Packing is without a doubt the most dreaded aspect of moving to a new home, and with good reason. Who likes to gather every single thing they own, and try to stuff it into boxes that are always too large or too small for what they are trying to pack? The good news is that packing does not have to be the nightmare that you envision. As a matter of fact, packing can be the best thing to happen to you all year. Here are some ways to make that a reality:
When you are moving, it is the perfect time to downsize. You literally have to put your hands on every single thing in the house. Why not ask yourself each time if the item is really worth keeping? If it is not, then you should toss it in the dumpster and move on, or carry a large load of stuff to the Goodwill.
Moving is always a bit stressful, and you need to make it fun. The best way to do this is to plan for it to be fun. Have plenty of snacks and refreshements for those that are helping out, as well as a great stream of feel good music playing. Make it a little moving party, and try to have some fun. Also, only invite people that are generally nice to the moving party. No bad attitudes allowed! Sometimes it is best to leave family at home if they are not going to contribute to the good cheer. Do not be afraid to clean house if you have to.
As you pack, make sure that you pack based on the rooms you are moving too. Many people pack based on where they currently live rather than where they are moving to. For example, if you are packing the china that you have stored under the cabinet in the kitchen, you need to now pack it up in boxes labelled for the dining room that you are moving to, since you can now display it. Always pack based on your destination.
Pay the money for good quality boxes. You will be able to choose various sizes and all of them will be very good quality. The last thing you want is your best vases falling through the holes in that liquor box you got for free from the ABC store. Pay for a good batch of boxes and you will be glad that you did.
Likewise, you should invest in a moving truck as well. Trying to move a fridge in a Toyota Tercel is just silly. Buy a U-Haul and live the big life during this move. You will not regret having that extra space in the U-Haul, I assure you.
When you finally arrive at your new home, unload the entire truck before you start to unpack the various rooms. Put all the boxes in the rooms they belong in. Place them in the far corners of the rooms. This will allow you to have plenty of space to bring in the furniture. If you try to unpack room by room, you are simply creating obstacles for the other movers to dodge while bringing in the rest. Unload everything, and then start unpacking.
