For the third time in the past six months, I am moving apartments. Ah, the joys of living in a dorm. This week I am obnoxiously packing and unpacking over and over, all while working two jobs. Luckily, I am a fabulous packer and I am here to share all my tips and tricks with you!
1. Label … everything.
- I am the queen of post-its and I make sure I know where everything is by marking it. Mark your suitcases, mark your bins, mark anything you may forget. It makes it much more simple to add clothes/belongings to a proper spot.
2. Leave clothing on the hangers if possible.
- When I made my summer move, I left nearly everything on its original hanger and put it in a bin or suitcase. Knowing I would be unpacking literally an hour later made me apprehensive about having to hang things up over again. Yes it’s a simple task, but it is time consuming especially when you are unpacking other items.
3. Take down any decorations in advance.
- I hate bare walls, but the last thing I want to deal with is making sure I took down my final photo frame right before I leave.
4. Unpack each room one at a time.
- This is the most efficient way to make sure you do not forget everything! If you are running from room to room, you can quickly lose sight of drawers you may have missed. If you do each room at a time, you can assure that you have inspected every part of that space so you don’t leave anything behind.
5. Make a list/inventory beforehand.
- If you are doing a serious move, make a list of everything you have (tedious I know) and check it off as you pack it. Another surefire way to make sure you have everything packed away!
Obviously these are only a few of many ways to assure you have a successful move, but they are tips that work for me. Next week I will be moving yet another time, only ten blocks away (yet back to the place I moved out of at the start of summer). Wish me luck!
Lovelies, how do you effectively move? What are some of your tips and tricks?
guest
Great tips. If I can foresee moving a couple months in advance, I do some preparations. I would get rid of anything I don’t want any more, such as clothing that doesn’t fit. Also, I would not stock up on pantry and household goods, just buying when I need something so I wouldn’t have to move excess stuff. You’re right about packing up the decorations sooner rather than waiting until day before. I would also pack up anything I do not consider essential in everyday life. To save on packing materials, I use whatever storage bins I own, suitcases, tote bags, whatever to supplement the cardboard boxes. I use sweaters, blankets and towels to wrap breakables so I wouldn’t have to use too much paper and/or bubble wrap.
guest
I tend to start out really well…everything is perfectly labeled and organized and I know exactly where everything is. By the end of the packing process though, I’m just indiscriminately throwing stuff in boxes and trusting myself to sort it out later.
As for number 2 on your list, I do the same thing, but I don’t even bother putting most of my hung clothes in boxes or suitcases. It’s easy enough to just grab a big stack of clothes on hangers and move them on their own, plus, it frees up a box for other things!
Oh, and I definitely made sure to take inventory of what I REALLY needed and made a few trips to Goodwill to drop off stuff that was just taking up space.
peony / 3 posts
Instead of using packing peanuts (they make a mess and are very bad for the environment) I use air popped pop corn. When I am done I take it all to the local pound and give it to them to feed the dogs and cats and animals. It works perfectly and i can get rid of it in a snap. When I am done I feel like I have done something really good.
guest
Moving for a dorm is much easier than moving an entire house. So here are some tips:
make friends with strong people.
be frugal, not cheap when moving appliances, a good dolly and properly secured appliances save a lot of money on replacement/repair costs.
clothing makes excellent packing materials for electronics/breakables.
leave the clothes in the drawers, but remove them to make carrying the furniture easier.
have a general plan for where you are putting things in the new place, and put it on paper for whoever is helping. It is much easier to move the box into the right room the first time then finding it later.
The furniture closest to your entrance/exit should be one of the last things you move in, otherwise it’s just in the way.
Have a sense of what your priorities are, if you are moving slowly over time, you will want your kitchen/food wherever you are spending most of your time.
If you aren’t a list user, don’t waste your time. You will likely lose the list anyways, or you are used to memorizing and won’t read it anyways.
guest
Wouldn’t moving an apartment require a crane? [/smartass]
I’ve seen the opposite suggested for #3. If it’s on the walls, it’s not in the way and isn’t going to get broken.
You will need more boxes, more tape, and more packing paper/newspaper/whatever than you think you will. I’ve read that newsprint can damage things, but I have honestly never had a problem with it. We get boxes from the grocery store (the ones that food came in). If you can get boxes that are sized in such a way so that they fit well together, that helps a lot as well.
guest
I moved overseas and back… that was a big move and I learned a lot of stuff.
Pack your fragile things in your towels. It works, and it makes everything super snug in the box. Packing your clothes- use garbage bags. While they are still hanging up, open up the bag, slide up over the clothes, and tie with the strings around the hanger hook. When you’re unpacking, just hang up your bunch and cut the bags off. Oh, and the best tip ever, from my dad- the stereo is the last thing to leave the old house and the first thing in the new house. Final tip: don’t keep a whole lot of crap! After you graduate high school and before you “settle down” you will likely move A TON of times. Minimalism is very helpful.
guest
My family has moved so often that most of my stuff is still in boxes, stuffed in a closet…
guest
When you leave clothes on hangers, duct tape the hangers together so that your clothes don’t fall apart in heaps when you go to put them down. That way you just put them in your new closet & snip! All done.
I’ve moved six times in the past year.. it SUCKS.