When i move, I pack my clothes in large garbage lawn-leaf plastic bags. Don't even take them off the hangers!

If your kitchen drawers are organized, I'd pack the different types of items in them in large ziploc bags. No point in throwing everything into a box and having to resort again.

Jannie, I've done that too. It made moving clothes so much easier.

Sort, sort and re-sort! Send things to charity!

Pack "categories" -- example: find and fold all of your tablecloths together. Do the same thing for napkins, towels etc. THEN start the packing -- larger heavier items on the bottom -- and slide in smaller ones as you reach the top.

LABEL boxes on all sides -- location, location, location! LOL!

YES -- do create your "TO GO" boxes -- with things that you'll need right away.

For example: Toilet paper, Paper towels, bed linens, soap (dish, dishwasher and hand), lightbulbs, LAMPS (VERY handy!!!) flashlights, clock-radio-CD player, scissors, air freshener -- like Febreeze, band-aids, aspirins etc.

ALSO: Tools like a hammer, screwdriver, allen key ((all tools to put together things like beds and tables etc.)) Make sure that you have all of your cell phone chargers at hand too!

ALSO: Keep a box separate for "screws, bolts that come from things that you need to take apart" -- Grab each item and stash in a separate Ziploc bag -- and mark with marker "Dining Room Table" -- then take each of these vital bags and put into a plastic box --- mark the box "TO GO -- PUT TOGETHER" Guard this box!! Saves LOTS of time, trouble and tears!

Do you need to wipe down drawers or cupboards at the new place BEFORE you can unpack? Make sure that you keep a big spray bottle of cleaner and paper towels at hand. And -- if necessary -- fresh rolls of drawer liners.

Just some thoughts -- from YEARS of moving -- and trading horror stories with other people over pizza and cheap wine -- by flashlights and surrounded by boxes and bags! LOL!!

try to get lots of same-size boxes; it'll make stacking them easier.

If you know anyone who works at a retail store, sometimes they get lots of similar-size boxes.

Ask folks who work in office buildings, too, though--I do, and we toss a ton of boxes.

Packing dishware: stand plates on edge (bubblewrap underneath) instead of stacking. Get those rolls of plastic wrap from the office supply store, and wrap one plate 3x, then add a plate on top and keep wrapping, etc; the tautly pulled plastic will serve as a cushion.

Those rolls of plastic wrap will also help to secure stuff like teapots.

And definitely, don't put anything off!

Also, packpackpackpack. Do not do anything else, especially don't move stuff over to the new place early. It is SO inefficient, esp. if you do it in small loads. I helped friends move who had spent the month packing a few boxes, moving them to the new place, unpacking, and bringing the boxes back.

That meant that on moving day, there was still packing to do. Don't do that to yourselves; just pack and pack and pack. It'll take way longer than you think to pack. On moving day, things will move faster than you think, especially if they are *packed*.

Good luck!

Last time I moved, we had friends help whose job was just to unload into the new place. DH was supposed to tell them to stack the boxes against the walls, w/ all the "A" boxes in one area, the "B" boxes in another, etc. ("A" meant "need right away"; "D," "won't need until much later).

They didn't stack anything--they spread it all the way around the room. Not a single box was stacked. i was so frustrated. You couldn't walk in the place.

It is not too early to start packing.

Go through your clothes and take out about ten days worth to wear. Pack the rest.

Get in the closets and start packing. My closets had mainly stuff I didn't use every day like spare linens and dishes. I packed it up.

Start taking pictures off the walls and packing them. This is a good time to clean out the china cabinets and other knick knacks.

Find all your medicines and first aid stuff and put it in a box and label it. Don't actually close it up because you need the stuff in there. It'll be all together and handy for your next house.

If you have kids, pick out a few toys to play with and pack the rest up and tape the boxes shut. These can be pulled out as the first boxes at your next house if you need to occupy the kids. It keeps the clutter down for now until you move.

