4 Packing Tips to Keep Your Move Organized

07 Feb 4 Packing Tips to Keep Your Move Organized

No matter how exciting the reason is for why you’re moving – you’re taking your dream job in a new city, you just bought your first home, you need a space for your growing family – the idea of actually moving fills most people with dread. The scramble to pack and get everything ready for the moving company while you’re still trying to juggle your everyday life can be stressful, and the unpacking part seems just as bad. 

Fortunately, moving doesn’t have to be chaos. Our Raleigh moving company knows a thing or two about moving, and we’re sharing our top four moving tips to help you stay organized as you pack up your house. 

Create a Packing Plan

We have seen so many families still packing and boxing up much of their belongings as we arrive to start loading, and while it generally all works out, don’t put yourself through that stress if you don’t have to. As soon as you get that date on your calendar, create a packing plan where you have a task planned for every day leading up to your move. 

On busy days where you have limited time, choose a smaller goal, such as packing up your books, the linen closet, or the knick-knacks in the guest room, saving full rooms or larger categories for days when you have more time. Also, start packing in non-essential spaces first, such as your guest areas, storage closets, and the playroom. 

The key is to build packing momentum. As long as you’re doing something every day, you won’t get overwhelmed, and you’ll stay on top of the task so by the time your moving company arrives, you’ll be ready. 

Declutter as You Pack

When you go into a room to pack, take an extra box and a trash bag with you so you can declutter and purge as you go. While you may think it sounds impossible to try and declutter while you pack, it’s actually easy. Best of all, you won’t have to find a place to put all the “stuff” in your new home, and it will save your professional movers time during loading and unloading, which will save you money. 

As you go through essentials like clothes, kitchen items, linens, and bathroom toiletries, ask yourself when the last time you used it was. If it’s been a year or more, it’s time to get rid of it. If it’s trash, there’s no sense keeping it, and if it’s in good condition, donate it and let someone else get use out of it. 

For items like knick-knacks, books, art, toys, and things like that, it’s time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and ask yourself if it sparks joy. Books you truly love, knick-knacks that make you happy, and your kids’ favorite toys make the journey with you, and everything else that just collects dust in your home can make a journey to Goodwill. 

Know What’s in Each Box

Imagine your first night in your new home – you’re tired, surrounded by boxes, your toddler is crying for her stuffed rabbit, your spouse can’t find towels to go take a shower, and the coffeepot for in the morning is nowhere to be found. While the moving company did a great job of putting everything where it needed to go, what actually is in the boxes labeled “kitchen” or “kid’s room” is a mystery.

Avoid the mystery by knowing what’s in every box without having to play trial-and-error. Instead, assign every box a room and a number, like “kitchen 1,” “kitchen 2” and write down on a master sheet what’s in each box. For example: 

• Kitchen 1: Coffeepot, filters, coffee, mugs
• Kitchen 2: Plates, bowls
• Kitchen 3: Eating & cooking utensils, food storage containers

It doesn’t have to be incredibly detailed, but the extra 30 seconds per box it takes to write down where everything is can be a sanity saver when you move into your new home. If you prefer digital

Maximize Your Box Space

If you’ve got a stack of different sized boxes, you may be tempted to just grab boxes and start packing them until they’re full (while decluttering, following your strategy, and then writing down what’s in them, of course). That’s fine until you pick up the massive box you filled with all your hardcover books, and realize that may not have been the best option. Choose the right boxes when you pack because even if you hire a professional moving company, you’ll still have to move boxes from one room to another in some cases. 

Small Boxes (3 cubic foot)

• Books
• Fragile items
• Plates, mugs
• Small appliances

Pro tip: Add a bit of extra protection to your fragile kitchen items by packing dishtowels and pot holders in with them. 

Medium Boxes (4.5 cubic foot)

• Lamps
• Larger counter appliances
• Toiletries
• Framed Photos
• Clothing 

Pro tip: Cover shampoo and other bottles with plastic wrap or in gallon storage bags in case of leakage. 

Large Boxes (6.0 cubic foot)

Larger, lighter items go well in these large boxes because they can become very heavy, very quickly. 

• Toys and stuffed animals
• Pillows
• Blankets
• Sheets and Towels

Pro Tip: Roll towels and sheets to get a better fit 

Let Us Pack Your Raleigh Home

At Crabtree Family Moving, our professional moving company in Raleigh offers everything you need for a stress-free move! From packing and unpacking to local and long-distance moves, we support you in every way we can. Give Crabtree Family Moving a call at 919-500-2013 or fill out our online contact form to get started.