Being part of a military family, our entire household has been boxed up and moved seven times. One thing I’ve learned through all these moves is what goes on the outside of the box can sometimes be just as important as how items are packed inside. In fact, good labeling often means the difference between getting re-settled in a new home quickly or being lost in stuff for weeks on end. Even if you can’t hire the pros to help with your move, you can still pack your boxes like them using these insider tips!
Tip 1:
Be Specific
As you box up household items, you may be tempted to scribble “kitchen” or “office” or “dining room” on the side and be done. However, such descriptions won’t help you beyond getting the right boxes into the right rooms at your next destination. When it’s time to determine which boxes to open first, you’ll have no idea which ones contain your everyday essentials and which contain less-frequently used items. Be as specific as you can on the side of each box to help identify which boxes should be opened right away and which ones can wait.
Tip 2:
Color Code
Even with boxes labeled “dining room” or “kitchen,” unloading a truck and getting boxes into the right rooms can often be a long and tedious task. Speed up the unloading process by color-coding boxes by room. Stock up on a rainbow assortment of Duck tape and place a stretch across the top of each box. Then place a corresponding swatch of tape on the door to each room. Not only can the color cues save valuable time deciphering handwriting, but this technique is great when you have a lot of helpers and/or a crew who can’t read/understand the labels on the boxes.
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Tip 3:
Create an Inventory
Whether you have 20 boxes or 200, there are always a lot of pieces to track during a move. So you can be sure no boxes are left behind or go missing, inventory each box on a master inventory sheet. The inventory should have a line item for every box and should include details such as the box number, which room the box belongs in, what is in the box, if the box has been loaded at the origin, and if the box has been unloaded at the destination. If you are transporting any electronics or high-value items, it’s also helpful to take good pictures of each item and record their serial numbers, as this information will be required on insurance claims should they go lost or missing along the way.
Tip 4:
Pack and Label for the New House
If your new place will be setup significantly different than the one you’re vacating, label your boxes for where they will go rather than where they were. For example, if your current rental has a combined office and home gym, all the items in this room will be boxed (and therefore delivered) together. But if you plan to split these two spaces in
your next rental apartment, you will most likely want these things not only packed separately, but also labeled for their final destination.
Tip 5:
Make an “Open First” Box
At the end of a long moving day of loading and unloading boxes, you most likely don’t want to have to open dozens of boxes just to find your shower curtain, bed sheets, coffee pot, and breakfast bowls for the first night and following morning. To guarantee you have your creature comforts right away, consider making an “Open First” box filled with all those first-day essentials. Mark the box with brightly colored tapes and stickers and consider transporting it in the car with you (instead of in a moving truck) so you can find it right away.
[tweetthis]Are You Getting Ready To #Move? Here Are Some #Tips That Can Help You When It Is Time To Pack Boxes[/tweetthis]
Tip 6:
Make a Cord Box
When you move into a new place, the first order of business is often getting televisions, computers, sound systems and other electronic up and running. So you can easily do this right away, put all of your cords, remotes, and other necessary cables into a dedicated “Cord Box” and clearly mark it as such. Even if you’re drowning in a sea of boxes when the cable person shows up, you will be able to hand over anything he may need to get you up and running right away.
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Labeling your boxes for a move is just as important as using the right materials and packing your items correctly. Use markers, tapes, inventories, and dedicated boxes to make the contents of each box well known. The better you label your boxes, the increased chances of having exactly what you need when you need it and ultimately getting settled in your new home faster.