Personally, I would pack up the kitchen including plates, silverware, and glasses. You could leave one of each out for everyone. I switched to disposable plates and microwave meals and takeout food at this point because I didn't have the energy to do everything. By doing this, I could clean out the insides of drawers and cabinets and not having to worry about doing it again when I left. Another bonus is the empty cabinets are a great place to keep incoming mail, bills, things you don't want packed up or left out for people to go through.

My house had two bathrooms. I basically shut one down and cleaned it out. We still used the toilet in there, but the insides of the cabinets and drawers were clean and I cleaned and recaulked the tub.

Don't schedule anything to be turned off including phone,
electricity, ect., until a date after you are to be finished moving out of the house.

On the morning of the day you move, wash all bed linens. Carry them and pillows with you to the new place. This way you'll have everything handy for a place to sleep night 1 of the new house.

Great suggestions above, many of which I've used.

Here are a few more thoughts:

1. Liquor stores are a fantastic source of strong, small FREE boxes that can handle books and other small, heavy items.

2. Craigslist (www.craigslist.org, then click on your city or state listed on the right-hand side) is often a great place to get FREE moving boxes, even the fancy kind with the bar to hang clothes on. Most postings for these free boxes go up just after the first of the month, so the timing is right for your move. Start checking now.

3. A hint from a work colleague: She paid a cleaning service to go over her new house before the movers arrived with her things -- and said it was worth every penny. We laughed about the difference in what "moving out clean" is versus "moving in clean."

4. I've always wrapped my dishes in old newspaper with great success. Use plenty of paper around and between plates. With china, I'd probably use bubble wrap. Furniture stores are supposed to be a great source for FREE bubble wrap. Check now and see what you can get.

5. Arrange NOW to get the electricity, phone, and any other utility (gas, cable, etc.) at your NEW house turned on or transferred into your name on your moving day. And do the same to get services at your OLD house turned off or transferred from your name on your moving day.

6. PACK PACK PACK and while you're at it, use the opportunity to toss out, recycle, donate.

Most of my moves have been company moves where professionals pack us. They do not worry about whether that widget belongs in this box or that. They touch something only once. It gets wrapped and put in the box.

So-o, my advice is to declutter as much as possible. Then try to get everything in its place. You can wait to pack. IF you do please know that it takes a crew of 3 to 4 to pack a house of about 2600 square feet. If you have sheds, outbuildings, etc add more days. And that all they do is pack for 8 hours a day! CAN you manage it???? Set up your box and pack systematically. If you touch it, you must pack it. Don't wander around thinking I'll go put this widget in that box.

Ditto the label, label, label in detail. You WILL need something in a box. THe further ahead you pack the more likely you'll forget where it is! You can also color code.

Ditto getting out your essentials. Cleaning supplies, a cell phone charger (in case your land line is not yet hooked up) sleeping supplies, flashlight, food drinks and snacks.

If you have a really good idea about your next kitchen's set up you can even pack with that in mind. Box 1: Everyday dishes/cabinet over dishwasher, etc.

Try to figure out what you are going to do with all that packing material and those boxes before it becomes a problem. Will your garbage or recycling service take them? If so do you have to remove tape or cut them down? Will your moving company come back to pick them up? It is easier to know BEFORE you start unpacking. Have lots of large plastic bags to stuff packing paper in.

Are you going to have all the boxes brought inside to each room? Or will you have them in a central area and bring each box inside when you are ready to unpack it? Know which will make you feel better. Some prefer to get furniture in, beds set up and made(essential box) and then unpack and set up the kitchen. If you do this you can tackle 10-20 boxes a day and your house, inside maintains a level of calm. If you have small children your priority may be to get their rooms set up.

