A Guide to Packing Your Home for a Household Move

Unexpected things happen when you are about to move to a new place. A lot can go wrong including the movers not arriving on time, items breaking inside the box or an accident happening during transport. 

Moving to a new house may sound exciting and very challenging. But it’s not always a perfect experience. Instead, preparing and planning ahead of time will help incredibly.

Guide To An Efficient Household Move

The guide below will ensure your household move happens smoothly: 

Decide on a date 

Deciding on when to start packing your home for a household move is important. Typically, this would mean canceling appointments or work to really focus on the big move. 

Packing may sound easy but when you start jotting down things to bring or discard, it can become quite stressful. Packing takes up a lot of time so it’s best to schedule it weeks before the actual moving date. We recommend packing off-season items first such as books and winter clothes (if you are moving during the summer time). Doing so will give you a head start and cuts down stress levels during the move.

Another good tip is scanning the entire house for things to pack. Large houses need at least 2 months of packing in advance. Smaller homes basically need just a month ahead.

List down packing supply list 

Before preparing your items for moving, make a list of your packing supplies. And if you want your household items to remain in good condition throughout the move, your choice of packing material is important. 

Fragile items need special packing procedures so there must be ample time to procure the packing materials. Aside from boxes, you need packing tape, bubble wrap, stretch wrap, Styrofoam, markers, plastic bags and labels. 

Prepare moving boxes 

Moving boxes are the most important packing supplies you need for that household move. It’s also an opportunity for you to save money. You can reuse boxes or request slightly-used boxes from grocery stores. Just remember that fragile items need boxes with thicker cardboard material to avoid damages. 

Book early

You never know who is moving tomorrow or the next. So to make sure your move will not be delayed, book moving services at Ontario Container Transport

Booking early also means saving a few bucks especially when it’s not the peak moving season. When you plan ahead of time, you can rest assured of a delivery truck with professional movers on the scheduled moving date.

Keep all essentials with you

A guide to packing your home for a household move is incomplete without discussing the essential items. People often forget to prepare important documents, medications and everyday essentials. If you don’t segregate these items before the move, they can get lost among other items. 

Therefore, it’s best to pack the essentials in a bag or suitcase which you can keep in one place in the house or car. Untoward accidents often occur during a household move. You can avoid unnecessary stress by keeping the important items near you at all times. 

Start with less used rooms

When packing, it’s best to survey the entire house and choose the rooms which are not often used. Some of the top areas to pack first are storage rooms on the top floor which may contain holiday decorations, garden tools and other belongings. 

Sorting out previously packed items at home will make it more convenient to set aside the area during the move. Since such rooms are not used often, the items inside will likely be in a semi-packed state. Therefore, they should be the first rooms to clear out when packing. 

Similarly, packing one room at a time will make the household move easier.  Do not mix other items from other rooms in the same box. That way, you can easily provide direction to the movers when unloading boxes in your new home. 

Declutter well

Decluttering involves holding an upcoming garage sale or donating things to charity. You may also post unused or unwanted things online up for sale. If you have your friends helping with the household move, you may want to give away things to them as well. By this time, you will already know what items you really need and those that require disposal.

Create a detailed inventory list

When packing and moving to the new house, the most tedious part of the process is unboxing and figuring out which items go into new rooms. A detailed inventory list can make the process more effective. People who have collections or special items need a list so that when packing and labeling boxes, it won’t be difficult to sort things out.

Plastic bags for items that spill

Household cleaning items and toiletries can be packed in different plastic bags to avoid spillage during the move. A good tip is to unscrew the caps of bottles and put a plastic bag over the neck. Then, screw the cap back to the bottle. 

Place each bottle in a Ziplock or plastic bag and secure it with a packing tape. If bottles open by accident during transport and moving, all the liquid contents will be inside the plastic bag. A sturdy box may be used to place all items and label accordingly. Movers will then be informed of what is inside and can be extra careful in unloading and carrying such boxes.

Place heavier objects at the bottom 

When packing the heavy items into boxes, it is best to put the heavier ones down at the bottom. This ensures that other breakable objects won’t be damaged during transport. Another suggestion would be to not leave out any empty space so such objects will not move and cause damage.

Label all boxes accordingly

It is common sense but still worth mentioning – always label all moving boxes accurately. In most cases, writing the name of the room on each box is important. Aside from that, make sure the list of items inside the box is taped on it too. 

Numbering all moving boxes will also make things more organized. Make sure the number and name of each box is properly documented on the inventory list so you won’t miss out on anything.

Tape and wrap all moving boxes

One of the simple yet important things people miss out is taping all the seams of the box. If you’re getting used boxes from grocery stores or friends, chances are the seams are not that secure anymore. So as a rule of thumb, tape all seams and make a few wraps around the top and bottom edges of the box. This makes it secure during lifting and moving.

Kitchenware must be packed with care

Breakable items need special care. This holds true for most of the kitchenware at home. For dishes, you can pack them individually. 

For security, place 5 to 6 dishes in a bundle and wrap again with packing paper. Always make sure to put lots of bunched up paper in between dishes and bowls to avoid damage. For glasses, it is good to use a box with cardboard dividers. Wrapping several layers of packing paper will also protect the glasses from breaking during lifting and transport.

Roll clothes and pack shoes individually

When travelling, rolling clothes saves a lot of space in the luggage. During a household move, rolling all your clothes will not only save space, there will be less wrinkles too. More clothes will fit in a box and make packing more convenient.

When it comes to shoes, wrapping each shoe will protect it from damage during the moving process. A good tip as well is to put the socks into shoes to help retain the shape when everything is packed in a box.

Packing electronic devices

The TV needs utmost care when it comes to packing and moving. Special wooden crates or boxes are used to make sure the screen does not get crushed. If you only have cardboard boxes, it is best to double-box and pad it with several layers of packing paper. 

Dispose all hazardous items

In most cases,  transporting hazardous liquids and solids is not allowed. Household items containing such can be your pesticides, batteries, bleach or asbestos. The best way to handle it is to dispose of it using eco-friendly ways. If you really need the items to the new home, have professionals take care of packing and labelling the boxes. Never mix the items with hazardous substances together. Close and seal each box properly to avoid accidents during transport.

Related Article: Benefits of An Integrated Supply Chain

Seek Help From Professionals On Your Big Move

Packing and moving may be very cumbersome but it has to be done when you are off to the new place. Following the tips on packing the entire home will definitely make your moving experience worth it all. 

Being knowledgeable about top moving services in the area is important so that everything will go smoothly. If you need professionals to assist you on that big move, contact Ontario Container Transport at (905) 695 1501. 

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