What helpful moving/packing/organizing/storage tips can you share?

Question

WANTING TO GO FROM: “PACK RAT” TO “LESS IS MORE”
What is easier, faster, more practical, smarter and why?

I want to make sure my move is as smooth as a babies butt. To help me in moving, packing, organizing, storage, clutter, etc., I am looking for:

Suggestions
Ideas
Tips (packing, moving, cardboard vs. plastic)
Recommendations
Advice
Insight
Hindsight
Set up (utilities, unpacking, packing)
Organizing (papers in binders vs. file cabinets, color coding boxes vs. labeling boxes)
Lists

SOME CONCERNS I HAVE ARE:

How do I pack big bulky items (lamps, plants, etc.)?
What do I use to cover or keep items clean and dust free while moving and while in storage?
Filing important papers (binders vs. file cabinet, file by year, topic, etc.).
What papers should I keep forever?
What should I throw away? After how long? How long should I hold onto it?
Moving different rooms, items, etc.
How do I know when it’s time to let go?
What should I get rid of?
What should

Answer 1

planning planning planning... organization is key...

tips

liquor store boxes are fantastic for packing breakables such as wine glasses and the like - they fit in the the spaces where the bottles were.

empty paper towel rolls great for storing knives

people suggest newspaper for dishes... dont do it - then you have to clean the newsprint off everything... paper towels between plates or tea towels if you have tons

anything that dismantles (diningroom table) put all the nuts and bolts in a ziplock bag labelled clearly what the pieces belong with... I usually keep them in together in one larger bag

clearly label what is in every box... stuff is not an acceptable label LOL well except maybe for the bathroom

also I colour code all my boxes to the rooms i want them to go in at the new place... the dollar store sells colored tapes to assist. when i get to the new place I tape a piece of paper with that color to the door of every room so things are at least placed in the correct room. also suggest placing color cards at the foot of the stairs to save wasted trips.

have one box that moves with you not in the truck that includes, your nuts and bolts bag, paper towels, roll of toilet paper, hand soap, liquid soap, scissors, tape, tape measure, couple of screw drivers and a hammer (in case you have to pop off a door to get something in) wet wipes, snacks are also a good idea too.

also a cooler with water and other beverages.

separate cooler with fridge items if your bringing them... my fridge rule is if it is less than half give it away or toss it...

as far as what to take and what to trash... thats hard... personal decision... you will take too much - that's just how it works LOL ... you will have the opportunity to re-evaluate as you unpack every item...

last but not least... well meaning friends that own pickup trucks that will do anything for a case of beer is NOT the way to go... it will take too many trips and if they break something you really cant say too much cause 'they are helping you" spend the money hire movers totally worth the investment...

good luck with the move

Answer 2

DECLUTTER
Firstly, before you even start to pack, separate out now those items not WORTH THE COST TO MOVE. Include those junky items that you bought because you thought they were cute/neat/unusual, but never go around to displaying/using. Those things you were given, but never liked. The things you have spares of, and can't see yourself getting any use from. Anything that is worn out, past use-by, or just so out of fashion you'd be embarrassed if someone knew you still had them.
You can then either donate them to a charity, or have a yard sale or two and make a little money on what's left.
PAPERWORK
Keep - certificates, school records (high school, further education), banking records, official documents (taxes, electoral, lease/mortgage, loans and insurance documents)
Get rid of utility/credit card/store bills over 12 months old, expired contracts, expired guarantees, instructions on items you no longer own.
Sort through sentimental papers - decide what you really do want to keep and what can be discarded.
PACKING
1. Before you pack anything of value, take photos. This gives you (and any insurance claim) proof of the conditions of the items before transit.
2. Firstly pack those items which you don't need straight away, then those items you use everyday get packed last. That way your not left wondering how to make that last cuppa, when the kettle and mugs are already packed.
3. Keep the linens aside for packing the delicate items. This means less mess to get rid of at the other end, and you are not paying for the weight of packing material.
4. Mark each box packed with a short list of contents, and the room it goes in e.g. glasses and crockery - Kitchen. This lets the mover put them straight into the right room (saving you a lot of lifting and carrying) and you will know which is a priority to unpack and which can be unpacked at leisure.
5. Tape all cords, power plugs, remotes, with the unit to which it belongs. Nothing worse than unpacking the television, and not being able to use it because the remote is in a different box!
6. Keep you own inventory of number of boxes, their contents, and any larger items not packed e.g. furniture.
7. You can get the movers to pack the larger or delicate items, but that will cost more.
8. If you can, take the most precious items (sentimental/expensive) e.g. photos, jewelery, etc., with you, not packed into the moving van.
9. Make sure you let the mover know the exact number of boxes and loose items that you want to move, or you might find yourself with a bigger bill than expected for the move.
ORGANIZE
Change of address - banks, insurance companies, credit providers, work, drivers license, electoral roll, social security.
Re-direct mail.
Notify utilities - cable, gas, electricity, water and sewerage, etc
Well that's all I can think of for now, so good luck with the move.

