The spring selling season is off and running, which means many house moves lie ahead for new homeowners. While often considered an overwhelming task, packing up an apartment or house doesn’t have to be stressful with a strategic packing plan in place. Here are some packing tips that will set you on the right course as you prepare to move into your next home.
Stock up on boxes, tape and packing paper
Ask family and friends for unused boxes and stacks of newspapers to get you started. You can also look online on Craigslist or Facebook buy/sell/trade groups for free or greatly discounted used boxes. Purchase clear or brown packaging tape to keep your boxes closed securely.
Pack along the way
It doesn’t matter if you are a seller or a buyer, it is important to pack along the way to get ahead of the game. When the clock ticks down to moving day, you’ll be thankful that you did.
Sellers
De-cluttering and staging are part of prepping your home to list. Sort through and clean out closets, drawers and more. As you take the time to get your house ready for buyers to see and tour, pack away nonessential items and you’ll be a leg up on the task when your home sells.
Buyers
As soon as you start your house hunt, start packing. Take time each night to pack one or two boxes and you’ll be in a better position when your offer is accepted and your move-in date is scheduled.
Organization is key
Packing isn’t as simple as shoving your belongings into boxes until they are full. You’ll want to be as organized as possible for an easier unpacking experience. Plan to pack one room at a time to ensure those items stay together. You don’t want to open a box marked for your office to find kitchenware items instead.
Label and list
Be sure to label the boxes you pack. Take time to assign the boxes you pack to the room from which they came. It is also helpful to note some of the key items in the boxes as well. Make your labeling efforts even easier by printing packing labels that you can easily tape to boxes as you close them up.
Click on the moving labels below to access a printer-friendly PDF.