Depending on where you are moving (subdivision, country etc)how many kids you have, how good/poor your memory is, you may want to consider taking pictures of your new neighbors as you meet them. Most kids love to have a photo taken. In the age of digital cameras you can snap a picture of the Wilson's next door and their three kids. It can help you with names and faces. If DH is gone all day and may not end up meeting neighbors for weeks it can help him. And depending on your children and their ages it can help them to feel more settled.
Sorry this is so long. Good luck. This can be such an exciting but overwhelming time!

WOW!! Thankyou all so much for your terrific suggestions!
There are a heap that I had not thought of! After reading through, I am inspired to begin packing! Shall really get into it today!

The house we are moving into is going to be really clean, which is going to make it a lot easier as all I will probably do is a quick wipe over cupboards etc then unpack!

Thanks everyone! I must admit I was not overly excited about the move (bit daunting I suspect!) but now am feeling excited even about the packing!! Dont get me wrong, this is the house of our dreams we are moving into, think I was daunted by the prospect of doing the bulk of the inside packing on my own for a family of 5. Now i feel like I have some direction thanks to your ideas.

Feel free to keep them coming :-)

Shall keep you posted as to my progress, and will most likely be asking more questions as I begin each room :)

Thanks again for your help! You guys are great!

oh, for the pictures--keep the digital camera on a doorknob near the front door, and get a slate or just a pad of paper and Sharpie. Have the neighbor write their name & phone number, or which house, or some other identifier, on the paper, and hold it next to them when you take the picture.

I didn't read the responses, so I hope I don't repeat much. We packed our home in three days. I hate living with that half-packed feeling.

I packed by room. Keep everything which will be in the same location together. Keep the boxes in that room, so the movers keep them together and unload them together.

I color code all of the boxes by room. I then make a color coded floor plan for the movers to follow when unloading. Saved anyone playing traffic cop at the door and I had to carry very few boxes to other rooms. I even stuck color coded dots on all of the furniture.

The only boxes I labeled carefully were the kitchen. I made sure I put the items I used frequently together. They didn't need to be alike, just the things I would want first. Like keep the salt and pepper with your plates, so you can find that, rather than with all of your spices. You know the first few boxes will only contain the most important items.

If I put things in bags, I made sure they are clear bags. You don't want your linens accidently thrown in the trash.

Have family members pack a suitcase like they were on a trip for a week. Then you can pack EVERYTHING else in their room.

Good luck. Been there, done that 22 times.

Gloria

Tre wrote: "Most of my moves have been company moves where professionals pack us. They do not worry about whether that widget belongs in this box or that. They touch something only once. It gets wrapped and put in the box."

I've been in the exact same situation and nothing upsets me more than when these movers will literally go from one room to another looking for something of a certain size to finish off a box. In one house, my books were all alphabetized and even though I asked them to pack shelf by shelf, they just picked books from any shelf. None of these book boxes were in any order.

When we move again (hopefully with the movers packing) I plan to sort as much as possible into bags and drawers and hopefully I won't run into this problem again. I can hope, can't I?

I rarely disagree with Talley Sue but I do on one thing she said. When we've moved ouselves within the same city, I found it so much easier to take over a few loads of boxes and put those things away. I've completely had my closets, kitchen and bathrooms set up before the furniture arrived.

If you have enough TIME to do that--make several small trips and unpack at the other end--fine, but it's absolutely not time-efficient.

Hauling everything in 3 big loads is much more efficient. And if time is tight to get out of the old place, you shouldn't spend time unpacking at the new place until after the old place is done.

And if you're not making your friends bust their b*tt packing your stuff when they're helping you on moving day, fine. I was pretty darn crabby at my friends' place, shoving their books into boxes for them, late into the night.

But if time is tight, and esp. if you will be inconveniencing other people if you end up behind the 8-ball, then the most time-efficient way to do ANY task is to do all the like things at the same time.

I understand your point about inconveniencing people. Only family members who were moving to the new house ever helped plus one time, a friend of DD's who was like a daughter as well. Plus, when she moved to another city 6 hours away, we helped her on both ends.

And whenever we did this, we did have two weeks to a month to do it in.

