Pack Like A Pro
Moving, which is like getting a tooth pulled or driving a long distance with a small child asking, “are we there yet”- is something that all people must face. It is sometimes unpleasant, never any fun, but usually leads to a positive outcome. Naturally, with moving, the success of the endeavor, really depends on avoiding moving mistakes and planning ahead to make the moving process as smooth as possible!
Luckily, because moving is something that everyone must do at one point in their life, there are some tried- and- true moving tips out there that can make the whole moving process feel like a complete and total breeze. I personally am going to focus on packing, with a touch of having a good attitude through the process. I feel like packing is my strong suit and having a good attitude is KC’s because I am often so anxious I can't even think straight. We are all good at something!
I understand that everyone may have their own unique set of challenges such as, heirloom furniture, wedding china, small children, etc. What I have crafted up here is the basics and how to get you to go from one place to the other without feeling like you are living in a barren cave and getting to love your current home situation for as long as you can.
BOXES OR PLASTIC STORAGE BINS?
This is probably one of the biggest questions I get about packing! I am personally a huge fan of the plastic bins, or tucker totes as my parents used to call them because they are usable after the fact. You can store clothes in them after you move, kids toys, holiday decorations or literally anything in the world. They are so practical and are often not that expensive. I personally feel like they make my life a lot easier because they are also easier to lift and you can fit a lot in them but still feel secure about it. The worst thing is when you have a box and it breaks on you and everything falls apart.
Most of the time, especially if you are moving to an apartment, there is not that much storage available! Trust me, the current apartment we are living in only has 1 mini storage client (NO GOOD!) With this being the situation for most people, using boxes is totally fine, but make sure that you are using good ones and ones that are the right size for you. The reason why I like boxes sometimes is because you can fold them down flat and then use them again when I move again. This is perfect for if you are moving into a smaller space that will not have lots of storage. For me personally, I like using smaller or medium size boxes to pack most things that are small and heavy like chotskies and cups and glasses and then I like to use the plastic bins for some larger stuff. Another way to pack is in large reusable bags like the ones from Trader Joes, Marshalls and even Michaels. These can be perfect for art supplies, food, desk items, etc. Whatever you use, just make sure that you label everything!
WHAT TO PACK WHEN
I am a big fan of starting to pack as early as possible. I have been in quite a few situations where we only have one month to leave our apartment and get everything we own into boxes and bins and it has made me feel the worst because I was just so anxious and I could not have a good attitude because I was so overwhelmed by the process. It did help me because I was able to come up with the best packing list that works for me. I always like to start with the things that I can live without, this involves cook wear in my kitchen and bathroom supplies that we have saved for future use. During this time is often when I go through all my possessions and see what I really need vs. what I just like to keep for “just in case.” It also helps me to remove as much clutter as possible, that way I am not packing the clutter I am getting rid of the clutter. So before you pack a box get a garbage bag and throw some stuff away!
MOVERS?
All I can say is, get them. You will not regret it. They can be expensive at times, but they are totally worth it. There is no pulling your back out or trying to get that 700 pound armoirie down the stairs. They will do it all for you. Heck, they will take a part of your bed frame and put it back together for you in the new space. 100% worth it.
If you are planning to get movers, I say that you book as early as possible. Sometimes, even on the off season of moving, there are still lots of people moving and dates sell out quickly. If you know you are moving, make sure to get movers.
ONE MONTH/ 3 WEEKS BEFORE MOVE
I often pack my desk and my art supplies first. I know that this is a wild concept because I still need to be crafting to help decompress from the move but I have so many art supplies and I need to go through them before I move to make sure that I still even use them. I would not make sense to move with art supplies that I never used in the first place. I often donate these to second hand art stores too, such a great thing! I also have a desk that I never really sit at and it just collects *things* so it is important for me to rid all of that. Let’s be real, I often keep one project with me- like yarn for a crochet project or fabric for sewing.
Next I pack up all of my book shelves. I have a lot of books and so I like to get that out of the way to get them all packed up and ready to go. Some DVDs (yes I still have them) and some wall items get packed at this time too. Sometimes I throw a lamp in there as well.
Then I move to the bathroom and the kitchen packing the non essentials like the shampoo and deodorant that I stock up on (thanks dad) and things in the kitchen like the pasta maker and mandolin that I do not often use. I also like to pack some of the glasses that we do not use and some dry items in the cabinets. This also allows me to go through some of the stuff that we have in the kitchen that we hardly use and see if it is truly necessary to keep or something taking up space.
Next, shoes and coats. This is a big one as between the two of us we have A LOT of shoes and probably more coats than 1 person needs. I often forget about all the shoes and the coats that we have accumulated over time and so I go through them and put them aside. I know of a few local places that take donation coats and shoes for low income families and so I often bag the stuff up and drop it off to them. This helps me to know that all of my stuff could get put to good use. Leave at least 1 pair of shoes that you like and 1 pair of work shoes that way you are not without and 1 coat!
