There’s nothing worse than having to pack up a house, an apartment or even a room and having to look at all the fabulous junk you accumulated. By the way, they are belongings until you have to calculate the number of shipping boxes you have to use and then it magically becomes junk. The best thing to do in this case is to look at your belongings objectively. What do you need and what don’t you need? Then get right to the next tip. There are things that you may be able to make useful to someone else in the process. Donate any item in good condition or you can even have a garage sale and make some money back.

Become a Professional Sorter

Now that you’ve decided what you want to keep an what you don’t it’s time to get to sorting. This means by category and not by the room. You need to sort the categories into easy to pack piles. This is because you’re going to sort them again before packing.

Set Aside a Pile to Donate and One to Sell

After you sort your life out on the floor, then you can start making those piles and placing in bags or shipping boxes what you need to donate and sell. Now, off to the actual packing and moving process.

Research Moving Companies 

This is simple but so many people fall short of this because it is too obvious. Make sure the moving company is actually a moving company and not just a truck and a couple of gents driving it. Best to make sure they are bonded and insured because you don’t want a nasty surprise when they lose or break items they won’t ever replace or pay for, this is a common and serious thing that happens all the time.

Schedule Correctly

The date of your move is equally as important. Give yourself and your movers at least a month before the date. Rushing and worrying adds more stress, you can always change the date but be sure you know the cancellation policy.

Rout your Trip

You’ll be meeting the movers at your new place so make sure you know the best rout and in case of you are moving to an unfamiliar area, make sure you have an alternate rout as well.

Get a to do List Going

You’ll have to remember hundreds of things in your normal routine as well as lots more prior to the move. Make sure you have at least put them in the phone and on paper where you have a backup. Remember to cancel any appointments you have in your old town, sometimes, you have appointments such as the dentist 3 months down the road.

Make a Task List

The calendar is the place to put tasks that you have to do pertaining to moving. For instance, calling the moving company, then going through each room to start your purge and sell as well as sorting.

These tips are the most important everything else should fall into place thereafter.

The ubiquitous cardboard box is a staple of the packing and moving process all over the world. This is primarily because these boxes and the accompanying tubes offer movers a great deal of versatility no matter the situation.
However, there are a few key things to remember so that you’re absolutely sure that your items arrive in the best condition, and avoid unnecessary hassles and expenses.

Use Adequate Materials

Spending a bit now for high-quality cardboard will help to ensure that your client’s valuables and other important items are safe. This expense now will definitely be a boon down the road when you know you have the right amount of cushioning and durability for your needs. There are many cushioning options out there from tubes to boxes to bubble wrap.

Valuable Items Deserve Premium Protection

If you know you’ll be packing and shipping items of high value or things that cannot be easily replaced, we recommend looking at corrugated or multi-layered cardboard boxes for extra protection. For the peace of mind that comes from knowing all of your client’s valuables will arrive safely, avoid cheap moving boxes.

Strap Things Down if You Can

Strapping boxes down tightly where applicable is one of the single best ways of ensuring that your boxes and the belongings within are extra secure. There are a variety of ways to do this involving both machine options and simple manual forms.

Apply the Proper Tape

This tip is for those who know that strapping down their boxes will not be possible. In that case, use packing tape that is extra wide and sticky enough to keep things well closed. Using care like this now will help get you noticed and possibly pay off down the road.

Size Things Correctly

Check to make sure the items you’re shipping fit properly into the boxes or tubes you’re using. This will keep your client’s items from being squeezed in and possibly damaged and protect your bottom line too.

Consider Using Dividers

It may turn out that you need to use some dividers—also made of cardboard—for extra protection if you’re going to ship flat, fragile belongings for your clients.

Take Off Any Labels

Sometimes you may be able to reuse some of the cardboard boxes in the next job. If you’re able to do this make sure to first remove outdated labels and check out the integrity of each box.

Make Practical Packaging Choices

Packaging is a prime way for any company to spread brand awareness, but make sure this consideration never compromises the overall safety of your packages. Parcels that look great but are just cheap moving boxes are worse than unadorned ones that hold up well during shipment.

Don’t Trust Labels

Labels that describe the items within as fragile are just as much a staple of the industry as cardboard boxes themselves. However, don’t make the rookie mistake of believing that they somehow replace well-done packing methods.

Don’t Use Material Packing

It’s not a good idea to use materials made of fabric or types of cloth, as they are not great at keeping items safe. In such cases, it’s better for you to use cushioning filled with air or other practical materials.

Check Applicable Laws

Make sure you know it’s legal to ship any items that you aren’t sure about before you send them along. This helps to avoid not only hazards but possible prosecution.

The first thing most people think about when it’s time to move are how many boxes they will need and what sizes. Even if you’re just moving across town shipping boxes are recommended to keep your belongings safe. There’s so much to consider in a move, taking short-cuts may be tempting but usually result in extra work one way or another.

Boxes built for moving are sturdier and generally more stackable than any you’ll find at your local store. Quality moving supplies are well worth their cost when you consider the consequences of the bottom falling out of a box you have breakables in. Getting supplies lined up is only the beginning. Once you have the boxes you need following these simple steps will make the entire process feel almost automatic.

Categorize Everything

Just the thought of packing and moving is enough to make you tired already. Best advice is to pick a spot, and just get started. Working one area at a time, and grouping like items as you go ensures even the smallest of your belongings will find a safe spot. Using colored tissue paper for items that need wrapping is a good idea so nothing is accidentally thrown away.