Don't make your boxes too heavy especially the book boxes. I once got boxes from the local bookstore and after I packed them they could hardly be lifted. I found the liquor store boxes the best. And since I had the time I listed what was in each box. A good idea given was to try and get boxes that will fit on the truck in a uniform way, especially if you are doing the move yourself.

I had mine marked what room they went into. That way when they came in the house they went right to the room.

Definitely start packing the boxes now. Three weeks may seem like a long time to live around them, but it's not. We moved 10 months ago & will be moving again in about three months. I started with out-of-season clothes, purging as I packed.

I purged my linens & packed most of them early. That also helped keep the laundry from piling up while I was busy with other things. I had to keep things washed because we'd have to unpack the extras.

One of the things we did was to pack an overnight bag so we would have the essentials we needed for the night. We knew it would be a long day & that we'd want a shower & clean clothes but that we might not want to unpack a box to get them. We stocked the fridge with sandwich fixings a couple of days before & had bread & chips in the kitchen. After a long day, when we just wanted to collapse on the sofa, we already had the fixings for a quick, easy meal. We moved on a Sat., so we did a lot of the unpacking on Sun. Having the sandwich stuff was great then, too, so we could get a quick lunch & keep working. We also had a box of other essentials that we'd need the first night without unpacking - toilet paper, paper towels, soap, cat food, medication, etc.

Check your hot water heater before the move. We moved into a new apt. while waiting for our house to be built. The electrician hadn't hooked up the water heater, so we had no hot water. This was during the summer in the coastal South, so we were definitely ready for a shower. Thankfully, there was an emergency # & building maintenance came even though it was late & hooked it up. I'll check this when we move into the new house.

I just moved long distance from Southern California to Oregon, and then from a rental apartment here to a house. Before that I'd moved from Texas to California and had some local moves too.

3 weeks is not too early to start packing! It's not hard to live with the boxes, especially if you put them all in one place - the garage, a spare room, the basement, the covered patio, wherever.

Everyone has given good suggestions - the only thing I'd add (sorry if it's already been said and I missed it)- is that if you have a lot of artwork that you will want to hang at the new house, take photos of each piece and print them out. Then when you are faced with a lot of cardboard boxes holding artwork, and you want to start hanging your pieces, you can look at the photos and visualize what will work in which room, rather than having to carry all the pieces around. This is really helpful if you have big pieces.

Good luck! Start that packing!

We're moving in 4 weeks, ourselves. 4th move in 6 years. We're starting the packing process, ourselves.

I recommend packing closets first, with stuff you don't use often. We're doing this, and you can put the boxes back into the closet, so you don't feel as if you're living among boxes. Of course, you'll have some out, but not overwhelming.

Purge as you pack - don't move it if you don't need/want to keep it. Saves time/space. We're purging a lot of things that have been in storage the past few years. We're keeping some, but a lot of it we do not need.

Pack room-by-room. Again, boxes stay together and are easier to keep track of when you get to the new place.

Start packing up off-season clothes, now. You won't need them after you move, so you won't waste time unpacking clothes you don't need immediately after moving.

Make a plan if you're moving yourselves. Give each person a role and plan how you're going to move items. We're already formulating our plan. My father-in-law doesn't have the ability to move items, like the rest of us. So we are going to have him help get items into the cars/trucks as efficiently as possible.

If possible, clean the new place before you move. Saves time when you're unpacking.

As stated above, move everything first, THEN start unpacking. Overnight bags are perfect to allow you clothes/necessities without unpacking boxes.

Clean as you pack. And keep cleaning. We're moving out of an apartment, so it is of utmost importance our place it spotless as we move out. Instead of saving all til the last minute, we're taking care of tasks so the final clean is easier.

Good luck!

Ditto on the liquor boxes for strength and ease of handling.

Make up the beds as soon as you can in the new house. Then, when you are exhausted at the end of the day you don't still have that to face :-)

Been there more times than I want to count.

