Anyone have any packing advice?

I have moved A LOT but I still have yet to develop some type of packing system or whatnot to make things even a little easier. Does anyone have any advice on how to make moving and packing a little better?

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

my advice is don't move

we did 1 big move, so it took forever to pack and we were really careful, we had 2 tv's, and all of my shower gifts which more than half were breakable (china, dishes, glasses)...that stuff was a PIA!

i labeled everything - that helped...and we started 2 weeks before the move - that helped too..

the other two times we moved we just went back in forth in the car and put our stuff in garbage bags LMAO - but that was before we really had "stuff"

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

Get rid of things you don't want or need before you move - don't move them to a new place.

I usually pack one or two boxes of essentials that you need right away - sheets, shower curtain, bath towels, personal items, any thing you need for the kitchen, pet items if you have one. This way you can start living right away and not have to open half a dozen boxes to get started.

I use large heavy duty garbage bags as garment bags and just transfer closet stuff from one closet to another. Hassle free!

Use towels and sheets to cushion fragile items.

Pack books & heavy items in smaller boxes so they don't get too heavy.

Number & label the top & sides of the boxes with the contents and the room it should go in. Keep a master list so you can find things in a pinch and in case a box gets lost in transit you'll know what was in it.

Good luck!!

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

I moved a few times.

- Toss anything you don't want or things you may be even up in the air about, believe me you accumulate so much stuff and when you unpack it you will realize you don't need it.

- I kept all the hangers on my clothes and just got a garment boxes from U-Haul, if you don't want to spend the $$ on them, just put electrical tape over the top of the hangers and bundle them together. So much easier then folding and re-hanging everything.

- Label EVERYTHING!!! I put a list on top of every box of what was in it. I know you can just write "Kitchen" or Bedroom", but I want further and listed the major stuff in the box and made it so much easier when un-packing.

- One room at a time, do not do little hear and a little there because you will end up with such a mess, forgetting things, etc...

-I used newspaper to wrap fragile stuff and I put newspaper in between the items as well, nothing broke! You can buy bubble wrap, but that gets pricey also.

Good luck!

Message edited 6/24/2010 1:26:38 PM.

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

My sister did some research online - the one thing she learned was to bring a roll of toilet paper into the house first!!!!

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

Nice tips! We'll be moving into our new apt. Aug 1st and I need this post as well!!

ETA: I'll be around 35 weeks and Im scared lol... I know Im not going to be at my full energy and I really cant rely on anyone else to pack/organize lol.

TO the Original poster... how many weeks will you be when you move?

Message edited 6/24/2010 1:51:20 PM.

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

hire movers and packers

sorry I'm no help I just packed things in order of its use. least got packed first

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

I hire movers, but this is what I would do for a DIY.

1. Go through things before packing and either donate or throw away stuff you don't need.
2. Make a diagram of your new house and color code it.
3. For each box label it in the color of the room it goes into with a 1, 2 3 etc on it.
4. On your master list create write the total number of each boxes for each room. Then jot what is in the boxes. I.e clothing, kitchen gadgets, toys. That way you will know what is missing if you can't find it.
5. Mark one box open me first - it should be the last one packed. It should contain: toilet paper, cleaning supplies, phone chargers, scisors and anything you need immediate access to. Do not tape this box just fold it closed.
6. Do not give important papers - ie passports to movers, those you should keep with you at all times.
7. When you get to your new house clean surfaces
8. Make a colored flyer for each room - that way the people who are moving your stuff know the blue numbered boxes go to the kitchen
the green to the master bedroom
the red to the girls room
the purple to the boys room
the yellow to the dining room
the orange to the study
the black to the garage
the brown to the den
etc.

HTH

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

so happy you found another place!!

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

start early, de-clutter first, be super organized, label everything and hire movers

Oh yeah and and drink


ETA - Sorry just noticed you're pregnant...scratch the drinking part!

Message edited 6/24/2010 8:46:32 PM.

Re: Anyone have any packing advice?

One thing I learned... if you question whether a box is too heavy... then IT IS. I can't tell you how many boxes I cursed at after I packed them.