Whether you’re hiring international moving assistance or not, packing for the big move is an important phase in your relocation that you can’t simply undertake without a few cautions or guidelines. Getting organized at the preparatory stage of the move would result in an easier and quicker task for your Palm Desert movers and a more stress-free transition for you and your family. So here are seven practical tips to preparing your belongings for transport, be it moving or residential storage.
1. Make lists and an inventory.
Make a carefully planned schedule of your tasks leading up to moving day and list down the things you need to do. From the items you need to take care of in advance, like canceling your subscriptions, last minute details, like cleaning the house before you leave, this little schedule makes sure you don’t forget anything.
Don’t just pack your stuff in boxes and label them. Make an inventory by assigning a number to a box and listing down the items it should contain, so you know everything is accounted for. Remember to pack items that should go together (books and book ends, electronics with their extension cords, etc.), so you don’t have to run around looking for stuff when you unpack and re-assemble them.
2. Have plenty of necessary supplies.
It’s better to have a lot of packing supplies than run short and end up overloading your boxes. When you’re buying supplies from a local or international moving company, ask if they offer a refund for unused items. That way, you can feel secure about having all the boxes, tape, and bubble wrap that you need, as you can return the extra ones anyway.
3. Match labels with designations.
When labeling your boxes, remember to place a description as well, especially if the contents are fragile material. If you’re paying the movers by the hour, make it a faster job for them by designating the room number on the box and placing signs on every room door corresponding to that room. To avoid having your boxes just randomly placed anywhere in a given room, put up a sign in one corner of each room, like “place boxes here, please”, for a more organized unpacking.
4. Maximize use of boxes.
To avoid damage incurred when baubles and items move around, make sure to box items without leaving unnecessary spaces for them to move around during transport. That’s not to say you should fill up the entire box, regardless of content. Remember to consider packing light items in a large box and heavier ones in a smaller box. This will make each box easier to carry and avoid incidents where heavy items just fall out and break the box. Maximizing the use of your boxes also helps save space when you’re setting some fixtures for residential storage.
5. Pack least-used items ahead.
When you have too much stuff lying around, the ideal way to move them would be packing the items you would not be using any time soon. You can also consult your Palm Desert movers about moving some items ahead of schedule so you have lesser stuff deal with on moving day. This would also be the ideal time to sort out items you’ll still need in the future, items that could go to storage, or items that may be sold or donated.
6. Keep valuables with you.
It’s far better to keep your most valuable items with you during transport. But if your vehicle doesn’t have the space for them, don’t forget to check your insurance coverage and see what precautions you need to make before having them sent out along with the other boxes.
7. Have personal go-to boxes.
Moving day can be difficult, especially during the first day in your new home. Make sure you and every person in your household have a designated personal box with important items you’ll need immediately once you reach your destination. These may include blankets, chargers, nightlights, flashlights, among others.