Moving usually involves mixed feelings. You might be moving from a seedy neighborhood to a better one. You could be moving from an apartment into your first home. Or, you may be moving from your first, small home to a larger one, one that can accommodate your growing family. Regardless of the reason, the actual packing, moving and unpacking are chores most people dread.
Preparation, Location and Attitude
It really all depends on preparation and attitude. If you plan properly and prepare with the right moving supplies, the packing is much easier. Using a bit of creativity, you can make the entire process from packing to unpacking a lot less stressful. With the right attitude, it can even be fun!
Supplies are easy to acquire; you will need:
- Moving boxes of various sizes
- Bubble wrap or Styrofoam
- Colored markers or colored tape
- Wide clear packing tape
- Old blankets, sheets and towels
Assuming that you know where you are moving to, and that you are using a moving truck, you will pack your boxes according to location.
Usually, the bedrooms are the furthest away from the entrance door. If that is the case in your new place, and you will be making several trips, pack bedroom items first. That way, you can move those items directly to the bedroom or bedrooms, which are the furthest away. If you bring the kitchen or living room boxes first, you will have to navigate around and through them to get to the bedrooms later. That is a breeding ground for broken spirit and broken items.
Using that same principle, transport boxes that will be used in the rest of the rooms with the same priority, the furthest rooms first. In addition to the logistical advantage, as each room is filled with their appropriate boxes, there is the psychological benefit of knowing that you are getting closer to the front door and nearer to the end of your move.
Now, let us look at the supplies mentioned earlier.
Moving Boxes
The one thing to remember is to use boxes that are appropriately sized for the contents. If you are hiring others to move for you, this will be especially crucial; some moving companies charge per item. If they are carrying half-filled boxes, you are wasting money; adopt the habit of thinking frugally. Moving boxes can be purchased at retail outlets and online stores.
Bubble Wrap and Styrofoam
Bubble wrap is relatively inexpensive and is excellent for wrapping large or small items. It is also easy to save for mailing holiday and birthday gifts later.
Styrofoam is easy to find and relatively cheap. Cheap Styrofoam coolers can be found in most grocery stores near the beer section. The pieces can also be saved for shipping packages.
Colored Markers and Clear Tape or Colored Tape
These are huge time savers. If you use the colored tape, which is similar to grey duct tape except in different colors, you can tape the boxes closed with a different color for each room. That lets you know what room each box belongs in. This is especially convenient if you will be hiring movers or doing the moving yourself in one big truck trip.
Colored markers are used in the same way with clear shipping tape. Wide, clear shipping tape is by far the least expensive tape. Write the room or enclosed items in big bold letters on at least two different sides of the box. Depending on where you purchase these items, colored markers combined with clear tape may be cheaper than the colored tape.
Old Blankets, Sheets and Towels
If you do not have old, use newer. These will be wrapped and taped securely around furniture. If you are hiring movers, they may provide moving blankets designed to protect your furniture. If not, moving blankets can be purchased at some truck rental outlets.
Towels and sheets can be used as packing around fragile items in boxes. They are cheaper than bubble wrap. However, it will entail you having extra laundry to do.
Now, here comes the fun part. Once you are all moved in, think Christmas! How fun will it be to open all your “gifts” and find your household items just waiting to be placed in their rightful place? Designing your new place will be great fun.
With the right attitude and proper supplies, your moving experience does not need to be a stressful one, it can be a fun, optimistic one.
This guest post was provided on behalf of EcoBox, leading provider of moving and shipping supplies in the United States. http://www.ecobox.com/Shipping-Supplies