Moving is quite an extensive job. Whether you are moving across town or the globe, you need to channel a lot of effort to succeed. There are many steps involved before you can finally settle in your home. One of the most vital ones is packing. It is imperative to bundle up all your items for them to get moved. However, you need some form of guidance to approach this situation. Otherwise, it becomes messy and can cost you lots of money. Depending on your plan and budget, you can either undertake packing alone or seek professional packers’ help. If you decide to DIY, below are some crucial tips that you could employ.
Declutter
Moving companies charge depending on the number of items and space taken. Well, if you have lots of things, you have no option but to part with a considerable amount of cash. However, you can beat these costs by not packing everything. Before you start assembling things, consider sorting them out. Do this room by room to avoid missing out on anything. Create a list of all your items, then further create a smaller one for what you will keep or leave. It is recommended to refer moving guide at MovingAstute.com, so that you have clear picture of how much do movers cost. Consider the moving costs of things like your old sofa. If the price is more than what it would cost a new set, don’t carry it. You could survive one or two days without the seats and finally, get the new one for the new home. Declutter as much as you can. Your list should contain your needs and wants. Pack only the essential items. Hold a garage sale to sell the remaining items. Also, you can gift them to your friends or family as souvenirs. The least you carry, the more space you will have in the new home. Furthermore, you end up making money from the sale.
Label
There’s power in labeling during a move. The approach makes work easier during and after the move. Invest in lots of markers in varying shades. Also, you can get unique tapes if your budget allows. First, label all the storage material so that you know which things go where. It will make the packing easier as you wouldn’t have to stumble trying to figure out where you placed the remote. Secondly, depending on what you will keep in the more giant boxes, you might require other packing items like, say, ziplock bags or a Mylar bag. Although they are clear, label them and a small list of the things you have stored in each of them. This hack is like the mother of them all. When you open a box, you can fish out whatever you want without struggling. Also, during unpacking, the help you have will not have to go back and forth asking questions. Your move will become a walk in the pack.
Use Plastic Wrap
Apart from covering food, the kitchen plastic wrap can work wonders. Amongst your items, you probably have several bottles of liquid. It could either be shampoo, shower gel, vinegar, or cooking oil. During transportation, there’s a high likelihood of a spill that might transfer and damage your items. Imagine vinegar spiling on your white bedsheet; you will have to throw them away. To prevent this from happening, use the kitchen plastic wrap. Remove the lid from these bottles and cover the top with a bit of plastic material. Lastly, cover it tightly. Despite the number of bumps and movements along the way, there will not be one drop spilling from these bottles.
Cover Your Clothes Using Trash Bags
Another helpful tip to consider is covering clothes using trash bags. However, do not buy ordinary white trash bags. These will rip open and expose your garments to dirt and other stains. Consider getting the heavy-duty trash bags primarily used in the outdoors. They are strong and can manage to keep your clothes safe all through the move. Do not unhang all the clothes. Use the tip on the hanger handle to create a small hole at the bottom part of the trash bag, and there you have it. For more reinforcement, you can tape up the bags on the opening. Nevertheless, these bags do not tear easily, thus ensuring your favorite dress arriving in the same condition it was packed.
DIY Or Rent Instead Of Buying Packing Material
When you finally sort out your items, you will remain with a heap of waste paper that you have to eliminate. Well, do not be quick to dumping them in the trash as you can make something useful. If you own a paper shredder by any chance, you will likely shred a lot of paper. Please do not throw this away; instead, use it as a cushion for your fragile items. Such include glass items and a wall clock. Fill them on the corners of the storage boxes, and then put them in your belongings.
Cut Down Cost
Instead of buying expensive storage boxes, you can consider renting or getting packages from a store. Most of the items you will see in a supermarket come stored in carton boxes. The management of these places usually throws these boxes away. If you are not moving far, you can consider renting plastic storage boxes instead of buying them. However, ensure you keep them safe as you will pay in case of breakages.
With the above packing tips, you can now manage to move successfully without spending so much on this matter.