Timeline: What to Pack and When to Pack It

You’re preparing for your big move, but the stress of where to begin is starting to take a toll on you. When should you start packing? What if you pack something that you later realize you need, but now it’s stuck in a box somewhere? Implementing a structured timeline of what to pack and when to pack it is the best way to ensure a smooth moving experience.

Waiting until the last minute to pack up your home can lead to an unorganized and stressful move. Many people tend to procrastinate their packing because they do not know where to start in their house, apartment, or office. My Tuscon Movers is here to provide you with a structured timeline in order to make your move as stress-free as possible.

One Month Before

Pre-packing is a great way to eliminate clutter and move items you do not need out of the way. If there is something that you have not used in the past 6 months, it is likely you will not need it within the next month. Here is a list of a few non-essential items you can slowly, but surely begin to pack:

• Holiday Decorations
  Even if you happen to move around or during a major holiday, we’re sure the last thing on your mind is decorating your house. If your holiday decorations aren’t already stored away, your best bet is to organize and prepare them for the move.
• Out-of-Season Clothing
  If you’re moving during the summertime, there is no need for you to keep your favorite winter boots around. Begin packing the clothes you know you will not be wearing between now and the time you move into your new space. If you’re moving somewhere with a drastically different climate, you should still pack away most of your out-of-season clothing, but keep a few outfits in an easily accessible place, like the suitcase you will be bringing with you personally; that way, you won’t have to start unpacking boxes the second you arrive exhausted in your new home.
• Extras
  If you have duplicates of anything in your house, we highly recommend packing them away to lessen your workload later on. This goes for extra office supplies, linens, kitchenware (extra sets of mugs, plates, pots, pans, etc.), or toiletries.
• Artwork
  As tough as it may be to stash away your valuables, it is smart to start this process as early as possible. Artwork, antiques, and collectibles tend to take a little more time to pack since they are fragile. It is important to use special packaging when packing away these pieces. Make sure to use padding or packing papers and quality tape to secure your boxes.

1-2 Weeks Before

The weeks right before you move can be overwhelming. It may seem as if there are not enough hours in a day to complete all of your necessary preparation. As the move-out date approaches, we recommend to start packing the following items:

• Clothing
  Pick a day to prepare your outfits for the next 1-2 weeks. Choose light clothing that comfortable to move around in since you will be lifting heavy boxes and staying active over the next couple of weeks. It’s also a good idea to set aside an outfit or two to wear when you arrive in your new home, in case you are too tired to start sorting through boxes right away. Planning ahead allows you to get your bulky and unnecessary clothes out of the way. Once you have your outfits aside, you can begin packing away your other clothes, shoes, and accessories. Now is also a good time to discard or donate clothes that do not fit you or that you do not wear.
• Electronics
  These next few days are critical to moving, so you probably won’t have time to entertain yourself with electronics. Now is a good time to pack all of your big electronic devices such as TVs, gaming consoles, speakers and desktop computers. Tuscon movers recommend keeping one laptop handy for emergency use, along with your cell phones. If you have more than one TV and you’re the type of person who likes to have TV playing in the background while you work, we recommend that you only leave one out and pack the others.
• Kitchen Items
  Use this time to store away kitchenware that you will not be using for the next couple of weeks. This includes baking supplies, pots and pans, and other small appliances such as a blender or toaster. Our local Tuscon movers recommend packing as much of your kitchen as possible and purchasing disposable paper dishes and silverware. If you are going to want to cook over the next two weeks, only leave out one or two pots and pans and pack the rest away to save you time and stress on moving day.
• Toys and Games
  If you have children, now is a good time to have them temporarily say goodbye to their toys. While you’re definitely going to want to refrain from packing all of their toys this early – after all, they are kids and they need something to keep them busy and happy –the best approach is to put aside their top 3 favorite toys or games to keep them occupied. If your children are mature and old enough, you can explain to them that they can keep three small or medium toys out and let them choose which ones they will want to keep around.
• Garage
  If you have a garage, attic, basement, or other large storage areas, utilize this time to organize this space. Storage areas tend to gain a lot of clutter over the years, so this project may be quite time-consuming. Put on some music and sort through your stored away items. Decide what you want to throw away, what can be donated, and what you want to bring with you. You should use this time to pack away anything you want to bring with you, seeing as you probably won’t need it in the next two weeks anyway. As a bonus, once your storage-pit is decluttered, you can use it as a storage spot for all the boxes you already packed but want to keep out of the way of the main areas of your house.

1-2 Days Before

You’re now just a couple of days before your exciting move! It’s time to organize the odds and ends.

• Important documents
  Keep all of your necessary or legal documents with you throughout the entire moving process. These documents may include personal identification, property related documents, financial records, and moving papers. Lack of organization of these documents may cause stress and prevent you from having a smooth moving experience.
• Furniture
  By this point, you should have a plan on how to transport your furniture. Make sure to disassemble any pieces of furniture that may not be able to fit in a truck or box. Keep all of your disassembled furniture to the side, to keep your house feeling as organized as possible so you don’t get too overwhelmed. If you have any furniture that you don’t want to disassemble and prefer to leave to the movers, let them know of this beforehand so that they can come prepared.
• Miscellaneous Items
  When packing up and sorting your different boxes, you may find other small items that you do not want to place in the same box. As you pack up your home, you will run into a lot of miscellaneous items. Gather up any last minute items you have laying around and either throw them out or pack them in a box labeled “miscellaneous”.

Moving Day

In what seems like a blink of an eye, the big day is here. Be sure to do a final walk-through of your home to ensure that you are not leaving anything behind.

My Tuscon Movers hopes that this timeline will help make your move as stress-free as possible. The professionals at My Tuscon Movers want to help! Contact us here for a free quote on your commercial, local, or long distance move today.

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