Answer 3

1) get rid of anything you haven't used or appreciated since your last move. If it's still in the box from last time you don't love it get rid of it. (I come across this with clients) This will also help you move less stuff if you purge first.
2) label boxes well. Put which room it will go in very large on the box then smaller put what is in it. Also try to group like things together.
3) start packing things you won't use between now and the move first, room-by-room. pack the good china and your turkey roasting pan in the kitchen and your knick-knack in the rest of the house. toys your kids don't play with as much (quesstion getting rid of them). any clothes you can pack (use your suitcases) that you won't need. setup up you travel toiletries bag before you move and then pack the rest of your stuff marked M/Bath IMPORTANT!
4) Anything that is really important, I pack and put straight into the car to be taken over in the first load. The same goes for fragile things. of course the other thought on that is if the movers break it they have to pay for it.
5) Clothes that don't fit in the suitcase and any linens and towels and such can go in trashbags instead of boxes. unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for boxes this work out really well. oh before you go and pack all them, use what you can to pack fragile stuff like your lamps and what nots in. Then you don't have to buy as much packaging.
6) Papers - there is almost NO paper you have to keep forever. consult with your tax person but usually you only have to keep taxes and the papers to back them up for 7 years. After that destruct them. If you find you have lots of paper to get rid of there are professional document distruction companies. Ask for discounts if you bring the paper to them. I mean you only really need to keep your diplomas forever, right? And those you usually hang up.
7) bills you really don't need to keep after you've paid them. (unless they are a deduction) Unless it's something that could be worth money or you have a warranty on you can get rid of all receipts too (check taxes again). All that stuff I keep together in the back of my file with my owner's manuals. Then they are all together if you need something, which we next to never do.

Without seeing you place and some of the specific problems, it hard to really know what will work for you because everyone is different. Feel free to email me with any specific questions. [e-mail]

Answer 4

If you are moving within 5 miles, I would move 1 room at a time. It is truly worth it. You can setup the furniture and figure out what pieces you have to get rid of.

If you have a garage, large family room, or basement then move all boxes to that room and then open them one at a time. I do not recommend writing things like "kitchen" on the boxes and setting them in the kitchen. Then you walk into your house and can't get through the rooms. I have put things in the garage and in the basement and both worked well. I setup all the furniture the first day and my house looked beautiful!!! Everyone was in shock, and I hid my little secret!!! Then day by day I would take out boxes and unpack them. On one move it took a little longer to start cooking because the dishes were last, but it was still worth it!

Answer 5

I am currently moving and so I am doing the following:
If I haven't seen it, used it, worn it, or can't wear it, in a year, I give it to Goodwill because I don't need it. It is worth the money to pack with packing peanuts or bubble wrap because newsprint rubs off on everything and doesn't always come out. As for paper work, you have to keep the last 7 years of tax returns in case you get audited. Monthly bills get thrown out once the new one comes in and you have verified that the information is correct and your last payment is reflected. Only keep the reciepts that go to your electronics in case of warranty issues. The exception is when you have to keep certain receipts for tax purposes which you should file in with your tax returns under the heading of Next Years Tax Receipts. I separated my paper work like this: I got some plastic filing boxes (from Wal-Mart so if something happens, my important papers don't get wet and ruined) and put in labels with Taxes, Identity, monthly bills, paid off loans, titles & certificates, warranties, Instruction manuals. I label all my boxes with a 6x6 piece of white paper taped to both sides of the box and written on with a black permanent marker so it is clear what is in the box and where it goes. I don't color code the boxes because it would be just to confusing. I use my towels, sheets and blankets to pack the bulky things into boxes because those things already have to move with me so why not make them even more useful. If you have mattresses going into storage, I reccommend putting them into a full zippered vinyl cover to keep them from accumuating dust and insects. Before you put things into the storage unit, spray with an insecticide and don't forget the threshhold so things don't come around that way. For couches and chairs, cover with a tarp so they don't gather dust. Plants should ride in the vehicle with you because the shock of moving and jostling around in a truck can kill them. Call the utilities in the area you are moving to and set up the utilities for the utilities to be turned on the morning you arrive (gas has to hae someone present so they can make sure there is no leak in the house). With cardboard boxes, bugs can get into your stuff but if you spray the unit, then you won't have to worry about that. With plastic bins, bugs can get in through the handles and they can also cause an excess of moisture to build up and mold your things. Make sure that you make a suitcase with a weeks worth of clothing and toiletries so you don't have to go looking for it. Also need to pack a bag with your essential cooking gear so you aren't digging for that stuff as well. Have Fun!!

