There are a lot of guides online on how to approach packing. We have talked about having the right supplies and even how to rent moving boxes. However, we have not mentioned an important thing – is there are right strategy to starting the packing process?
In this article we are going to explore what are the common mistakes people do when they start packing, and what should your general guiding principle be, if you want to pack quickly, efficiently and safely.
The Most Common Packing Mistake
Here we are not going to mention about the technical mistakes that people make, such as not using enough padding and so on. Instead, we will focus on the approach side of things.
So firstly, most people just don’t consider the utility of the different rooms. So they get up, they have set an entire day aside for packing and they just start with a random room. This is often the bedroom, since packing clothes is not all that hard, plus you have a general idea of how to pack the items in your bedroom. However, starting with that room is a seriously bad approach.
Our recommendation is to consider starting with the rooms that you feel you can pack easily, WITHOUT the bedroom. Leave the bedroom for last, maybe even pack it fully on the morning of the move. You will likely need your clothes and if you want to sleep comfortably, you will need your bedsheets and so on.
So Where Do You Start?
Packing the living room is usually a good place to start. It has more furniture than anything, so a few packing boxes will go a long way. If you have bookcases, these are fairly easy to pack and stack, so you can start right with them.
Storage rooms, such as closets and attics are also great for starting, but they can be a bit challenging if you use them as garbage disposal. A lot of people just throw stuff there in order to not see it ever again, and when they have to move, they have a mountain of junk to go through. If that’s the case with you, then it is a good decision to set aside another day for going through these items to see which are worth keeping.
After you get the packing going with a few easier rooms, you should move on to your kitchen, which is likely the most difficult one. Here you have china sets, kitchen appliances and so on – all of which are items that are not really neat to pack. For them you will definitely need high quality packing supplies, so don’t forget to stock up on these. Padding is key, but some heavy duty boxes can help as well.
Conclusion
Now you know how to approach packing right before a move. If you feel like this is too much of a daunting process, you should maybe start packing right away, with the items you will likely not need right now (books, CDs, movies, etc.).