For most people, the thought of moving brings on feelings of dread, but it doesn’t have to be that way, once you know how to properly prepare for the big day. But exactly how do you go about planning out your move without forgetting something or making an innocent mistake just because you didn’t know any better? Well, it’s really rather simple, if you take some time to learn a few tricks of the trade and don’t allow the process to overwhelm you. Preparation is the key that will help everything flow the way you want it to and reduce the chances of something going wrong. Therefore, we are going to share with you some expert packing tips for moving that will have you sailing through your moving day like a pro.
Where Should You Begin?
Before you do anything, you need to get your thought process in order. Think about the specifics of your move, then chart out your thoughts. You can use a tablet, poster board, calendar, spreadsheet or one of the many extremely helpful moving planner apps on the Google Play Store or Apple iTunes. Just type “home moving apps” into the search bar and the website will provide you with plenty of great apps you can use.
Your chart should include a timeline, a section for moving supplies, cleaning products, emergency kit supplies, a schedule for service disconnections and reconnects of those services as well, change of address submission, a plan for your kids and pets on that day, meals for before, during and after your move and anything else that applies to your specific situation.
What Moving Supplies Will You Need?
You will need boxes of all sizes, packing tape rolls and dispensers, bubble wrap, unprinted newspaper, Styrofoam peanuts, box cutters, permanent markers, Ziploc baggies in various sizes, stretch wrap, mattress covers and carpet covers. Here again, you will need to think about your particular situation to determine if you have any other family specific packing needs.
Other supplies you will need include:Â cleaning supplies, rags, trash bags, hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels, mop, broom, bucket, bottled water, food, snacks, etc.
You might also need a heavy-duty Dolly and perhaps a traction mat for your grass and other potentially slippery areas, especially if it rains or has recently rained. Or of course, if there is any ice or snow on the ground.
How Do You Go About Determining How Many Boxes And Other Moving Supplies You Will Need?
This is the most common moving question and it’s a bit tricky to answer since everyone’s situation will be different. However, here are a few guidelines that will give you a general idea about the quantity of moving supplies you might need. Additionally, you can purchase moving kits with varying quantities of what you might need from several online retailers. Or, you can easily gather the supplies yourself based on  your assessment and the size of your home.
For Example:
A 2800 – 3000 square foot home or five to six rooms would need approximately:
Boxes:  20-large boxes, 5-extra large boxes, 5-heavy duty boxes, 8-wardrobe boxes, 8-10-electronics boxes.  Specialty boxes to accommodate your particular needs for things such as: pictures, mirrors, computers, lamps, guitars or other musical instruments, mattress boxes, file boxes, etc. You will also need frame protectors for the corners of your valuables. You can get boxes from grocery stores, moving companies, storage facilities, Lowes and you can even buy used boxes online.
NOTE:Â You should keep the total weight of each box under 50 pounds to prevent anyone from getting hurt.
Miscellaneous Supplies: 3-unprinted newspaper bundles, 2-150′ rolls of bubble wrap, 10-15 rolls of packing tape and 2-4 dispensers, 4-rolls of 18″ stretch wrap = 1500′ and Styrofoam peanuts depending your specific needs, 4-permanent markers, two box cutters (and extra blades), 2-boxes of gallon sized Ziploc baggies, 2-boxes of quart sized Ziploc baggies and 1-box of sandwich sized Ziploc baggies.  And plenty of trash bags!
You can adjust these quantities up or down according to your specific needs.
What Are The Best Packing Tips For Moving?
Now that you have all your supplies ready to go, it’s time to start packing. Properly packing your belongings will make everything significantly easier once you arrive at your new home. Here are some packing tips for moving that will save you time and money later.
1. Keep all the wires for your electronics packed separately in their own box, and personally carry them with you. Take an appropriate sized baggie for each piece of equipment you own and label it accordingly. You will then pack all the wires, cords, remotes and any other attachments required for each in their own baggie. To make this step even easier take a small baggie and put the screws and small loose parts into it and put it into the larger baggie for each piece of equipment.
2. Pack a separate small baggie with nails, brackets, hooks and any other small items you might need for reassembly and hanging pictures, etc. And don’t forget to place your hammer, screw drivers, etc. in a separate box as well, so you won’t have to search and dig through boxes when you get to your new home.
3. Color code and label all your boxes. Each member of your family should have their own colored box label to each box easier to place once you get to your new home. For example, you could assign yourself a green label and all the green labeled boxes go to the master bedroom. You should also label each box by room and contents to make it easier when it comes time to unpack. However, you should never label any of your boxes as “valuable.” Doing this will help prevent theft. Additionally, you will want to number your boxes in the order you want them to be unpacked. This will help you to avoid digging through boxes unnecessarily.
4. Pack a separate box with all your important documents and personally carry it with you. For example: birth certificates, shot records, school records, pet vaccination records, marriage certificate, passports, utility account numbers, recent bank records, current bills, closing paperwork, etc. just in case you encounter any problems and some of your boxes are lost in the move.
5. You will need a home inventory list and a map of your new home with your furniture placed where you want each piece to go when you get there.
6. Here are some other miscellaneous tips and tricks to help you with your move. You should talk with your new neighbors to let them know which day you are moving in and the times between which your moving truck could be blocking their driveway, etc. Purchase the locks for your new home prior to your moving day and don’t forget to get garage door openers and alarm codes from the seller at closing. You will also need keys for any exterior doors and storage sheds, etc.
7.  Confirm ahead of time what types of payments your moving company will accept and that you have given them the directions to your new home. Additionally, you will want to make sure you have enough cash on hand to tip your movers. The consensus on how much to tip a mover varies; however, it’s commonplace to give a tip around 5% of the cost of your move.
The Bottom Line
Moving can be difficult; however, the more you prepare, the better off you will be. If you take some time to learn the best packing tips for moving before you begin, you will greatly reduce the chances of unorganized chaos on your moving day
2 Point Highlight
1. Â We are going to share with you some expert packing tips for moving that will have you sailing through your moving day like a pro.
2. Â How do you go about determining how many boxes and other moving supplies you will need?
