Packing Tips

How to Pack Efficiently Room by Room

Ah, packing. The most dreaded part of moving. So much so, that many people wait until the last possible moment to pack and forget items or don’t pack them safely in a hurried rush. However, if you start well enough in advance (at least a week or more before moving) and follow these packing tips, packing will be less of a stress and more of a breeze.

Starting to Pack

To begin, pack the rooms you use the least first such as guest rooms, basement storage, etc. Then make your way up to rooms that see the most use including bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. Label each box you pack with the name of the room and the general items inside so that boxes stay organized when unloading. You may also want to create an inventory of all items, noting their general condition to check that all items are accounted for upon arrival.

Packing a Living Room

A few tips for packing up your living room:

Take out lightbulbs from any standing lamps you are moving. Lampshades should also be removed while the base of the lamps can be moved in bubble wrap.
When moving TVs and other electronics, take pictures or label with masking tape which wires go where so there’s no confusion installing the item at your new home.
Be sure to also pack up any electronics surrounding by bubble wrap or packing peanuts that won’t conduct static electricity.
Any valuable heirlooms or keepsakes should be transported in your personal vehicle if you’re concerned about them getting damaged.

Packing a Kitchen

For packing dishes, appliances, and other kitchen items remember:

Packing paper will be best for protecting small, fragile items including dishes. That way, more belongings can fit inside a box. For larger appliances that no longer have their original boxes, use bubble wrap.
To keep appliance cords together, place them in a plastic bag, and attach them to or place them inside the appliance.
When marking boxes, write “Fragile” clear enough for you or professional movers to see which boxes should be handled with more care.
Another layer of protection for dishes could be makeshift bumpers made out of kitchen towels or rags rolled up on the bottom and top of boxes. Or specific dish-packing kits keep items separated and well-insulated.

Packing Bedrooms

When it comes to packing up bedrooms:

Keep clothes together in the way you would like to unload them at your new home. Cardboard wardrobe boxes let you keep clothes on hangers for an even easier transition!
Remove items from dressers and seal drawers shut with painter’s tape to avoid ruining the surface of the dresser.
To keep jewelry from getting tangled or lost, pass necklaces through toilet paper rolls and attach earrings onto spare buttons before placing them inside a bag or container.
Again, pack by room rather than by item to easily unload sheets, blankets, pillows, curtains, and other items in the bedroom of your choice.

A Final Reminder

Remember to keep a box or bag with the bare essentials that you’ll need right when you move in. That could be a change of clothes, bathroom toiletries, a flashlight, a tool kit, wifi router, etc. These should be the last things you pack and the first you unload upon arrival! Keep the box separate from all other items to be packed in the moving truck so it’s not lost in the mix.

Professional Packing Company in St. George, UT

While all these tips can make the packing process more manageable, the solution that will cause the least amount of stress will be to hire a professional packing company. Packers and movers at Dixie Moving & Storage know how best to arrange and organize items so as to decrease the amount of stress on moving day. Contact us to help with your next local or long-distance move!