Anything Breakable Should Be Carefully Wrapped

Properly wrapping breakables ensures their safe journey. Remember, using more paper than you need is better than not using enough. For flat items such as plates always pack them on their sides, never lay them one on top of another and if you stack glasses, bowls or cups make sure there is plenty of padding between them.

Add Dividers For Extra Fragile Items

Dividers come in various sizes and using them adds another layer of protection for glasses and stemware. They fit neatly inside shipping containers and keep glass items from bumping into each other. Before placing glassware in the dividers, wrapping them with paper or bubble wrap adds even more protection.

Never Trust Used Boxes

The precise measurements of shipping containers give them secure “stackability.” Remember, unless a box is unpacked immediately, it will need to be stacked somewhere. Used cardboard will never have the strength new containers do and can even hide things like roaches inside them. Shipping Boxes are built to take strain and ensure your new home isn’t contaminated with any un-wanted pests.

Pack According To What You Can Lift

Avoid over-packing to save space. Fewer boxes could actually lead to more work if they are so heavy one person can’t lift them alone. Books are a good example. Because they are small it’s tempting to put more in a box than can be easily lifted. A good rule would be the heavier items are, the smaller the box should be so over-packing isn’t possible.

Efficient Use Of Space

It is possible to fill every empty space in a box without over-packing. If these empty spaces aren’t filled in boxes could collapse when stacked. This can be avoided by first loading the box to an acceptable weight, and then before sealing it stuffing extra paper or bubble wrap into empty areas makes them much more secure.

Sensible Labels and Tight Seals

Folding tops down on a box without taping them afterword’s allows dust and insects into your belongings while in transit or storage. Wrapping tape with and then against box flaps will not only help keep contents clean it also helps stacked boxes keep their “squareness,” with less danger of collapse.

When you are faced with stacks of boxes and you need one item immediately, that’s when you will most appreciate having taken time to clearly label them. If each box lists which room it came from with an inventory of its contents, you will always know exactly where things are whether you’ve unpacked yet or not.

Stacking Order Is Very Important

Whether boxes are being stacked into a moving van or into storage, it’s necessary to put anything heavy on the bottom of the pile because a lower center of gravity helps prevent stacks from tipping over. Even if the stack doesn’t tip over, putting heavy loads on top of lighter ones risks the lighter being crushed under the weight.

It’s well worth any time taken to properly plan how things are to be stacked and avoid ruining belongings. The idea isn’t to stuff as many boxes as you can into the smallest space, this only leads to a possible mess to clean up later. Taking the time to stagger boxes as if they were bricks and creating a safe tower will make them less likely to tumble down.

Don’t Forget To Leave Walking Room

If there isn’t enough space to at least walk single-file between stacks then finding anything in storage generally requires luck and a good deal of patience. Have a plan before you store the first box and then stick with it. Doing that makes finding a single item among many so much easier no matter long you’ve had it stored.
Creating isles between stacks with labels facing out will ensure you never have to go through the entire unit looking for a single item. Labeling both sides of a box so it can be clearly seen no matter which side of the stack you’re on is another time saving idea.

Now you know the basics of how to move with the least amount of aggravation. Quality supplies, thinking ahead, and sticking to your plan will ensure your belongings can take any length of journey and still get where they need to go in one piece.

Moving can be one of the hardest tasks to do if you don’t do it right. There can be a lot to think of and a lot of manual labor that one might have to go through to do it right. The entire process can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be. To help you out, we have compiled a list of __ things that can help make your move easier.

1. Stay Organized

Staying organized is one of the essential things of a move and something that should be paid attention to. Start your organization a few weeks in advance before your move so that you aren’t left with too many things to do on the day of the move.

2. Make A Strategy

Making a plan of what to do on the moving day is a good way to get your move in place and to ensure you don’t leave anything behind. Make a list of where everything should go and how the move is going to plan out to ensure that you aren’t confused at the last minute. Make a plan, and stick with it to make sure that nothing goes wrong.

3. Communicate With Your Movers

Your plan will not play out well if you do not let your movers in on it. Let them know what you want to do on the move day and keep them in the loop about everything to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

4. Go For Proper Transportation

Often, people tend to think that they can fit all their belongings into a small vehicle, and end up having to make multiple trips. This can backfire hard especially if you are moving a short distance. Be sure that you are getting the right vehicle to transport all your goods.

5. Throw Out The Useless

This is one of the best times to let go of those useless things that are just occupying space in your home. Sort out your stuff and throw away what you don’t need to lessen the load of things that you have to keep track of on the day of the move.

6. Have A Packing Kit

A packing kit can come in handy for those last minute things that you may need. Have a few cheap moving boxes on hand, some markers, tape, scissors and labels for any last minute adjustments that you might have to make.

7. Use Old Boxes

Keep a few boxes on hand which you may have used in the past in case you need them for an emergency storage option. They are incredibly easy to obtain from grocery stores and are suitable for the utility that they serve.

8. Make An Inventory

Keeping track of everything that you are moving is not easy, but can be if you make an inventory. Note down everything that you are packing, and where so that you can easily find them and sort it out.

9. Find A Sitter

Moving with kids or with pets can be a difficult task, especially if you have more than one. Keep your children and pets with family, friends or even a sitter for the time that you are moving so that you can focus on the move itself.

10. Show Your Movers Some Appreciation

At the end of the move, be sure to show a little bit of gratitude to the people who helped you move. Offer your moves something like a small snack or drink and be sure to thank them at the end of it.