Did you know that young adults in their 20s move the most frequently? No matter how old you are, packing a home is a stressful and intense job. Knowing how to pack for moving can help you keep your valuables self.

If you’re concerned about your fragile items during your long-distance move, we’re here to help. Read on for a quick guide on how to pack for your long-distance move.

First Steps

Your packing doesn’t begin the first day you start putting things in boxes. There are steps you should take beforehand to settle everything correctly.

By preparing early, you can head off any problems that may appear in the future. If you’re not moving far, these problems aren’t terrible. You can often drive back to your previous home to fix or adjust any issues.

But in a long-distance move, you rarely have such an option. You’ll usually have a schedule to keep and exact things you need to do. Because of this, preparation is a crucial stage.

You cannot complete a long-distance move on a whim. Consider these following steps as good ideas of where to start your preparation.

Consolidate

One of the first steps you should take is to consolidate your belongings. Your home likely isn’t organized into exact boxes and categories. How can you start packing clothing if it’s all in different areas?

Additionally, you should take this time to get rid of anything you don’t need. Trimming down how much you’re packing can make your move much easier.

If you’re using moving services, it’s often best to have as little as possible. Some moving services charge by the box, while others charge per truck. Others may not be willing to move too much stuff!

Plan Ahead and Keep a Schedule

Another crucial step is to make a plan of when and where everything needs to be done.

Moving is a hectic process. Between renting moving vehicles, contacting moving teams, organizing your belongings, and everything else, it’s difficult to handle it all.

A great way to make everything more manageable is to schedule it. You should keep a planner of what needs doing and when.

For example, you may reserve packing books for the morning and pack clothing for the afternoon. You may also schedule whom you need to call and when.

By having a schedule, you have a loose guideline of what you need to do at any moment. When you’re overwhelmed, having a sense of direction is invaluable.

Unfortunately, the best-laid plans are often torn apart by a single inconvenience. You shouldn’t make your schedule too rigid.

If your schedule is set in stone or has no wiggle room, minor delays become a domino effect. Leave room in your day to get your work done comfortably. A great way to ensure you have enough time is to start earlier than planned.

Use Packing Boxes

There are many methods for packing a home. If you’re looking to understand how to pack for moving, you should start with packing boxes. But what are packing boxes?

Packing boxes are boxes made specifically for moving belongings. These boxes are spacy, have average dimensions, and are often easy to find.

You can find packing boxes online or from a local moving store. If you’re using moving services, they may bring their own.

Some packing boxes are also specially made to move fragile items. These boxes are sometimes padded or otherwise made to keep your belongings safe.

If you don’t want to use specialty boxes, consider saving up boxes from other sources. Ordering a package, buying a boxed item, or even dumpster diving are great ways to find boxes!

Have the Right Tools

Finally, you should ensure you have the right tools. Nothing is more frustrating than sitting down to begin packaging only to realize you have no tape.

Make a list of what tools and equipment you expect to need. It isn’t necessary to include boxes or vehicles in this step! Still, if you want to include them in your organizational style, feel free.

A list of common tools would consist of:

• Packing tape
• Labels
• Permanent markers for labeling
• Colored markers for organizing and color-coding
• Scissors or razor knives for cutting tape or boxes

If you’re transferring fragile items, you’ll want equipment to keep them safe. Consider items like bubble wrap or similar products that you may prefer. These products are crucial for stopping fragile or valuable items from being damaged.

Packing

Now that you know a few tips for staying organized, we can look at the packing process.

Packing isn’t the same for everyone. While there are some general tips, you may have a system that works best for you.

For example, some prefer to pack everything into as few boxes as possible. While this can lead to disorganization, it makes packing and unpacking easier. Simply throwing everything into a box and organizing it in your new home is a choice for you to make.

As such, you shouldn’t take these tips as a core guide on the only way to pack. Take these as suggestions for your packing!

Clearly Label Boxes

One extremely helpful tip for your organization is to label your boxes clearly. Labelling boxes on the outside will help streamline your organization when they’re being loaded. You can easily arrange all your clothes into one area if you know each box is a clothing box.

You also should label your valuables and boldly mark any fragile belongings. Doing so can help you remember which boxes require extra care. Moving services will also benefit from knowing which boxes need careful handling.

Consider using labels or colour coding. If you write directly on the box with a permanent marker, the label will always stay. As a result, you have pros and cons.

A permanently-labelled box is easier to use for future packing. However, the box will always have that label, which may confuse others if the contents are mixed up.

Organize

It goes without saying that the best way to pack is to organize your belongings. But there’s more to organizing than labelling boxes!

If you’re using one truck, you should organize the order in which you pack things. Put larger or sturdier objects toward the back. Fill in with lighter, easier-to-carry boxes.

Fragile items should have their own area so they don’t break bumping against your kitchenware. If you’re using multiple trucks, you may consider organizing the trucks by contents. One truck that has all of your furniture makes packing the others easier, for example.

Using this method will also make unpacking easier. You’ll have a better time finding what room each box or item goes into. As a result, the eventual process of unpacking the boxes will go smoother.

Over Prepare

When it comes to a long-distance move, there’s no such thing as over-preparation. A small inconvenience in these situations can become disastrous. 

You should consider obtaining more materials than you need. You can return extra materials or save them for when you may need them next.

Another good idea is to have everything necessary in case something happens to the truck. What do you do if your moving truck’s tire blows out halfway to your destination? Foreseeing such an event can turn the disaster into a quickly solved hassle.

Not preparing for issues can make everything much more intense if push comes to shove. Do your best to prepare for any possibility. When disaster strikes during a long-distance move, you’ll be happy you did.

Mix Items When Necessary

Finally, you should mix items when necessary for your boxes. Doing so can help your contents stay safe.

Did you run out of bubble wrap for your computer parts? Consider placing them in the boxes that have clothes, blankets, or sheets. These soft items will cushion and protect them during transit.

Think of what items can safely interact during a trip. Additionally, look at things that should never be mixed! Putting your precious family photo album in a box full of sharp metal cutlery can ruin your items.