Carol

We moved long distance a few months ago. We purchased file boxes from a discount store and plastic totes to pack our items into. We numbered the boxes and totes on the top and all four sides. We kept a journal of what was in each box/tote so we would know where to look for a particular item since our things were going to be in storage for a few months. Just last week, I had to find the warranty information on our lawn mower. I looked at the journal and knew to look for box 67. We were able to find the box and paperwork within 5 minutes.

Some of my biggest tips:

Call NOW for a charity pickup. Schedule it for a day or so before your move. Designate an area in your house as your "donation area" and stack all the stuff there. Tape a piece of paper to each box or to the wall if you are using garbage bags and as you drop each item in, write it down. New bag/box, new piece of paper. You will save a bundle at tax time this way and you won't be moving stuff you don't need.

Copier paper boxes with lids are your friend. You can stack and stack and stack.

Ditto what the previous poster said on numbering each box of stuff you are actually packing to move.

Measure each room of the place you are moving to and then measure your furniture. If it won't fit, donate or sell it. I WISH I had done this before we moved. Better Homes and Gardens' website has a room planner.

Best of luck with the move and in your new home!

Here is a link that might be useful: Arrange-a-room online at bhg.com

great boxes for books (esp. paperbacks) and for RECORD ALBUMS:

Paint boxes. The kind 4 gallosn of paint come in.

They're the perfect size for record albums, and excellent for paperback books. And you don't end up w/ boxes that are too big, therefore too heavy. Esp. good since both those products are very dense.

Not many people end up w/ lots of record albums anymore, but some people hold onto them for a long time.

The paint boxes are small enough you could carry two at a time, if your arms aren't particularly short.

I recently moved, and planned to color code my boxes with bright tape or stickers. Instead I bought markers. They don't show up as well as tape would have.

I wish I would have purged better long before I started packing - and definitely before I packed! We still managed to move some junk that should have been left behind.

Think about which rooms your stuff is going into, and pack according to the destination room where possible.

Last of all - it will take more time to pack than you could imagine. If you manage to finish a day or two early, you can actually catch your breath before moving day.

Enjoy your new home!

Thanks everyone!! I have taken so much of your advice on board :-)

I have begun packing (yay for me!!). Have just paused for a minute from packing the linen. There is way more than i expected! I thought I had been quite ruthless and purged a lot a couple of months ago. It didnt look that much in the cupboard, but there are more big packed bags than I expected. Oh well, shall keep with it, back to the packing I go.

Thank you all so much again for taking the time to respond! It really means a lot to me :) Feel free to keep those tips (inspiration!) coming.....

Shall keep you posted ;-)

swmbo.

There is way more than i expected! I thought I had been quite ruthless and purged a lot a couple of months ago. It didnt look that much in the cupboard, but there are more big packed bags than I expected.

aren't you glad you asked for advice, and followed it? ;-)

Congrats on the progress so far, and good luck!

swmbo...I'm glad you posted. I'm benefiting from your question, as we're in the process of moving, as well.

I also wish I had purged long ago rather than as we're trying to move...oh well, live and learn.

Make bedsheets, pillow cases, towels etc. do double duty as cushioning for items like lampshades and other fragile objects. Clothing such as t-shirts makes great packing material.
If you buy packing boxes, U-Haul will refund for those you don't use. I purchased many more than I thought I'd need but I had peace of mind that I would not run out in the middle of a packing session.
Start crazy early.

The main thing that I can suggest is that on move-in day, ask that the beds be set up as they are moved in. At that time, take a moment, even with everyone else still bringing in boxes, and make the beds. There's nothing worse than having everyone leave, you are exhausted and you have to THEN go make the beds!

These are all great tips. My daughter and her husband are purchasing their first home. Unfortunately their closing will not be until some time after they must be out of their apartment. It could be a matter of a couple of days, or weeks.(hopefully not months). They plan to rent a storage unit for their stuff, and they will be staying with us in the meantime. This thread has got me thinking about things they can store versus what they should keep with them at our home.Things like phone chargers, laptops, official paperwork,several days worth of clothes. Can you all think of things that we may not have thought about?

