Moving? 9 Tips to Make Packing Easier

You've picked out your new house, been approved for a mortgage, and had all of the inspections completed, and you feel as though you have accomplished a lot. The biggest hurdle for some people in the home-buying process is packing- it really is never fun. Here are some great tips to make your life easier when you are stuck with the task of packing...

You’d really have a hard time finding many folks who enjoy packing for a household move. Still, if you are moving, the packing part must be tackled — whether you do it yourself or hire a crew to do it.

“Packing is expensive, time-consuming and stressful,” said Denise Baron, a home and lifestyle expert in Philadelphia.

If you’re going the DIY route, here are nine tips to make the task simpler:

1. Clear out the junk

Get rid of items you don’t plan to move to your new place, said Lori Matzke, a home-staging expert and former home organizer in Minneapolis.

“If you
 intend to give something away to a friend or family member, either deliver 
it to them promptly, or set a deadline for them to come and pick it up,” Matzke said.

For those items that aren’t being handed off to friends or relatives, consider selling them at a garage sale or donating them to charity, or simply toss them.

2. Collect free boxes

Rather than forking over money for boxes, check with local grocery, liquor and hardware stores to see whether they can give you leftover ones.

“Liquor store boxes are ideal for books and heavier items, as they are 
usually more compact, easier to handle and sturdy,” Matzke said.

3. Label the boxes

Based on the rooms where they’ll go, label boxes on every side.

“You never know how things are going to end up being stocked in the 
moving truck, and nothing is more frustrating than having to flip a box 
around to find out what room it belongs in,” said Kevin Smits, a residential real estate agent in Frisco, CO.

Matzke recommended picking a labeling color for each room, such as red for the kitchen, blue for the bathrooms and green for the master bedroom.

4. Don’t skimp on tape

Smits said he’s seen far too many people buy cheap packing tape, and then apply just a single piece to the bottom of a box containing Grandma’s cherished china.

“Buy good tape, and buy a lot of it,” Smits said. “It is easy to open 
those boxes later with a knife or even a set of keys.”

Don’t forget to pick up a heavy-duty tape 
dispenser made for shipping, Matzke advised. You can buy one for $20 or less at office supply stores and other retailers.

Read more:

http://www.zillow.com/blog/tips-for-packing-for-a-move-144121/