Making plans to move all of your household goods needs some very serious preparations. The task might be overwhelming unless you arrange your project into small manageable steps. Organizing your tasks into a series of steps will help you to pack your household goods safely. Before you even begin to plan on packing you need to take inventory of all of your possessions that you intend to pack and to move with you. Taking inventory means to go into each room of your house and make a list of all items that you want packed and moved. All items that you do not want packed and moved should be tagged and disposed of by you before you begin to pack. That first step is important if you need to leave your old address completely cleared of your possessions especially if you are not planning on returning to your old address once you have moved. If you are going to do the packing yourself, give yourself plenty of time to pack wisely and safely.
Packing Valuable Items
Your next step is to collect your valuable items like jewelry and private collectibles that are irreplaceable and might even be covered by your insurance. In case of loss, you will need to prove that you took all necessary precautions to safeguard your valuables. These items should be placed in lock boxes that can fit into the trunk of your car or van. Keeping your valuables with you is the safest precaution. Keeping them in locked boxes insures that no one will have access to your valuables but you. Now, you are ready to tackle the task of packing your household goods. You will need to locate a packing supply store and buy boxes made especially for moving. You should also buy foam and other types of materials like shredded newspapers to pack around your delicate possessions like china and other glass objects. You will also need a black magic marker and lots of packing tape. You can now go into each room with a few boxes and begin to pack your possessions. Begin packing the objects that are kept in cupboards and on shelves. Make your packing methodical and logical. On the outside of each box, write down the main contents and where they belong in your new home.
Once you have packed items kept in your cupboards and on shelves, you can check your large furniture pieces to make sure that they are not cracked, broken, chipped or dented and put a sticky note on the outside of each piece checked with your findings. Your movers will also know where to put those large items in your new house if you put a note on the outside of each large piece as to where it belongs like living room, den, kitchen, bedroom, etc. Your packing should not be haphazard but planned. Move from room to room and leave your packed boxes in each room for the movers to pick up and load. Don’t move heavy boxes on your own. Your movers have the right equipment to lift heavy boxes without shaking and possibly damaging the contents. Try to use all of the available space in each box as half empty boxes can cause more damage to contents than full boxes. Don’t forget to put in foam or other packing fillers to fill up air holes.
A Little Extra Effort Makes Unpacking a Snap!
As you pack and seal each box, on a yellow office notepad, write down a description of the boxes contents and number the outside of the box and the description on your notepad. On the outside of the box write down the number that corresponds to the description in your notepad and also a location for the movers to leave that box like dining room, bedroom etc. That will help you when it comes down to unpacking your boxes. You don’t have to count all of your china pieces but, at least, note if they are kept in kitchen cupboards or in your dining room china closet. Knowing where to unpack your boxes will also help you when it comes time to put your possessions back into their place in your new home.
Plan to spend more than one day in packing your possessions. Trying to pack everything in one day or even in two will add to the stress of moving considerably. Packing one room a day might be the safest less stressful way of handling your major move from one house to another. As you pack, don’t forget that items that you haven’t worn or used for a long time are probably not items that you want to pack. Keep another box for items that you can donate to a neighborhood charity and keep your moving boxes filled with items that you need want and use. Don’t forget to make a list of all items that you donate to a charity for tax purposes.