The Best Packing Tricks for Your Next Home Move

by Rick
April 21, 2021

Moving day is around the corner and you are in full-on packing mode. It’s easy to be overwhelmed in the weeks leading up to the big day. Moving can actually be one of the most stressful life events and most people dread the idea of putting their life into boxes before the movers arrive. To help you get it all done, and keep your calm along the way, we have compiled this list of ideas to pack like a pro and make your next move simpler, safer, and maybe even fun.

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Packing to Protect: Tips to Keep Your Things Safe

Arriving at your new home with everything in one piece is always the goal. Taking a few extra steps while packing will keep your belongings safe from shifting and breaking in transit. Here are some of our favourite ways to protect your belongings:

New and high-quality boxes. Getting free boxes is great for saving some money upfront, but if they are weak and the bottom falls out you risk losing much more in the long run. Avoid this mishap by packing your items in sturdy moving boxes fresh from your local hardware, or moving supply store.
One size fits all. Allowing 90% of your home’s items to be packed into a consistent size box will make loading into the moving truck easier. Of course, there will be some one of items that need to be packed into a smaller or much larger box, but sticking mostly to the same size allows efficient stacking and less risk of shifting in transit.
Pack delicate items with your soft ones. To stretch your moving supply budget farther, and pack more efficiently, use your towels and linens to create a cushion for your breakables.
Get snug as a bug. Leaving too much space between items in your boxes creates room for things to clank together in transit. As you can imagine this is the perfect storm leading to chips, cracks, and breakage. Ensure that all of your delicates are padded with fabric, newspaper, or packing specific materials to fill in those empty spaces.
Wrap, wrap and wrap again. In addition to soft packing materials in between items, delicate housewares such as glassware and personal keepsakes are best moved when individually wrapped as well.
Get labeling. Whether you are doing it yourself or hiring professional home movers, labeling what room the boxes go in is a must. In addition to the room that they belong to it is important to write ‘fragile’ and ‘heavy’ on boxes that are such. This not only helps with ensuring your breakables arrive in one piece, but it is also an excellent safe moving practice. Be sure to add your labels on the top and sides of your boxes.
Do not overpack. In addition to the safety notes above, it’s important to note that stuffing your moving boxes too full creates a hazard as well. When a box is too heavy it greatly increases the chance of the bottom falling out. To avoid finding your things in a pile on the floor, pack boxes only to about 75% capacity and fill in extra space with soft goods or packing materials as necessary.

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Tips and Tricks to Make Packing Fun

We promised your next home move would be a good time and we are going to deliver that to you. Here are some simple ways to get the family involved and enjoy the process:

Get creative. Nothing creates moving stress like fighting with the kids to purge their toys. Instead of looking at moving as a big chore, trick them into having some fun! Set up two boxes in the middle of the room and have the kids decorate them with markers and stickers while you begin to sort and purge. Once art class has finished creating a game of hoops by tossing in soft items such as stuffed animals and clothing into the decorated boxes. Keep score and have fun!
Crank the tunes. When packing and cleaning be sure to have the home stereo going with tunes to pump you up. If you have multiple ages and musical tastes you can set up a small speaker in the kid's rooms with their favourite playlist.
Set a goal to motivate. Create a plan to celebrate your family's moving success. Set a goal to help motivate your kids, teens, and even your significant other with a small prize once the tasks are completed. Maybe a gift card, a family event, or dinner at everyone’s favourite restaurant can be the light at the end of the tunnel.

Packing and Moving Doesn’t Have to be a Chore

Great packing techniques and keeping things fun along the way will make your next home move a breeze. Stay ahead of the game by getting your packing materials, booking your home movers, and making your to-do list well in advance of the big day.
While following this list and planning ahead for your move is a great way to ensure your things arrive in one piece, don't forget to book your professional home movers.

Precision Movers provides free, no-obligation quotes for your next move from Calgary and the surrounding area - you can contact us by calling 403-540-4393 or by filling out our online contact form.

FAQs

What are the best things to pack first before a move?

Start by getting organized and making a list of the things you can, and cannot, survive without. Some of the most common items to pack first are:

Entertainment: Books, Extra TVs, Gaming Consoles, and DVD’s are a great place to start packing.
Linens: Unless you plan to use them to create a cushion for glassware, getting extra bedding and towels packed first is a good idea.
Seasonal clothing: If you’re packing and moving in June it’s safe to bet that you won’t need your winter clothes (unless you live in Calgary!).
Sports gear: If you can survive without your recreational sports gear, getting it packed in advance will help get a jump start on things.

Whatever you can live without can easily be packed up and taken away by home movers into a storage unit, a moving container, or to arrive ahead of you into your new home.

How do I prepare a dresser before my mover’s arrival?

There are a few things to consider when moving heavy furniture such as a dresser, or an armoire:

How heavy is it? Can home movers safely move the piece with the drawers in, or should they be taken out and moved one at a time?
What is in it? Can the drawers stay full and be wrapped with plastic, or should the contents be taken out and packed into boxes? If you are removing the drawers, keeping the clothing in them is a smart way to utilize space.
Does it need to go downstairs? Depending on where the dresser is moving from, and to, may determine if it needs to be disassembled prior to moving.
Does it have accessories? Anything that can be removed, like a mirror or chair, should be removed and packed accordingly.

With decades of furniture moving experience under our belt, we can safely say that we specialize in caring for and moving furniture. Be sure to connect with a professional Calgary home mover to answer any furniture moving questions you may have.

What is the best packing material for moving fragile items?

To avoid the headache of broken items you have two options: hire professional packers through your moving company or learn to do it properly yourself. Although the are differing opinions on what is the ‘best’ packing material, here are some facts that will help you choose the best option for your fragile items:

Linens create a soft bottom for boxes packed with multiple fragile items.
Newspapers are a classic smart (and free!) packing option for filling in empty space between your belongings. Be sure that you are not using newspaper on something that can be stained with ink.
Paper plates are great to stack in between your glass or decorative plates.
Bubble wrap is great for wrapping all of your breakables and can be easily held in place with masking tape.
Socks are a surprising item that can easily hold small, delicate pieces like keepsakes or knick-knacks.
Packing peanuts are great to fill up entire boxes and nestle multiple items.