You have made the decision to move but you do not know where to start? Should you pack your living room first? Should you declutter the kitchen or pantry? There are so many tasks, associated with moving that it can become difficult to move efficiently. This issue persists whether you are moving out of an apartment or out of a home that you have put up for sale. Not only do you have to pack all your belongings and get them safety to your new place, but you also have to make sure that you disconnect your utilities and reconnect them at your new place. Furthermore, you have to change your address with the post office and with all your accounts, as well as update your driver’s license with your new address.

Those are just a few things you have to worry about, but the list does not end there. Sure, you could hire a moving company and have them do all the packing and loading, but then you have to worry about damage and missing valuables. Not to mention, the cost associated with hiring a moving company. If you can afford it and want to take that route there is nothing wrong with that. However, if you are moving with your family and have little ones, then my approach could save you on time and headaches. I have written this article and created a moving and supply check list in hopes that it will be of assistance with your move. This list is something that my husband and I have used during our move.

When should you start packing?

You will want to start going through your stuff and decluttering at least one month before the moving date. If you know your moving date three months ahead, that would be even better to start the decluttering process. The decluttering process is important because it ensures you are not dragging junk to your new place. Packing itself you will not be able to start until about two to three weeks before moving date just because you may still be using a lot of your things.

What should you do before packing?

It is best to start decluttering storage areas first, such as the pantry, linen closet, garage, and any other areas where you may keep things stored. Next, I would recommend sorting the kitchen, living room, and office area, just in that order. Lastly, you will attack your closet and de-clutter your clothes. You may wonder why I started with storage areas such as linen closet and not with your closet. That is because you will want to gain momentum and if you start going through your clothes first, it may take you longer. For me it was difficult to separate myself from some of my clothes, which led to me to trying on clothes in order to talk myself into keeping them. This type of situation could discourage you and slow your de-cluttering process down. Finally, after you have decluttered, you will want to purchase packing supplies.

What packing supplies will you need?

I would recommend bankers boxes for your books, office supplies, DVDs, photo albums, desk frames and so on. When it comes to your pantry, and dishes, those could also go in bankers boxes. On the other hand, to pack your pillows and comforters, you will need larger moving boxes. Also, do not forget the cushioning foam or bubble wrap to protect your dishes. Additionally, you will need to decide whether you are bringing your TV and order TV boxes as well as mattress covers. Those TV boxes you may also be able to use for your wall art.

When it comes to your clothes, large moving bags with zippers will do the job. In fact, that is how we transported all our clothes during our move. We did not even take things off hangers. Instead, we folded the clothes over once and placed them in the moving bag. Finally, you will need some packing tape, box cutter, markers, labels, and some blankets to protect your furniture. You will want to protect your furniture in the moving truck or PODS from being scratched up. And of course, labeling all your boxes will be very helpful during the unpacking process.

What should you pack first?

The items that should be packed first are items that are not in use. With that being said, start with your storage areas such as your garage and linen closet. Next, pack your books, photo albums, picture frames and other items you will not miss. Thereafter, you will want to attack your living room. Once the living room has been situated, you will work on packing your kitchen. Some may disagree with this but in my opinion, the kitchen should be packed away before the bedrooms. Trust me, you will not want to cook during your moving period. This is a good time to order in or pick up some food. Then, you will work on packing your clothes.

Things to bring in your vehicle

Before you begin to pack your clothes, put together a few outfits that you will resort to wearing during the move and while you are getting situated in your new place. These clothes you will want to pack in a separate bag such as a suitcase that goes in the car with you. Some other things you will want in the car with you during the move are valuables, such as jewelry, watches, iPads, and laptops.

For the ladies, do yourself a huge favor and bring all your cosmetics in the car. You will thank me later, as placing your precious face creams and lotions with everything else will cause chaos. For one, you may not be able to locate them with many of your other boxes. Secondly, PODS and moving tucks are not climate controlled, so your cosmetic items may go bad during the transport. Lastly, you will start loading the furniture in the same order that you did your packing in. Your bedroom furniture and toiletries should go last.

Final Steps

Once everything is packed up, you may want to do a final scan of your place to ensure that you got everything. You may also want to do a little cleaning, especially if you are selling the home. Furthermore, you will want to make sure you schedule to turn on your utilities at your new place and to shut them off at your old place. Most importantly, change your address for all your accounts, such as banks and credit cards. You should also update the post office with your new address so that they may forward any mail that could be already in route. Additionally, you will need to go to the DMV and obtain a driver’s license with the new information.

There you have it, your guide for an efficient move. I have created a list below in the order I feel that you should follow. Hopefully, my guide is of help to you during your next move. I will be publishing my guide to unpacking and settling into your new home, so come back soon to check it out.

Moving Guide Check List

• Set a moving date
• Declutter
• Purchase packing supplies
• Pack and label
• Schedule to turn off utilities in your old place
• Schedule to turn on utilities in your new place
• Change your address with post office
• Change your address on all of your accounts
• Load furniture and all your belongings
• Arrive at new place and unpack.
• Update the address on your driver’s license

Packing Supply Check List

• Bankers boxes (to pack books, dishes, and heavier items)
• Large moving boxes (to pack pillows and blankets)
• TV Boxes (to pack TVs and wall art)
• Cushioning foam or bubble wrap (to wrap dishes and decor)
• Large moving bags with zippers (to pack clothes)
• Mattress covers
• Packing tape
• Box cutter
• Markers
• Labels
• Blankets (to protect furniture)

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