Organize Like a Pro: Tips for Moving
Are you moving house? Check out the top tips I learned both as a pro organizer and in helping my friends and family move countless times. When you are intentional about the way you pack and unpack, you’re setting yourself up for a smooth and dare-I-say pleasant move. OK, it’ll at least be organized.
Pack a suitcase for at least as long as you will be packed up until you'd be unpacking. For instance, if you’re moving locally and you’re packing/unpacking within a day or two, pack like you would for a long weekend. If you’re moving across the country, pack for the duration of the worst case scenario length of time your movers will take to deliver your thing (if this is a month, pack for a month — or two weeks and be sure to find laundry). This suitcase allows you to pack up all of your stuff knowing the essentials are still accessible. This will keep you from running around like a headless chicken the morning the movers (or your strongest friends) are there, because you'll essentially just need to pack up your suitcase and deal with any perishables. Game-changer!
Use a Sharpie to label the boxes including: room name, a quick list of the contents in bullets, and any other notes you'd want for unpacking/trying to find an item on the other side. That way, after a long day of moving in, you don’t have to rip every box open just to find your favorite frying pan and salt/pepper (or maybe more realistically, your bowls for take-out).
Use multi-color Avery labels to color-code your boxes and corresponding rooms in the new place. First, assign a color to each room based on the available sticker colors (colorful duct tape also works). Each time you finish a box for that particular room, place a colorful sticker on. Then place that color sticker on a piece of paper along with the name of the room; then blue tape that piece of paper in the doorway to that room (or a wall). This way the movers can use the name of the room OR the color coding to put the boxes at least remotely close to where you want them to be in the new place. It can be helpful to put the colorful sticker on several sides of the boxes, albeit time consuming. For example, if your office color is blue, put a piece of computer paper with a blue sticker and big letters “OFFICE” on several of the walls of the office. Then put blue stickers on all of the office boxes (which should also have Sharpie labels, see #2). If the movers can’t quite get the hang of it, at least you’ll know where the boxes need to move to when it’s time to unpack.
Pack books and heavy items in small boxes. I repeat, pack books and heavy items in small boxes. It's tempting to use a big box because it stacks so nicely, but honestly nothing bigger than a filing box for books is critical. I know the movers are pros, but there’s no reason to break anyone’s back. If you are packing a space that has squishy/light items, you can use those to fill the space above the books in the box. For example: when you pack up your cookbooks, use extra kitchen towels or napkins to maximize the space above the books.
If you do have to buy any boxes 10/10 go with Home Depot boxes. They are the perfect size breaks and they have handles which is game-changing. Post your free boxes on Nextdoor and someone will pick them up within hours, in a big metro area.
There are, however, a number of reusable box companies available. They bring plastic containers for you to pack up and then come pick them up when you are done. While this is environmentally friendly in some ways, the sheer chaos of coordinating boxes leaves me to be persuaded. Open to persuasion, but when moving is already stressful, the last thing you need is an awkwardly sized box and too many/not enough boxes.
Pack your plates vertical in the boxes, this will help keep them from breaking.
To save on paper, use your towels and cloth napkins as wrappers for breakable items.
Once you know you’re moving, set up a bag or bin near your front door to place donations in as you go along packing. Don’t worry about it looking cluttered in the front hall, because honestly, if you’re starting to pack up, you’re going to have to reconcile living in a lot of boxes. Donating unnecessary items to alleviate long term stress > a small pile of donations that you can always choose to bring every few days.
Pack your bedding in CLEAN garbage bags inside a clean box so that the night you move in, you can make your bed without absolutely needing to launder it immediately.
Pack a well-labeled box, or if local a small shopping bag, of cleaning supplies, a garbage bag, hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towels (or reusable towels if that’s how you roll for cleaning!). This way, as the movers are moving things in, you can clean the bathrooms, the kitchen sink and fridge, and have hand towels and soap for anyone using the facilities. You will be absolutely THRILLED if you do this.