Aside from the lifting and hauling, the actual packing is one of the most difficult parts of moving. Use these 9 pro tips for making the process easier!
1. Leave Your Closet Hanging
One of the biggest pain points of moving is getting your closets back in order. To minimize the time spent packing and reorganizing your closets, keep your clothes hanging. If you’re transporting things yourself, group hangers into clusters of 15-20, then wrap a plastic kitchen-size trash bag around each cluster. Insert the bottom end of your clothes, then cinch the bag together near the top of the hangers. This will keep all your clothing contained, so it’s easier to re-hang. Alternatively, you may want to invest in closet boxes, which have a rod that enables you to keep items upright and hanging during the move.
2. Use Color-Coded Labels
Nothing is worse than moving into a new place and having no idea what is packed away in which boxes. Before you seal up your moving boxes, make sure each one is labeled with the room and the contents. Using color coordinated labels to indicate the room will make it easier for your movers to know where to put things when unloading the truck.
3. Keep Cosmetics Intact
Eyeshadow and powders are notorious for breaking during travel and transport. To keep all your cosmetics intact, place a cotton pad on top of the makeup to fill in the void under the lid. This will help cushion your compacts in case the box they are in gets dropped.
4. Take Pictures of Your Electronics
Figuring out how to get all your electronics humming again can be tricky, especially if you forget which cords go where or lose the remotes. To minimize the pain of putting things back together, snap a picture of all the hook-ups prior to disassembling. Then, make sure you bundle your cords and place in the same box as the device and any remote controls.
5. Ask Your Mover if They Have Free Boxes
Purchasing packing supplies can really add up. Sometimes, moving companies have extra new or used moving boxes they might be willing to give you to earn your business. Before booking your move, ask your mover if they would be willing to give you a few free boxes.
6. Pack Your Suitcases
Instead of handing empty suitcases off to your movers, use those extra rolling and duffel bags for packing. Large rolling bags are especially great for packing bulky, heavy items like books and encyclopedias, while duffel bags can be used to transport extra clothing. Plus, utilizing your suitcases this way will cut down on the overall cost of moving supplies.
7. Keep a Lid on Things
If you’re moving any liquids, like shampoo bottles or detergent, keep them from leaking by placing a piece of clear plastic wrap underneath the lid and securing with a rubber band wrapped around the bottle. Then, screw or snap the lid into place as usual.
8. Pack Your Essentials in Plastic
As you pack, be sure to set aside the essentials that you’ll need for your first night or few in the new home. For a comprehensive list of what to include, check out our post on what to pack in your essentials box. Place these necessary items in a large, clear plastic tub, so you can easily identify what’s inside. This will also help you distinguish this box from all the other cardboard moving boxes on moving day.
9. Keep a Toolkit Handy
Throughout the moving process, you’ll want to keep a basic toolkit on hand. This will be helpful for everything from disassembling your beds and getting nails out of the wall, to re-hanging your pictures and shelving in the new house.
Lastly, the most important tip we can recommend to make your move easier is to hire a trusted and highly reputable moving company. If you happen to be moving to or from the New York area, we’d love the opportunity to earn your business! For any questions about these tips or your upcoming move, contact Imperial Moving, NYC’s best movers.