Moving out is a terribly hectic phase that is inevitable in some point of our life. What I personally do when the need to move arises, I ensure that the entire process gets properly and carefully planned very early before the actual move-out day takes place. Ensure that things are organized in storage boxes that are prefarably standard in size to enable uniformed stacking and prevent them from tumbling down. Then, make sure those boxes are clearly labelled for easy retrieval later. Try to dispose off (or donate) items that you have not touched for quite sometime. That will help ease the weight and workload during the eventual process.

This post was edited by EdwardThirlwall on Tue, Feb 4, 14 at 2:19

Hi,

I've moved a number of times (I'm an AF brat and was an AF wife as well and have moved with my career). Sounds like you're pretty organized, so you're headed in the right direction. There is nothing worse than showing up to help someone to move and having to start from scratch, packing boxes etc. On moving day I like to have everything ready to go. So...here's what I do.

I make a list of everything I'll need before I move and the first few nights in the new house and I ensure those things DON'T get packed up.

I then start packing those things I don't anticipate using in the near future...at least from now until I move and a couple of weeks after I move.

While I'm doing this, I go through the stuff I don't want to move...the stuff I haven't used in more than a year...stuff I haven't worn in that same period of time. (You can set up your own filters for this) I set up a corner and put everything there, in boxes. I might donate it (if I'm donating, I'll make a list as it goes in the box(es) so I can keep track of it for tax purposes)...or if there is a lot and I have the time, I may have a yard sale.

Then, as moving day gets closer, I pack more and more, the goal being to only have those things I absolutely need as soon as I get to the new house....linens, coffee pot, a couple of pans, minimal dishes and silverware, my computer or tablet, phone chargers....you get the idea. I can't stand not having something I need and having to look through boxes to find it as soon as I get to the new house.

I also label each box....probably more than most people. I don't just say WHERE it will be going in the new house, but I tend to make a list of what is in the box so if I DO have to look for something, I can find it more easily.

My goal is always to use the box to its fullest. I pack carefully, but leave the tops of boxes open until they are full. There is always some tiny thing you come across that can fit in the top of a box :)

Sounds like you're getting a good start. I hope this helps. On moving day you should just have the big stuff, a room full of boxes for the moving van and then you can pack up those last minute things and put them in your car or into the back of the moving truck where they will be handy.

Yes, its stressful...but you can de-stress this time by being organized and having a plan. :)

Don't know if you have to move a lot of books, but I found I will never box books again: it is easier to move them in doubled grocery bags (NOT cheapy ones though or the fabric grocery bags of the same size. Not sure this is ok with movers, but if I am moving them, no way do I want to manuever boxes of books....and yes to the idea already mentioned of using extra pillows, towels, tablecloths etc to cushion lamps and things.

Moving of house is really process of patience. so i would like to advise you to not to do hurry in this kind of things and what i would like to tell you is that just make list of things which is much expensive and delicate and also don't put them with ordinary things.

"I've been in the exact same situation and nothing upsets me more than when these movers will literally go from one room to another looking for something of a certain size to finish off a box." quote from 2007
My husband does this and it drive me bananas!
We are now packing to downsize from 3000sf to 900ish. Even seeing how much we have disposed of, it is scary. I know I'll be throwing out/donating stuff at the other end which we have paid to move. Especially since my beloved spouse is a bit of a pack rat, as can I be; unfortunately we pack-rat different things!
I'd love some advice on packing the most important fragile things the best--ie, Waterford etc.

We took our dog to a friends for a week. A luxury that really paid off in not having to watch out for her in the chaos. Our young daughter spent actual moving day and night with a friend. Prepacking, and precleaning made the transition smoother than I thought. By the next weekend when our Newf came back, we were in and settling.