Obviously most aspects of moving are not fun at ALL - at least not until you’re in the new space and get to settle in and really make it your own. But packing honestly feels the most tedious of all - and requires so much thought and can lead to serious decision fatigue. Should you put all the bathroom stuff in one box, or pack based on categories in each room? What about the small stuff? What about the big stuff? It’s just a lot.
Well, these tips are intended to help you feel like you got a lot done without a lot of thought or effort. These are also great steps if you’re putting your house on the market and need to start pre-packing.
1. Pack Books
An empty bookcase will make you feel like there’s nothing left to do, the satisfaction after packing up books is so great. And a great thing about the Elephant Trunk moving boxes is that they don’t have to be taped closed, so if you packed something into a container that you didn’t mean to pack, or you made the box too heavy, you can easily pull it out and reorganize!
If you have an organizing system for your books, be sure to reference it somehow on the label. Whether you label by genre or label by what the bookcase looks like. Streamline your unpacking and do your future self a favor by specifying what needs to go where.
If an empty bookcase doesn’t feel like a HUGE win, well then just go to the next tip!
2. Pack Half of your Clothes (At Least)
If you’re selling your home & your Realtor didn’t tell you this before listing… well now I am telling you! Pack all your out-of-season clothes, special occasion clothes, “goal” clothes (we all have them), and maybe take this opportunity to clear out clothes you haven’t worn in a long time! Large Elephant Trunk packing boxes are perfect for clothes because they won’t get too heavy to carry if you’re moving yourself.
Vacuum bags are also a great option, especially for storing out of season clothes after the move!
This also goes for shoes, coats, accessories, anything that you’re not wearing between now and after your move you probably do not need to take up space in your closet anymore! And if you’re listing your house the added bonus is that it shows way better to potential buyers with less stuff clogging the space.
3. Pack Your Linen Closet
Extra towels, extra sheets, extra comforters, the keyword here is EXTRA. You do not need those things at this time when you are getting ready to move! You may have to do a little more laundry, but have way less stuff to pack in the future!
4. Pack Special Occasion Items
Just like how you don’t need any special occasion clothes hanging in your closet, you don’t need any special occasion serving dishes or holiday decor taking up space in your kitchen or storage closet or attic!
Now is a great time to pack your china cabinet, maybe leave the display items out (minimize wherever possible), but you can pack all the extra dishes, serving bowls, steak knives, and anything in the drawers and cabinets. We provide a great wrap to protect your dishes, as well as a quilted glassware storage case, and you can use newspaper in your recycle bin if you have any!
Any wreaths that are not in use, seasonal decorations, and anything you don’t plan to use in the next month or so while moving can definitely be packed up first.
Those are our top tips for packing that will give you some instant gratification - just a little dose of serotonin in a process that is not easy on anyone. Although, something that makes all moving experiences easier is Elephant Trunk! Be sure to check out our rentable moving boxes that can be delivered right to your door, that don’t require assembly, and make pre-packing a little less committal. Click here to take a look at our products and prices! And don’t forget to check out our reviews if you’re not totally sold!