7 Tips for Packing to Move Quickly
Did you know that moving is considered one of the most stressful life events? To understand the magnitude of how stressful it is, it’s more traumatic than divorce.
Moving is one of those processes rife with details, and you know what they say: The devil is in the details. In general, most people start packing three to four weeks in advance, but when you have to pack at the last minute, things can get complicated, fast.
If you’re figuring out a way around this, we have some excellent tips for packing to move quickly.
1. Sort the Logistics First
The thought of packing everything at such a short time can easily overwhelm you, and you may feel paralyzed by how much you need to get done. Before anything else, figure out how you’re going to move and make plans. It could be through a rented truck or hiring a moving company.
This highly depends on your decision to move yourself or hire professional help. If you decide to hire professional movers, then do your research to find the best one so that when you start packing, you won’t have to look for a moving company at the last minute.
Get quotes from at least three companies and compare what they have to offer before you come to a decision.
2. Have a Packing Plan
To avoid getting stressed during the move, having a packing plan can go a long way. Most people have no idea how to pack for a move, which is why they easily get overwhelmed. One of the best tips for packing to move quickly is starting with the things you use the least.
Lighter stuff should always go into larger boxes while heavy stuff goes into small ones. Pack essentials like a change of clothes, medications, toiletries, and chargers in a separate bag that you can take with you in the car instead of having everything in the truck.
3. Sort Through Your Stuff
When you have to move fast, the less you have to pack, the easier things will be and the faster the process. Go from room to room and sort through all your stuff, separating the things you need and things to get rid of. At this point, you should be more practical than sentimental.
Moving is one of the best times to sort things out and find the things you’ve been hoarding, but not really using. Having a hurried move means that you have an incentive to travel lightly, so give out more of the stuff you don’t need.
The idea of packing up everything to sort out later once you move may cross your mind, but this is not the best idea, so resist it.
4. Start Packing and Sort Later
When trying to pack fast to move quickly, you need to stop thinking about it and start doing it. The most significant goal here is to get all your stuff to your new home intact, and if you don’t have enough time to keep an itemized list, then that’s okay.
If you were not in a hurry, you would pack similar items together and have themes for all your boxes. This is not the case though, so right now, just pack and sort things out when you get to your new home. As long as whatever you pack together is safe in the box and you label boxes containing fragile items, then it’s all good.
5. Pack Clothes as They Are
Packing clothes as they are is one of the best tips for packing to move quickly. Don’t remove clothes from their hangers. Instead, just wrap them with a garbage bag as they are and tie something around the hangers. Use some of your soft items like towels or robes to wrap fragile and breakable items and prevent breakage.
You don’t have to worry about packing supplies at this point because you want to get as much done as possible within the shortest time.
6. Get Help
To eliminate the trauma that comes with moving, ask for help from family, friends, or colleagues. Put on some music and make it a happy moment where you catch up as you pack together.
Having one or more people helping out will allow you to stay on schedule. You can have someone help you pack while another drops off donations.
Of course, showing appreciation is essential, and you can do this by ordering a meal for everyone.
7. Allow the Movers to Do Some of the Work
If you settle on hiring a professional moving company (which is a great idea since you want to get things done as soon as possible), you can allow the movers to do some of the work. You may end up paying extra, but it’s so much better than stressing yourself out and depriving yourself of sleep just to pack everything in time.
Beyond this, you may want to consider hiring a cleaning company to help you with the cleaning once you move out. Cleaning may be necessary as per your lease, but you may not have enough time to do it.
Research a professional cleaning company in your area. They can get it done while you’re still packing or after you move if that’s possible.
Top Tips for Packing to Move Quickly
Moving in a short time is not easy, but it’s most certainly not impossible. Your focus should be on getting things done, but this does not mean neglecting yourself. You should eat, hydrate, and sleep well to avoid exhausting yourself even before the moving date.
Now that you have tips for packing to move quickly, do your due diligence when looking for a moving company. Ensure you understand their quote, especially if you plan to leave some packing for them.
If you need a moving company that can also do the cleaning for you, then reach out to us for a quote, and we’ll be sure to help you move out as soon as you’d like. You may also check out our website for more moving tips.