I am a firm believer that how you pack on the front end dictates how you unpack on the back end. By this I mean, if you take the time and pack orderly, and consciously your unpacking will be faster, less stressful and most importantly more organized. I have seen it firsthand over the last 14 years. Packing is dreadful…the thought of packing is even more dreadful My NUMBER #1 piece of advice is to ALWAYS start as early as you can. The tasks will be smaller, more manageable and more thorough. I even say start with the most dreaded area. When time is on your side you don’t have to finish it all in a day or two. One of the things I remind my clients when we start a packing job is “ Do you want to un pack this item and see this item again in your new home?” Weeding out items that are not your style any longer, not used often enough that is worth taking up space or just junk… DONATE DONATE DONATE… or trash :o) My goal when we unpack clients is to be able to easily identify boxes and what is in them and be able to empty a box in its entirety and BREAK THAT BABY DOWN! Boxes take up a lot of space. A box that is packed with like items that belong in an identifiable area can be emptied completely. The last thing I want for me or my clients is to have a bunch of half put away boxes filled with the “I don’t know what to do with” items. Pack with the intention of unpacking.
It doesn’t matter if you are moving across the country, state, or town, thoughtful packing is essential to settling in stress free when you arrive at your new destination. NO ONE enjoys unpacking when they reach a new place, even on vacation. A good amount of us live in boxes for days, weeks, and months simply because we hate locating, separating, and putting away our stuff. Looking at brown packing boxes can be daunting. When you are packing items that will not be unpacked, but will go directly into storage, my suggestion is to pack in clear bins and label. You can put them right away and know exactly what is in there. You save a whole step.
Don’t let this be you.
This ideology of organization is also applicable to small packing as well. It is now November which means most of us are switching out our summer closets for our winter ones. As we pack away our bathing suits for coats, store the summer sports to bring out the sleds, and exchange our flip flops for boots in the mudroom, it is time to start thinking of how we pack and how that will have a direct effect on us months from now.
Tips for Thoughtful Packing:
- Put like Items Together
- Wrap, Tape, and Label Fragile Items
- Try to Use Clear Plastic Bins for Easy Identifying
- Label EVERYTHING!
- Pack Over Days, Don’t Rush It
Finally, to thoughtfully pack, and though I might sound like a broken record, I encourage you to DONATE anything you no longer use or wear and to start early. The purging process is still part of packing. Be thoughtful in your packing now- your future self will thank you.