Did you know that 80 percent of American moves happen between April and September? After the busy spring real estate season, families want to take advantage of warm weather and get kids settled before the new school year. But packing for a move can be stressful at any time of year. Fortunately, we can make it easier with preparation (and a few hacks).
- Purge before you pack. It’s the #1 step you can take to facilitate packing, and it has other benefits too. Moving is a perfect opportunity to assess your belongings and eliminate items you don’t need. Pitch freely and don’t hold back. Donate clothing you don’t wear and toys your children no longer use. Anything that isn’t worth donating can go to the landfill. It not only helps with the packing process, it also feels great.
- Start decluttering as you prepare to put your house on the market. It makes your home more attractive to buyers and gets the purging process rolling for your move.
- If time allows, you can ramp up your packing routine instead of trying to do everything at once. Start with an hour or two a day and work room by room.
- Use high-quality
designated moving boxes. Scavenging for old wine boxes may save money, but moving boxes are designed to hold your possessions safely. Moving boxes are sized to fit neatly in moving trucks and tailor-made for hanging clothing, packing dishes and other specific needs. If you’re feeling frugal, you can check community groups on social media to see if anyone has recently moved and has moving boxes to give away. - Get help if you can. Hire professional movers to pack furniture and other heavy or bulky items. Enlist friends to help fill boxes and return the favor as needed down the road.
- Measure your furniture to help allot space in the moving truck and plan for placement in your new home.
- Make sure chests of drawers and other heavy furniture are empty. Secure doors and drawers so they won’t move during transport.
- If you need to disassemble a piece of furniture, put the parts in a sandwich bag and tape them to the underside of the item. This keeps all of the pieces together when it’s time to reassemble.
- Label every box. Some experts also recommend color coding tags by room for extra convenience.
- Pack a separate box or two with items you’ll need in your new home right away. It keeps stress levels down and ensures you can access your most essential items immediately.
- Don’t overstuff your boxes. They may become too heavy and break. It also makes the process harder on your back.
- Choose the correct box size for different items. If you’ve ever packed books in a large box, you know what we’re talking about. Lightweight items (like toys) can go in a larger box, while books and heavy items are best in smaller boxes. A small 16x12x12 box is ideal for books and heavy items.
- You can use clothing and towels to protect fragile items. It maximizes space and reduces the number of boxes needed.
- Otherwise,. It prevents your belongings from moving around and breaking.
Declutter, Take a Deep Breath, and Get Packing!
We can’t overemphasize the importance of the purge. Start pitching/donating as soon as you list your house. You won’t regret it. Not only does it make packing more manageable, it also helps declutter your home for showings. A clean, clutter-free home is one of the top priorities of agents and professional stagers.
And remember: summer is the most popular time to move, but it’s not the only option. Moving during off-peak months can be cheaper and less stressful. If you’re considering listing your home in Northern Virginia, it’s not too late. Yvonne Holland continues to help sellers successfully list their homes with terrific results. Yvonne’s staging tips are always on point. With decades of experience, she can recommend the best movers and other resources to make the process as stress-free as possible. She’ll even give you tips for packing that oversized sectional. There’s nothing like working with a pro.
