subject: Craftily Packing Your Stuff [print this page] Packing does not seem to get easier each time you do it. In fact, over the years you have probably accumulated more things, which may make packing even more difficult.
With the overwhelming task of packing hanging over your head it may be difficult to decide where to start. The first thing you need to realize is that instead of one large jobs you have many smaller jobs.
In addition, these smaller jobs can be broken down into even smaller tasks. In order to begin, you need to pick one of these smaller tasks and begin doing those.
As time passes you will realize that you are getting the smaller jobs done and then you will realize that you are almost done packing. When you start with the smaller tasks, you need to constantly ask yourself whether you love that item.
If you do not love that item, throw it out or give it away. Do not go through the trouble of trying to pack it.
Another rule of moving and packing is that you should not procrastinate the job. If there is only one thing in your life that you do not procrastinate, this should be it.
You will hate life later if you leave too much to do at the end and you have to stay up all night in order to get the packing done. Start at least a month before you have to move if you are moving an entire household.
Begin by taking a deep breath, and then making a plan of which smaller tasks to get done first. In order to pack everything you are going to need moving supplies.
You will need boxes, packing tape, scissors, garbage bags, sharpies or other markers and so forth. Ask around to see if anyone has any extra boxes.
You may be able to get boxes from moving companies as well as they sell used boxes for half price. Grocery stores are also often willing to give you their used, empty boxes.
Try to choose boxes that are small enough that when they are loaded they will not be so heavy they will break your back. If you do pick up a couple of larger boxes, you will want to fill them with lighter things like sheets, rather than books.
You will need enough packing tape to seal up all of the boxes that you are going to be packing. Try to get more than you think you will use.
If you do this, you will probably run out to get more anyway. The kind of tape with a dispenser that can cut it for you will be worth the price by the time you are done packing.
If you do the old tape and scissors method you will misplace your scissors so many times that you will waste a lot of time. However, you will probably need a pair scissors anyway.
In addition, garbage bags will come in handy when you begin to throw a lot of things out. Garbage bags that are see through will especially be useful is you decide to pack some things in them.
For example you may want to pack clothes into a garbage bag so that it can fit into the odd places in the truck where a box will not go. In addition, you will be able to easily find things instead of having to open each bag in your search.
It will also be very important that you get strong bags so that they will not break when you load them up with stuff. As you pack each bag or box, you will want to mark it in a certain color.
You should color code the boxes to which room they go in. For example, all of the boxes that need to go to the kitchen will have the description of what is inside the box written in blue.
Meanwhile, the boxes going to the play room will have their descriptions written in orange. This will make unloading the truck infinitely easier when you get there.
Everyone will know where to put things instead of needing you to direct the traffic. Markers are better for this task as stickers are more likely to fall off and get lost.
In addition, you may want to label the boxes in according to importance for being unpacked. The boxes with the higher numbers will need to be unpacked first, while the ones with lower numbers will need to be unpacked later.
