Plenty of advance planning is a must if you want to make your house move a success. That particularly applies for long-distance or cross-country moves.
Sure, hiring the help of professional packers and movers will help ease the load and relieve the stress associated with a move, but completing some to-dos well in advance will help you stay on top of things.
Here are some tips on packing that will help you prepare for your cross-country move and ensure you stay on track ahead of moving day.
Table of Contents
Don’t procrastinate
Moving comes with a full to-do list that can easily get you overwhelmed in your attempts to attack it.
While it is easy to put off some things for later, the one thing you don’t want to toss onto the backburner is packing.
A lot of people underestimate the time and effort it takes to pack, but you can be sure that waiting until the last minute to get started will pile on additional pressure onto what is an already stressful situation.
The best way to approach packing is to schedule it in such a way that you tackle it week by week as opposed to cramming it into a single weekend.
Ideally, you should start a few weeks prior, starting with items that are less essential in your everyday life. As well, working with a schedule allows you to monitor how far along you are in relation to moving day, so you are able to adjust accordingly.
Trim Excess Baggage
Let’s be honest, unless you are an ardent subscriber of Marie Kondo, there is plenty of junk in our houses we could do without, from clothes, to electronics and what-not.
When moving long-distance, it is best practice to move with as few belongings as possible. This not only allows you to trim down any unnecessary items in your house, but also importantly, it helps keep the moving bill in check.
Do the same for heavy items like furniture, especially in the case of old furniture. You can always buy when settling into the new place. You don’t have to buy new; you can find used furniture that is in peak condition for a fraction of the price.
Pack Strategically
Create a schedule that focuses on each individual room. You can go even further and do it by specific sections of each room.
Focusing on one area at a time not only simplifies the workload, but also helps prevent a mix-up of items while at the same time keeping any chaos associated with packing limited to a few particular areas.
The Choice of Packing Paper Matters
Many people use old newspapers to wrap the more delicate items when packing. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – old newspapers work great as a packing material.
The downside, however, is that they tend to leave ink on some items, giving you the extra work of having to scrub the ink clean after unpacking.
To avoid this unnecessary extra work, consider using an alternative packing material for some of these possessions. Plain packing paper without ink should work great.
Know What You Can And Can’t Pack
Depending on state, some items like certain plants may be prohibited from entering its territory. It is important to confirm what is and is not allowed in your destination state to avoid confrontations with the law.
Additionally, there is a list of items most moving companies do not allow. So, when you’re done checking state requirements, confirm with your mover what items are against their policy.
