Packing up your life is a necessary evil when moving, and while it may have taken years to accumulate your personal belongings, you only have a short period to bundle them up for the moving day.
When you are moving, you need to consider what items are needed until the final day and what can be stowed ahead of time, and it can be hard to coordinate everything for a smooth transition.
Need a little help figuring out this complex, moving puzzle? Here is the most effective packing timeline for moving.
7-8 Weeks Pre-Moving Day
This is the first step in packing and starts by downsizing your home inventory. You will have many personal items that may or may not go into your new place, so it’s best to sort through everything before packing.
Get three boxes in the garage or spare bedroom and label them as:
- Sell
- Donate
- Garbage
Go through every room, one by one and sort through everything you have. This is time to cull your possessions, so if you haven’t used them in six months, it needs to go. Fill these boxes accordingly and leave behind everything you want to keep. You are not packing any moving items because you are still using them. This is about getting rid of the trash.
5-6 Weeks Pre-Moving Day
Now you are ready to start assembling your moving material. This includes:
- Moving Boxes
- Packing paper
- Padding
- Packing tape
- Bubble wrap
- Permanent markers
- Moving blankets
- Dolly
Keep all the boxes flat except one that holds the rest of the supplies, and keep it out of the way until it’s time to pack. When you have all your moving material organized, you won’t be scrambling later or last minute.
3-4 Weeks Pre-Moving Day
This is the time to start packing up rarely used items around the home. Anything you don’t need for the next month can be included in this round. Items to pack are:
- Seasonal clothing
- Holiday decorations
- Fine china
- Entertaining dishware
- Attic, basement and garage items
- Collectables
- Extra linen and toiletries
Put these boxes against the walls of each room and add to them as you find more stuff.
1-2 weeks Pre-Moving Day
Now the bulk of your packing will start. Get every family member involved so they pack their items. Start assembling boxes and put 1-2 in every room.
You can start packing most of your clothing except what you will need for the last week or two. This goes for everyone in the home. Office supplies, books, kitchen items, jewelry, games and toys, breakables and hobby materials should be included.
This is also the time to organize your mode of moving. If you use friends and family, start confirming them and their trucks. For a moving van, call around and get the best price for your moving day and pay for it.
Portable Storage Containers
The best option for a stress-free moving experience is to rent a portable storage container. You can have a container delivered to your home during the last week or two, and it will live on your driveway. As you pack boxes, you can immediately load them into the container, so they are safe, sound, and out of your way in the home. You can also start to move some furniture into it as well.
Having a storage container takes the pressure off the one big day when there is a flurry of activity to get you out of your home. When you can slowly pack up a storage container and have it picked up on a moving day, you take almost all the stress away. Alternatively, you can drop off the container in the driveway and unload it.
This storage Ontario option is modern moving at its best and makes for an easier transition to your new residence.
The Last Few Days
This is the home stretch and is a time to pack the last of your things, including the contents of every room. On the last day, wash all your dirty laundry and dishes so you can pack them up.
You must put together an “Open Me First” box with essential items to get you started at your new place. This can include:
- All-purpose cleaner
- Paper towels
- Dish soap
- Toilet paper
- Small hand tools like a screwdriver and hammer
- First-night food items
- One pot, pan and set of dishes for the family
- Coffee maker
- Glasses and mugs
Label this box clearly so that when you are done with the move, you can open it up and have everything you need for the first night.
Every family member should also have a personal bag for their last night at the old place and the first night at the new place. This will have individual toiletries, electronics devices, change of clothing, medications and any other items needed. Also, remember to have essentials for your pets too.
Moving doesn’t have to be stressful as long as you are prepared. This serves as your packing timeline for moving and will prepare you every step of the way so your transition to your new abode will be more efficient and manageable. Good luck and happy moving!
