I have to be straightforward before I share my tips on packing up. Although, I’ve definitely learned some tips and tricks about packing over the years, it’s something that I’ve really struggled with in the past.
I remember the first time Nick and I had to pack up our stuff out of our first apartment in Provo, UT to move to Amarillo, TX in April 2014, we were a hot mess. We delayed all of our packing to the very last minute because of how stressed we were with finals and life. My Mom and brother showed up to help us move our boxes into the truck and found a bunch of empty boxes, and unpacked things. We had a plane to catch in just a few hours and we were pretty in over our heads.
Even now, packing is not my favorite thing to do, but don’t let that scare you off too much. I do have some tips for you and I have done a lot of research over the years. I have had to “pack up” 14 times in the last 5 years after all, with all of our moves. Here are my favorite tips for packing up and moving day:
On big/traditional moves:
“Move in Day” kit: One thing I’ve learned from all of our moves, is the importance of having a few important things gathered together for use the second you move in. For me, these are: toilet paper, hand soap, hand towel, lysol wipes, snacks, water bottles, etc.
Label boxes with rooms on them: While you are packing up your things, be sure to label the boxes on the side with what room they will need to go into. Do this before you close the box, so you can make sure the right stuff is going to the right place. This way, when your moving crew is helping move boxes into your home, they know just where to put things, and it will make your life so much easier in unpacking.
Enlist lots of help and thank them with food!: Speaking of a moving crew, this is so key! Enlist lots of help with your move, whether that be friends, people from your church, relatives, etc. Plan it ahead of time, so that you know you can rely on people. Have water bottles and some sort of easy food, like pizza, to say thank you after the move is finished.
Leave kids with friend/neighbor: This isn’t actually something I’ve ever done, but I just saw a friend do this during her move and I thought it was genius. Leave the kids somewhere we’re they will have fun! And somewhere that will allow you to get some work done. Moving isn’t fun for kids, so finding a better place for them to be will help ease everyone’s stress levels.
On temporary moves (aka, when you leave most of your stuff at home, and just take limited things to a new space):
-do a deep clean leading up to when you leave. I’ve been loving the concept of minimalism, and doing a deep purge of our house this year before we left to Texas, made me feel so much lighter and happier. Also, I know when we get home we will feel refreshed coming back to a place not cluttered with stuff.
-Try to leave the house as clean as possible. Sweep up last minute crumbs, and wipe down counters. This way you’ll have a beautiful, and clean space to come home too (and not one with bugs that were lured in with crumbs on the ground). I know this one can be tricky, because moving is so stressful the day of, but this makes a world of difference for me.
-I mentioned the “Move in day” kit earlier in the post, under the “big moves” section, but it completely applies here too. There is nothing worse than not having toilet paper when you really need to use the restroom after a big move. This year we brought: toilet paper, soap, hand towel, snacks, water bottles, breakfast for the next morning, a change of clothes for us and the kids, toothbrushes, and bedding. This was super helpful, because when we arrived in Texas we were able to sleep and not have to worry about running to the store, or searching for our stuff.
And a final tip…
Know, and expect that things will be stressful, and accept that that’s ok! Moving can be crazy, stressful, chaotic, and emotional; be patient with yourself and those around you. Give it a few days, and everyone and everything will start to become a little more normal.
Do you have any tips on packing up and the moving day??