont need and then when it comes time for the final push you wont feel so overwhelmed.
2. Water & Snacks
Packing and moving things tend to get lost in the shuffle, you get busy throwing things in boxes and it can be really easy to forget to leave out a few things to help you along the way. Always make sure you have lots of water and a few snacks left out, packing and moving can be a lot of work and you have to make sure to stay hydrated. You may think this is a stupid tip but honestly there have definitely been times that we have been packing and moving and thought.. shit we don't have any water! This applies ten fold if you are moving in the hotter months, carrying/moving boxes and furniture you are bound to work up a sweat and staying hydrated is super important. Fuel your body friends!!!
3. Label Your Boxes
I cant stress this enough, over labeling is better then throwing a bunch of crap in a box and taping it up without anything on it. This is going to make your life a lot easier when packing a Uhaul, you don't want a box of books on top of your grandmothers fine china. Not to mention how much easier is it going to be be to unload boxes into your new place and put them in the room they need to be and then unpack them. For us we generally have time off after we move so all of boxes were shoved in Jason's parents barn or now our garage, there is always things that need to be left out of taken out and this makes it a lot easier to find those boxes. My labeling system goes something like this...
KITCHEN - FRAGILE
- kitchen glasses (small, medium & large)
- pint glasses
- shot glasses
BEDROOM
-Master Bedding/ 2 sets (queen)
- Master bedroom duvet
- Master Bedroom Duvet cover
-Pillow cases (4)
You get the hint, you probably think I should know how many sets of bedding I have and pillow cases, or really what the hell does it matter? First of all I probably wont remember and second of all more information is always better than not enough. I can always find whatever I need quickly and efficiently.
4. Complete One Room at a Time
This is definitely what works best for me in regards to packing and unpacking, it makes the whole process go a lot faster. Usually two days before we move all the furniture is taken down, and I don't pack any boxes in the bedroom so that is where I usually start. Once the room is completely packed, I clean it and then shut the door. I always do the kitchen the day before, pack everything and wipe everything down.. because we will be using it while moving everything will be clean but I do a final wipe down before leaving. Always leave cleaning the bathroom until last, you will use it before you leave, you know you will. Once you have completed a room, packed and cleaned spray a little febreeze and close the door. Knocking it out room by room makes you feel like you are accomplishing more than if you are trying to do everything at once and this way you are less likely to forget something.
5. Furniture & Pieces
Like I mentioned above we always take apart the furniture two days before, well Jason does. As he is taking apart the furniture I make sure to collect all the screws that holds it together, I use a plastic sandwich bag and write on it in black magic marker what is in it. SCREWS & BOLTS - DINING ROOM TABLE and once its all apart I will use painters tape and tape the bag to the table somewhere so it wont get lost. This isn't always fool proof, when we got here we realized we didn't have the pieces to one of our dining room chairs. I seriously don't know how the hell that happened and we've never been able to find them, Jason must have lost them. ;) - Since writing this post we actually found them! I don't know how they got lost in the mix but we did have them and we officially have 4 dining room chairs again!!!
6. Lists
Make lists, days before you actually move you will remember little things and then in the haste of moving you will forget them. Make a list and when it starts to wind down and get checked off make another one. I will make 100 lists in the next week because otherwise I will forget everything. Right now my current list looks like this...
- Save piece of cereal box to wrap Ulu
- Wipe down base boards
- Cancel utilities
- Count boxes
- Buy paper towel
That list will change a thousand times, and you can bet your bottom regardless of whether its on my list or not I am not going to save a piece of a cereal box for the Ulu, not to mention I have no idea what happened to the box for that thing.
7. Make Sure You Have Everything You Need
It is the worst when you are in the middle of packing, in your crappy clothes with no make up on, sweating up a storm and you realize you are out of paper towel or all purpose cleaner. Like I said moving can be a stressful time and things are bound to be forgotten.. so again make a list. What are you going to need to pack, clean and get out the door? Do you have enough tape? Its better to have everything you need before you start then be scurrying for things in the midst.
8. Leave One Last Box Open
Even if its an extra box leave one somewhere out of the way that when you are all finished and going out the door you can throw in the left over stuff... tape, sharpie, febreeze, rags and so on. Generally I make sure I have that box ready and in it I keep a few grocery bags, garbage bags and so on.. those are always things I seem to be searching for when we are in the final hour. Its just an extra box to have things you may need or throw things in you've been using and have no where else to put.. otherwise two weeks later you will go to get your wallet out of your purse and come out with the tape dispenser and the cashier at the grocery store will give you a look. Not everyone carries packing tape in their purse? No?
9. Bubble Wrap
Invest in it. I'm not kidding you guys you will need it to avoid disaster. In all of our moving which you know has been a lot I would say our furniture has held up extremely well and we have yet to have a disaster where we opened a box and things are broken. We always know we are going to be moving again so we collect bubble wrap I swear, but it is totally necessary. I know it would be easier to throw things in a Uhaul and go but in the end you will thank yourself for taking the extra time to wrap things. Our furniture and stuff is by no means in perfect condition anymore, but I think that mostly came from sitting in Jason's parents barn for a years but honestly after a lot of moves all over North America I am pretty impressed.
10. Ask for Help
This is more of a tip for guys like Jason who have a wife that cant move heavy furniture. If possible ask a friend to come over for an hour and just help with the big stuff. Jason refuses to do that and so we end up struggling with the heavy stuff and I'm pissed off because he wouldn't ask someone to help and I'm struggling and its taking forever and he's pissed off because I'm complaining and according to him not putting in legit effort.. we bicker and its just not necessary. We've gotten a lot better but moving it hard, especially when it comes to big furniture and if I didn't have to help Jason with the bed, dresser and couch (which is gone) then I think moving would be a lot easier for both of us.
Regardless of all the moving we have done I still absolutely HATE it, I don't enjoy packing, moving and unpacking.. but it has to be done so these are just a few things that make it easier for me.
I hope that helps any of you who are in for a move!! Thank you as always for stopping in today!
Have a great day!!
9. Bubble Wrap
Invest in it. I'm not kidding you guys you will need it to avoid disaster. In all of our moving which you know has been a lot I would say our furniture has held up extremely well and we have yet to have a disaster where we opened a box and things are broken. We always know we are going to be moving again so we collect bubble wrap I swear, but it is totally necessary. I know it would be easier to throw things in a Uhaul and go but in the end you will thank yourself for taking the extra time to wrap things. Our furniture and stuff is by no means in perfect condition anymore, but I think that mostly came from sitting in Jason's parents barn for a years but honestly after a lot of moves all over North America I am pretty impressed.
10. Ask for Help
This is more of a tip for guys like Jason who have a wife that cant move heavy furniture. If possible ask a friend to come over for an hour and just help with the big stuff. Jason refuses to do that and so we end up struggling with the heavy stuff and I'm pissed off because he wouldn't ask someone to help and I'm struggling and its taking forever and he's pissed off because I'm complaining and according to him not putting in legit effort.. we bicker and its just not necessary. We've gotten a lot better but moving it hard, especially when it comes to big furniture and if I didn't have to help Jason with the bed, dresser and couch (which is gone) then I think moving would be a lot easier for both of us.
Regardless of all the moving we have done I still absolutely HATE it, I don't enjoy packing, moving and unpacking.. but it has to be done so these are just a few things that make it easier for me.
I hope that helps any of you who are in for a move!! Thank you as always for stopping in today!
Have a great day!!
No comments:
Post a Comment