Long-distance moves can be quite stressful. However, instead of succumbing to stress, you should do everything that’s in your power to make sure you lighten the load.
On that note, we’ve talked to some of our expert friends and asked them to give us some expert packing tips to make sure your long-distance move goes as smoothly as possible.
If that sounds like something you might be interested in – stick around for a few more moments. We’ve got all the tips you’ll ever need – you just have to scroll down!
Contents
1. Declutter
Every long-distance move is an opportunity to cleanse your living space. Don’t think of packing as a chore – think of it as the best way to get rid of all the things that are cluttering your space.
Before you start packing – take a good look around you. Is there anything you don’t need? If there is (and there probably is) – what should you do with it? Do you toss it in the garbage? Do you donate it?
Our tip would be to look at those things, whatever they might be, and just decide if they can be useful to anyone else. If they can – donate or sell them. If they’re just junk – treat them as such. Toss them in the bin and forget about them.
2. Understand That Packing Takes Time
You may not realize it, but packing everything you need take time. A lot of time.
Just remember the last time you packed for a weekend getaway or a week-long vacation? That took almost an entire day, didn’t it? So, just imagine how long will packing up your entire apartment or a house take.
To be safe, we’d suggest starting packing about two to three weeks before you actually send your stuff on the road. That should give you more than enough time to get everything in order and make sure everything runs smoothly.
3. Don’t Postpone It
You may think you’re an expert packer, but trust us – even those guys take their time.
Waiting for the last possible moment to start packing is a recipe for disaster. You can’t pack things up in a day or two. You just can’t. At least not properly.
Remember, you’ll have to secure all your fragile items, label every box, organize your stuff in the correct order so you can unpack easily, and so on.
All of these things take time, so please – don’t postpone the packing.
4. Get Everything You Need
You will need more stuff than you initially thought. On top of all the things you already own – you’ll need to get more.
Here are the essentials you’ll have to pick up before you start packing.
- Boxes
- Duct tape
- Bubble and shrink wrap
- Labeling markers
- Newspapers
- Bags (Ziploc and regular)
- Scissors
As you can see, out of all of these, you probably only have scissors. You could have some tape lying around, but more likely than not – you don’t have enough. So, go shopping!
5. Seek Professional Help
Sometimes, you just don’t have the time to deal with all of this mess. In that case, just hire professional packers. You’re already hiring professional movers (we’d hope so), so just some packers on board, too.
6. Label The Boxes
You may think you’ll be able to identify the boxes when unpacking comes about, but trust us – you won’t.
Labeling the boxes is packing 101. It’s arguably the most important thing to do.
Not only will this save you enormous amounts of time while unpacking, but it will also help the movers organize your stuff and take proper care of it. Professional movers will never toss your boxes around even if they’re filled with blankets, but they will certainly take better care of the box that’s labeled “plates and glasses” than the one labeled “pillows”.
7. Use Storage To Your Advantage
You usually don’t want to overstuff your boxes, but when it comes to storage space and things like suitcases – fill them up with your clothes.
Don’t waste your time putting your clothes in the boxes only to ship your suitcases, drawers or dressers empty. Just make sure they can’t open and use all that storage space to your advantage.
Keeping clothes in suitcases, drawers, and dressers will save a lot of money, time, and space in the back of the moving truck, so – do it.
8. Take Your Furniture Apart
If you have some furniture that’s easily taken apart – take it apart. There’s no need for you to ship your desk or chairs in one piece if you can easily take them apart.
Not only will they take up less space when they’re packed like this, but they’ll also help the movers take them out of your old place and into your new one.
9. Don’t Overstuff Your Boxes
There is a limit to how much stuff a single box can take. After all, they’re made from cardboard. If you overstuff them, they’ll just fall apart, and your stuff will arrive dirty in the best-case scenario. What’s more likely to happen is you’ll damage your possessions, usually beyond repair. We’re guessing that’s not something you’ll want to do.
Instead of overstuffing your boxes – just get more of them. It’s much better to take a few extra trips to the moving truck than it is for your stuff to fall out of the box.
10. Always Get Moving Insurance
Accidents happen, therefore, it is much better to be safe than sorry.
Professional moving companies often offer moving insurance, but don’t just expect you’ll get one. If it’s not offered – ask for it.
You never know what could happen to your prized possessions during a cross-country or a long-distance moving trip, so it’s best that you get reimbursed in case some of them get damaged during the move.
Conclusion
At this point, you might as well call yourself an expert packer. These ten tips are all you need to make your long-distance move easy breezy!