Plan on Being a Homeowner Soon? Use These 19 Packing Tips for an Easy Move

Are you making the transition from renter to homeowner? Avoid moving day headaches and prepare for the big day with these easy tips.

1. Don’t use produce boxes. Bugs and larvae easily live in produce boxes – this could infect your new location and the belongings you store in the box.
2. Use new moving boxes. Free boxes may have been structurally damaged by their original contents. Often, free boxes don’t have tops. This makes stacking very difficult – not to mention the box cannot be taped shut leaving belongings unsecured.
3. All boxes need to be closed and sealed with packing tape. This makes it easier to stack and protect belongings.
4. Use packing paper when wrapping precious items. Ink on newsprint can stain your breakables.
5. Do not use duct tape! Instead, use packing tape. Duct tape doesn’t stick to corrugated cardboard boxes.
6. Use boxes designed for the items you are packing – such as a dish pack for dishes or wardrobe box for clothing.
7. Make a “survival closet” of things for the last cleanup before you move out – broom, dust cloth, dust pan, mop.
8. Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box.
9. Use only small boxes for books. They get very heavy, very fast.
10. Never use newsprint to wrap fine china. The ink can rub off and stain.
11. Always stack dishes upwards when packing.
12. Pack important and sentimental documents separately to be easily accessible including: children’s health records, passports, family records, insurance information and photo albums.
13. Never use duct tape – use packing tape. Duct tape doesn’t stick well to corrugated cardboard.
14. Clearly label all boxes on top and side.
15. As you take apart furniture and other items make sure to tape all parts to the main base.
16. Try to pack all electronic equipment, like stereos in their original boxes. Otherwise use bubble wrap when packing these items.
17. Start packing items you will not need ahead of time.
18. Pack a box of essential items that you will need immediately after the move and make sure it’s the last thing added to the truck.
19. Always pack and unpack breakables over a padded surface.

We know moving anything, anywhere involves a lot of things to think about. Use these packing tips to help your move become just a little less stressful.