Answer 6

One thing I have learned is to leave the clothes in the dresser drawers remove the drawers load the dresser on the truck then put the drawers back.This will cut down on packing and unpacking and be less boxes to carry

Answer 7

wrap your items in garbage bags to keep them clean & dust free. wrap your lamps first in newspaper then plastic. arrange files in alphabetical order. keep a list of everything you have especially your files. throw away what you don't need or what you think should be thrown away or ask some advice (what to throw away & what to keep). keep associative things together in boxes. label them accordingly. you can make color-codes if that would be easier for you.

Answer 8

Before you start do anything make sure you have time enough to focus:
First, take a look with a big bag or box to pick up clothes that you haven't used in 6 months (dont keep the clothes like "if I loose weight.. if I find a bag or shoes for it... ") clothes takes a lot of room.
Check all around your house everything but really EVERYTHING that you really want to keep just if it is in good shape, if there is stuff in general that you havent use... put it in a box, the same if broken (now is cheaper to buy a new one than keep them)

after you check with conscius all your house, give yourself a break, do something else to distract you and let it go one or two days, and again go through all (sometimes one day you want to keep all with a "good pretext", so the second time think if you have to carry all on you or... if you have to travel with your important stuff)

Paper has to be in labeled folders (Certificates, Health, Bank, Car, Bills, any name that really let you know what's inside a plastic envelope-folder-file) tear apart useless copies of anything.

Cd's can make less space if you buy a fabric folder with zip, where you can take the cover of the cd in one bag and beside it the cd, but if it its a large number of cds, cover and cd behind it. (the plastic box where the cd's usually are, are heavy and take a lot of space.

all devices from the kitchen from the toster to cuttery, check them if you really like them of if you can chose from two.... which you like the most. If you are gonna still use the mixer, the toster, etc.

if you are taking your time to do all of this at the end of a week you can have everything labeled and packed the easiest way.

depending on how much stuf you have use simple labels as:
Kitchen. Glass
Kitchen. Plates-cup-teacup
Clothes. Denim jeans. shoes
clothes. Suits-belts
Bed. Sheets-pillows
office.

(jewelery and your personal papers keep them at your sight)

Glass or delicate stuff (put newspaper pages on it it protects a lot, but also divide it in boxes that you will put as CAUTION GLASS label)

when the moving day is on, the best is to keep what its delicate at the last, everything that is big or heavy the first ones, cause somehow the people that carry them can make more space in their trucks, and at the end the small or delicate can be on the top of something else.

there are some utilities that need special care (if you have their manuals it can help a LOT in order that they continue working as good as they did before the moving) microwaves -take the cristal plate and protect it, mixer take out the glass holder. making tape helps to avoid the doors open of anything, or cords (fridge door, microwave, etc)

big furniture if possible take out in pieces (just drawers complete, beds without the legs if possible) if there's no way to take apart a big furniture put plastic bubbles protection in all the corners the most you put the most you protect your furniture. Give directions on how a big furniture was putted inside any room to be abble to take it out as easy as it came in.

lamps- if you can get it appart THE BEST if not protect them with the famous buble plastic (as the one with the tv's -a sheet of small bubles-)

plants tie them if they have big leafs with a soft cord , keep them with enough water planning the day you will move, for that day they have water but not to get anything wet. depending on how delicate they are put then in a open box to be abble to pick them up easily, if big look for something with wheels.

always be carefull of your back, use a special belt like lifting weight's guys do, even when you think that is just one day.. the next one you'll regret if you didnt use one.

the food put it in a box that holds the weight, try to combine it to avoid a box full of cans that will break apart on somebody's feet.

if its possible use all you have in order to have nothing or less before your moving.

put a bag and then put them in a box, that helped me to have clean clothes and clean kitchen stuff.

do all the laundry before it (you wont be sure when the plumber or the expert will make the connections for your laundry machines), or put in a special bag what you couldnt wash before.

Certificates, your Health historial, finances or payments, think what you couldnt do if ____________ this paper goes to the trash?

as soon as you arrive with the moving stuff (if it was possible to be before even better cause it let you clean all) but if not, anyhow put the appropiate boxes in each room, it saves a lot of time and effort.

the best way to know what you have to get rid of is: for example a stationary bike that is never been used... bye bye label.
a drawer too SMALL that today is not really usefull for you or you have a mess around... sometimes is just because you dont have the correct furniture.

if you take step by step, to first give a clean of all you dont use, or is broken for more than 2 months... you will see that you wont put in a box something that you will regret or put it away in another new house.

give yourself time to think what you really need and really use from the whole.

hope you have a great moving :)

Answer 9

label your boxes like kitchen-dishes etc.