How to Move Without Losing Your Sanity - Packing

Gearing up for a move is no joke when you have a toddler running between your legs and a pregnant belly so big you can't fit between tight spaces. That being said, here are some packing tips that have made things run a little more smoothly around here.

1. Look for deals on moving boxes

Look online for free/cheap boxes. Online yard sale sites and sites like Craigslist often allow you to post ISO (In Search Of) ads. We live in a military town where there are always people moving in and looking to get rid of their used boxes. Most of the time you can get a great flat-rate on all their gently used boxes and sometimes I’ve even found people giving them away for free. 

Rent.com recommends looking for free boxes at grocery stores, bookstores, and liquor stores. In our case, we bought most of ours from Lowe’s with their 10% military discount. Shop around but I found their price to be much cheaper than moving and packing companies. If you aren’t military look for coupons - Lowe’s often sends out mailers with 10% off coupons.

2. Gather your supplies

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I highly recommend investing in a tape gun and quality tape. It will remove a lot of frustration and speed things up significantly. Here is the one we’ve been using.  

Get a dolly/hand cart. I have this one and love it! It holds up to 150 pounds which isn’t enough to say, haul your washer and dryer out of the house but it’s sturdy enough to hold a big pile of boxes. It also collapses for easy storage which is a huge plus for me!

You'll want bubble wrap for fragile items but use it sparingly. Bubble wrap is surprisingly expensive. That's where packing paper comes in. It's useful for wrapping breakable items that may not be as fragile and it will save you a ton of money. Wad the paper up and stuff it in boxes with empty space so things don't shake around. 

Make sure to have a few King Size Sharpie’s on hand for labeling your boxes. 

3. Mark your boxes

Make sure to write the room where the box goes as well as the contents on the side of the box and not the top. This way, you can see your notes when the boxes are stacked. You can get creative and color code things or even print out labels like Jaima from Ring Around the Rosies. Just look at those beautiful color coded labels! We don’t have a color printer so I wasn’t able to do this but I love the idea.

4. Pack an overnight bag

Put your essentials in an overnight bag/suitcase or a rubbermaid container so they are easy to find first when you get to your new house. I highly recommend packing medications, a pair or two of clothing, hygiene items, bed linens, a bottle of water and a few snacks in a bag that you keep in the vehicle with you. 

5. Leave some things out until the last minute

You'll want to have access to a few things even after the moving truck is loaded up. You may want to leave out things such as paper products, trash bags, zip locks, clorox wipes, scissors, tape, cleaning supplies and a vacuum and/or a broom.

Read Part 1: Intro

What are some of your favorite packing tips? I'd love to hear them. 

UPDATE, April 10, 2014: Some of you had some great tips that you shared with me on Facebook. They were so good I had to share them.

“Throw a bunch of stuff away first.”

-Petite C.

“Make a box to put in your car for your first night supplies: sheets, pillows, blankets, toiletries, snacks, paper plates, cups, utensils and get local take out places menus to make your first couple nights easier.

-Amil M.

“Trash bags around clothes on hangers to keep dust and such off of them in moves.

Try to keep and use original boxes for electronics and other big ticket items. Make sure all furniture hardware is in labeled baggies. I usually insist on hand carrying it to make sure they don't get lost. Take the feet off any furniture that can be removed and make sure they get wrapped well.”

-Stephanie W.

“Use the cheap styrofoam plates to separate and protect dishes. Use dish towels and washcloths to wrap stemware or just to protect glass.”

-Suzanne J.

“Don't wait til your last month of pregnancy like i did. That's my only tip lol...mainly because we're still not done.”

- Candice C.

“Toss more than you move...”

-Yvonne H.