I then move on to my closet and clothes that I do not often wear. This is most of my tee shirts and sweaters (if it is warmer out) and summer clothes (if it is cold out). I keep a lot of clothes in storage and therefore it is easier to move when I have to because everything is basically ready to go. I often do not go through my clothes at this time. I am someone who goes through my clothes pretty often and so when I am moving I know that I am only moving with what I love and plan to wear for the next few months. I also do not pack all of my clothes at this time, just the storage/ not often worn clothes like pajamas tee shirts (which I have 10000)
2 WEEKS BEFORE MOVE
This is when I start to move some chotskies, pillows, extra blankets, electronics and some of the walls. It is best during this time to basically pack everything that is non essential that way the last week is just full of the essentials.
I start with the pillows and extra blankets. I am a pillow hoarder and it is quite a problem. I have so many I even have one that hangs up on the wall in our home! It is wild, and we are not using them all every day so I pack them right up. I go through them a bit as well and try to make sure that I am only taking pillows that we actually use as well as blankets. We have a storage ottoman which holds a solid amount of blankets, that we often do not use because we each have our favorite blanket and really only use those. So I go through those as well and make sure that I can donate as much as possible.
I next pack up the electronics- except for the TV. We have records, cassette, 8 tracks, you name it when it comes to music we have it! All of this stuff is basically in its own container so we are confident in packing all of this stuff because it is easy to move. This is often what we move in our own car as well because we trust no one with all of our music equipment because some of it is vintage.
Then I attack the chotskies which is often very hard for me because that is when it really sets in for me that we are moving. This is a time that you want to make sure that you have bubble wrap and you are wrapping items that you are feeling deeply connected to. Try not to shove these chotskies into boxes and give each of them the space. The worst thing ever is if you pack all of these things very tightly and they break before you get there. I know some people go through their chotskies, but I keep all of mine because each of them for me is important to me.
Lastly, as close to the end of week two that I can I start taking the stuff down off the walls. This is often when my attitude shifts because things start to feel VERY real. I often take down things in my art space, then the hallway, kitchen, bathroom and then the bedroom and living. I feel like the bedroom and living room have to be last spaces because we spend the most time in them and we do not want to feel like we are living in the barren waste land that is living in a home with nothing on the walls. The only thing is, is that I have A LOT of stuff on the walls. Every inch of space is covered, so it is important that I get a solid start on taking this stuff down.
THE WEEK BEFORE
This is when you will start to pack the essentials, everything but the clothes you are going to wear when you move, very minimal kitchen items (keep it paper and plastic if you can) and the sheets on your bed. This is also the time when you start calling you gas, electric, internet and the post office to change your address and services.
Start with calling you services and canceling/ changing the address. To be honest, they have made this incredibly easy and most of the time you do not even have to talk to someone. Everything is done with the click of a few buttons and it takes literally no time! The only thing I had to call was the gas- which I think makes the most sense.
Next, I like to put black garbage bags over my hanging clothes in my closet so they are easier to grab and go. You can also zip tie the hangers together in groups but make sure to be zip tying the hanger body and not the hanger hook! This should be your whole closet being packed! Just make sure that you have one outfit ready to go for the move day- make sure it is completely comfortable. I personally like leggings and a tee shirt but I have moved in jeans before- just was not super fun.
Next, the rest of the kitchen and the bathroom. I like to just pack it all up and leave like the things that we will need in the morning. AKA toothbrushes, toilet paper, paper goods in the kitchen. The rest should be packed. All your plates, cups, toaster, microwave, shampoo, conditioner. It will all be in boxes at this point. That's when it becomes very real!
Lastly, on the morning of. You should take your bedding and put it in a few bags that you will move yourself in your car. Grab your tooth brush and throw away your last bag of garbage outside. I also like to take the laundry basket in my car just in case there is some laundry in there! Make sure that you sweep the house before you go and leave the apartment in a clean position.
HAVING A GOOD ATTITUDE!
This is the place where KC really shines. Even though I have moved over 10 times I still get so overwhelmed, upset and anxious during the moving process. A lot of it comes from the fact that I truly am never ready to leave a space that I have made feel like home and I secretly really hate moving. I never feel like I have had enough time to process and that I have closure from the space. I think it is also a result of apartment living. We have moved a lot recently and it is not what we ever really wanted. We are hoping this is our last move until it is time for a house.
Having KC to make sure that I am laughing a lot and having a good time through the process helps me a lot. It makes me realize that having this much stress is not fun and actually putting a damper on the whole situation of moving. Having a good attitude during the moving process is really so important because it prepares you to be excited for the new space. It makes the whole packing situation perfectly fine and awesome. It allows for there to be less obsessive thoughts about the “what if” and to help you live in the moment. One thing that has helped me, is that when I start to get overwhelmed about things I want to buy or how I am going to make it all work, I just take a step back and repeat to myself “It is going to be okay!” I also have KC tell me “10” if I start getting a bit one track mind about the apartment.
ALL PACKED UP AND MOVED!
That is what it takes to make sure that you are packing like a pro! Don’t sweat it if your schedule looks different, we all work differently but this is something that has worked very well for us and we always feel ready and packed for when the movers come and we have to unpack everything in the new space. These steps could help you to navigate through all of the emotions and challenges that come from moving. It makes you feel more ready to go and more excited to get into your new space.