How to Organize Packing for a Move

Organizing and packing an entire household for a move, whether down the street or to a new state, is not an easy task. Keeping everything organized so that things are easily found and accessed can be challenging. However, there are ways to keep things organized and to stay focused.

Things You'll Need

• Colored permanent markers
• Cardboard boxes
• Plastic containers with lids
• Duct tape
• Plastic grocery bags

Instructions

Kitchen

1. Set aside things you will need to access during your move, such as a small set of dishes, cups and utensils, a sponge, soap, a hand towel, herbs, spices, salt, pepper, can opener and anything else used for meals on a regular basis. Place these things in a box. Write "Pack Last" on the box in red ink.

2. Use plastic containers for packing dry foods, herbs, spices and canned goods. Leave out any food you may eat before the move is complete, keeping you from unpacking any boxes to find a particular food item. Mark food items "Pack Last" so they are the first items unpacked when you arrive at your destination.

3. Pack all plastic kitchenware in the same boxes, along with plastic and wooden cookware and other utensils. Line the boxes with a few odds and ends from the kitchen to fill spaces and gaps, keeping items from shifting within the boxes. Tape the boxes securely with duct tape, and stack in a central area.

4. Pack glassware and breakables with small cloth items between them, such as dishcloths, potholders or hand towels---again, securing small spaces to avoid shifting and breakage.

5. Mark breakable items on the outside of the box with a blue triangle near the room label, indicating that the box contains breakable objects. Label the boxes "Kitchen" in black ink. Tape the boxes securely with duct tape, and stack in a central area.

Bedrooms

1. Pack a small amount of clothes, along with any other necessary items needed while moving, and mark the boxes in red ink with the label "Pack Last," and "Bedroom" in black ink.

2. Wrap small valuables in grocery bags, and pack them securely. Mark boxes with valuables with a green circle near the room label, and use this indicator on each box containing valuable items.

3. Place all remaining items geometrically into boxes, filling each so that there is little room for shifting. Mark each box "Bedroom" in black ink.

4. Tape the boxes securely with duct tape, and stack in a central area. Make sure each box has a room label in black ink, and breakables marked with a blue triangle.

Living Room

1. Keep all similar items together. Pack movies, DVDs and video games in a geometrical fashion, keeping them together during the move. Label these boxes "TV Accessories" in green ink.

2. Pack all cords, plugs and power packs together. If necessary, when power cords are removed from the appliances, place a small piece of tape on both the appliance and the power cord, marking them both with a specific shape and color mark, such as a red circle or blue square. When unpacking, you will be able to match up the colors and shapes, putting all your power cords back exactly where they belong.

3. Pack all knickknacks together, placing each carefully between soft cloths, if they are breakable. Keep them separate from the other boxes, marking them with a blue triangle for breakable objects.

4. Make sure all boxes are marked "Living Room" in black ink, securely taped and stacked in the central packing area, along with the rest of the boxes.

5. Once you have completed this process for all rooms, you will be able to find most things easily when they arrive at your final destination. Unpack each box in the room in which it belongs.

Tips & Warnings

• Pack geometrically, as if each box were a jigsaw puzzle. This will help to ensure maximum use of space, and will protect your belongings by keeping them from moving within the boxes. Use towels and other padded cloth items as packing material for glassware and breakables. This will save money on bubble wrap, and save space; your towels will already be packed.

References

• Mayflower Full Service Movers - Moving Tips
• Moving Tips from U-Haul
• Creative Home Making

Resources

• Moving hints