packing/ moving tips please.

Moving to SC in less than 1 month. We are moving by ourselves, with 3 kids, 5 and under. Any packing or moving advice?

Re: packing/ moving tips please.

Your biggest ally is to be as organized and OCD as possible, it will pay off and make for a seamless unpacking experience when you move in.

If you have clothes on hangers, don't take them off. Just pack your closet clothes with the hangers still attached, it will save you about a good hour when unpacking the boxes!

Start packing up things you know you will not be using all the time... like 90% of the kitchen, bathroom closets etc...



I used these labels with corresponding colored sticker (each color = a different room MOVING LABEL

Then I logged everything in this - I also put the number that was on the sheet, on to the label I linked above. So everything was crossed referenced and confirmed. I'm so OCD, but in this case, this was a lifesaver

LINK TO MOVING MANIFEST SHEETS

Message edited 7/22/2014 9:32:15 AM.

packing/ moving tips please.

Thank you so much. I'm starting to get serious anxiety!

Re: packing/ moving tips please.

I labeled every box with a large typing label as to where it was to go in the house.

For example, Kitchen, Living Room, Kids Room1, Kids Room2, etc. This way when you are unloading the truck, you know where the boxes are going.

The questionable ones you can label as garage or basement, etc so you can go through them at your leisure.

packing/ moving tips please.

Pack now. Everything you don't use daily. Start one room at a time and don't move to the next room until that room is done (or at least with all the stuff you don't need for the time being).

Re: packing/ moving tips please.

PURGE, anything you have not worn or used in a few months, toss it, sell it online whatever but do not move it, I thought I purged everything and yet I have boxes of stuff I know I will never need

Re: packing/ moving tips please.

I am an expert.

3 moves in 4 yeasr between getting engaged, married then buying a house.

1. It is not going to be cheep. You don't have to spend a lot of money, but you WILL have to spend money.



ok. For the move:

1. Get boxes from Uhaul. If you have any boxes left over they will buy them back. So if you get 100 boxes and only use 50 they will buy back the unused.

2. Get tons of ziplock baggies.

3. Get masking tape.

4. Get sharpies.

5. I went to Staples and got florescent green and pink shipping labels. I wrote on EVERY label (yes every single one) what room and MAJOR contents of the boxes. (Kitchen, blender, Tupperware, silverware, kitchen knives...) Let me tell you this: On the OTHER end all I had to do was read the labels so I had a good idea of what was in each box. It was a godsend as I was unpacking and NEEDED the coffee pot. And thinkgs like "vases, photo albums.." etc could wait. But I am TELLING you it saved my life.

6. When I labeled I also had another label "Open me first" Or "Open me today". This was my bed sheets. My toothbrush. Stuff we needed the day we moved in on the other side.

7. I have a pet (you have kids) I hand moved all his important stuff (food, bowls, toys). For the kids, make sure you have the IMPORTANT stuff with you.

8. I got a roll of shrink wrap. Its great when you have hard to pack stuff and can just "shrink wrap" the kids toy chest closed.

9. Art. I bought packing corners online. Then I shrunk wrapped the pictures instead of buying boxes (where I could).

10. Try VERY hard to pack boxes to the top. You don't want a lot of airspace between your stuff and the top of the boxes. This way the boxes wont "crush".

11. I also wrote on the box where I taped it "Don't use razor to open". Thi was with my cloths, jackets etc. Anything that could be damaged.

12. In the new house I had labels on all the doors "Jane office" "master" "John office". And all the boxes were labeled so.

13. I also used masking tape to tape the nails I took out of the wall for artwork, put the nails in a baggie, then taped the baggie to the artwork.

14. Start getting all the newspaper you can now. Newsday sucks. You want a "bigger" newspaper if you can. NEWSDAY SUCKS!!!!!! You want a BIG newspaper, like the NYT.

15. I spent the money on some specialized boxes for glassware, art, and dishes. I just did. Worth it to me.

16. I did buy moving brown paper from Staples. I bought bubble wrap. I bought those inserts (like a foam) to put dishes in to protect. Worth the money. Saves you TONS of time.

17. And again, lots of ziplock bags. There are going to be unch of stuff that's loose. Pencils, some small toys, crap from your "junk drawer". Your measuring cups....all that little stuff went in ziplock bags then in boxes. I didn't like just throwing small "loose" things into a box. Got all my ziplock from Walmart- I got the cheep ones.

18. I used old towels to protect my computer and monitor in boxes.

19. And again, I labeled as MUCH as I could as to what was in the box. SAVED MY LIFE!!!!!

ETA:

20. For the kids. You want to hand carry the IMPORTANT stuff. Favorite stuffed animal. Things they need in the car.

21. I cant emphasize enough HOW important it is to make a small list of things you will need before going t bed the first night. Sheets, blankets, crib, toothbrush. This way you can HAND carry a box, or make sure to put it in the front of the truck, so when you get to the new house you are NOT looking for sheets for the bed.

22. PP have said start packing now. Start purging now.

If I can think of anything else I will let you know

Message edited 7/22/2014 10:18:13 AM.

packing/ moving tips please.

Purge
Organize

Make sure not to pack prohibited items since you're doing an interstate move

We have used file boxes for all our moves for the majority of stuff. They stack well, are sturdy, need less tape, break down easy too. They also prevent overpacking by weight and are easy to label.

Consider color coding by room,use a colored circle on each box to help identify the room.

Pack dresser drawers do not empty them. then wrap with the roll of plastic wrap.

packing/ moving tips please.

If you have a flat screen tv, home depot sells a moving box designed for them. It was recommended by movers to get theirs,they swearby them