You might’ve planned a last-minute gateway with your friends, or when you were travelling, you might’ve had a sudden change of plans. So, you are somewhat used to packing in a rush. But what happens when, for some reason, you need to relocate, and you are left with packing an entire house?
This can be a bit daunting, as suddenly, you realize all the things you have to do and so little time left to do them. Rest assured, as you are not the only one who had to deal with the stress of packing, there are some tips and tricks that can help you a great deal.
Some might seem relatively straightforward, like proper organization or making lists to help you prioritize your tasks. But, when you are surrounded by all the stuff you have to pack, you are prone to having a mild panic attack. Don’t worry – take a deep breath and follow these easy instructions on how to start packing to move, and you will have everything packed in time for your move-out date.
Stick to a schedule
Depending on how tight your deadline is, it will be helpful to outline a daily plan that keeps you organized so that you can fulfil all the tasks. Besides packing, more often than not, you will have to allocate time in the day for other activities or responsibilities. Whether it is shopping for essential items for packing, such as wrapping paper and scotch tape, or you have to discuss with your energy and water providers to announce your relocation, things like these take time.
Before you start packing frenetically, make a checklist with all the things you need to do and plan each day based on their urgency. For instance, you might want to speak with your gas and electricity providers and TV licensing authorities before anything else, so you eliminate a stressful task. Once you have announced the moving out date and everything is sorted out, you can move onto the next item on the list.
Eliminate unnecessary items
If you do this before the actual packing, you will facilitate your time, as you will only be left with the items you want to keep. It is crucial you don’t start with many things simultaneously, as you will be left with a lot of unfinished business, which will give you an overwhelming feeling.
Whether it is your bedroom, living room or kitchen, begin with the one that feels the most challenging. You should be determined in getting rid of unnecessary things that have only collected dust so far. People can easily attach to objects, and although certain items are worth keeping, others aren’t necessarily filled with memories. So, make your life easier by setting aside everything that you either don’t want any more or don’t really need.
If you’re wondering what you can do with the remaining things, you can recycle, donate or even sell them. However, as you might be time-constricted, you will probably not have the necessary time to organize a yard sale or post them online. For this reason, charity donation could be your best option. Some companies offer services such as giving you donation boxes that they can come pick up at a convenient date for you. So, you won’t have to worry about travelling with a couple of bags to the nearest charity shop.
Your friends or family members might also be interested in some of your clothing items, decorating objects or other things you might not need anymore. So, giving those to them will make your packing easier.
Divide and conquer
Now that you have eliminated anything unnecessary, you can start packing. However, it is recommended you divide your tasks further. What this means is that you might have to consider leaving some things behind.
For instance, if you have to relocate to another city or country for a limited period, you won’t need to take with you a piece of furniture or all your clothes. In this case, renting a storage unit is a practical option to have. In this case, renting a storage unit is a practical option to have. Depending on how much space you need, these come in different sizes, so you will be able to rent the one that best suits your needs.
So, separate the items which are not essential for your move, and the next step would be to check the available storage units around you. The advantage of seeing the space before bringing your things is beneficial, so you know for sure what size to rent. Once you do that, the only thing left to do is hire a moving company to help you transport your belongings in the storage unit.
After doing this, you are left only with the stuff you will be taking with you, so the most challenging part is over.
How to pack?
It is vital you keep an organized way of packing, so you don’t mix clothes with kitchenware. However, don’t stress too much about having specific boxes arranged by all sort of themes. That will only become frustrating as you might get stuck trying to figure out what goes where.
Instead, you can assign more broad themes. Organize your boxes by fragile items, shoes and so on, but don’t worry too much about sticking to them to the smallest detail. Fill the boxes one at a time, and don’t spend too much time worrying about sorting everything. For instance, you can use t-shirts or socks to wrap around anything that is breakable and place them between your clothes.
It’s not rocket science, but dealing with moving can be stressful enough as it is, let alone when you know you are on a tight schedule. But, if you make a checklist and follow your own daily plan, it might not seem such an impossible task anymore.
What’s more, don’t hesitate to invite a couple of friends to help you with this process. It might become a fun activity rather than stressful, especially as you are ending an important stage of your life.