How to Make Moving Stress Free

Moving day - whether moving to a new home or to affordable storage, these two words can strike fear into even the bravest of hearts. So much prep work to do, the packing, the cleaning; who needs it? Well, unless you're planning to stay right where you are for the rest of your life, you need it. And you may never come to love it, but there are some simple things you can do to make it more tolerable.

Choose Appropriate Materials - Boxes are a staple for moving because of their uniform size and durability. Heavy items such as books, fragile items such as dishes, and items that are the same size, like CDs and DVDs, should all go into boxes.

Bags are good for items like clothing, bedding, and soft toys. They'll also do in a pinch when you've run out of boxes and are left with miscellaneous odds and ends. Just be sure to avoid putting anything heavy or with sharp edges in bags.

Maximize Space - Both inside your containers and inside the moving van, it's important to make the most of your space. Pack your largest objects first, and then fill in the space around them. Remember that odd-shaped and delicate items such as ornaments, even when small, require extra packing material, which makes them bulky.

Uniform size is important for maximizing your van space and ensuring you're not wasting areas that could otherwise be filled. Don't empty out drawers; simply remove them before loading the piece of furniture, then replace them once it's in the van. This will save space and also make your furniture more secure and less likely to tip over.

Label Everything - It may seem like a no-brainer, but there's an art to properly labeling your containers. You want enough information to make unpacking easy, but you don't want to spend countless hours listing every single item. Just as with loading your van, balance is the key to proper labeling.

Also remember that, while it may only take you a couple of weeks to pack, it can take several weeks or even months to get everything unpacked in your new home. Don't mix essential items in with seasonal ones, or you may not have them when you need them. 

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