If you are here we suppose that you are either moving or thinking about it and are looking for a piece of advice or guidance. We know that moving boxes to Orange County after you spent so many years in your hometown can be stressful not only for you, but for your whole family and you are trying your best to keep sane, organized and committed to your old responsibilities as much as the move itself. There are many reasons why you should consider hiring some professional packers and movers who will help you pack and move very efficiently and fast and will have all the packing equipment and gadgets by themselves.
Of course, if you aren’t willing to hire the packing service for any reason, whether it is because you do not have enough financial support or you simply like challenges, then you will have to take some time and understand what is it that you will need for the first and the most important step of every moving – packing. Luckily for you, you will not have to do much thinking because we have already done all the thinking for you and are bringing you the ultimate list of all the packing supplies you will need:
1. Get a good planner
Doesn’t matter if you are already packing or arranging the whole moving process you want to keep as organized and focused as possible. This is especially important if you have pets or a family, kids and a partner or old parents you need to take care of. In these situations it is very easy to get nervous, distracted and get lost in the whole process instead of keeping on track and always being one step ahead. In order to help yourself and optimize your process and your results we suggest you get a good planner. It might sound funny or childish at first, but trust us, a good planner will not only contain a to-do list and be the best reminder you will always have by your side, but will also help you keep your thoughts organized and your moving process well planned. In your planner you should write things such as:
o Reminders of things you need to do
Transfer all of your school and medical records, your kids records, your pets medical records, call your moving agency and agree on the date of the move, pack, clean up and check up on your new place.
o A list of all the things you are keeping and the ones you wish to get rid of.
Before packing you have probably never thought about how much useless stuff you keep by yourself. All those coats and shirts from ages ago that you haven’t worn in years, your kids’ old grown toys, earbuds that don’t even work anymore etc. On this list separate those things from those you wish to keep and you will make your packing process so much easier and more organized. You won’t have a million things you don’t know what to do with all at once around you or packing old and broken unnecessary items.
o A list of all the supplies you will need for your packing!
This might also sound funny – how could I forget to get a box or scissors?! But when the time comes and you become more stressed than ever trying to multitask – pack, move, work and arrange dates with your moving company all at once, you will suddenly catch yourself starting to pack over and over again, starting from the beginning, just because you have forgotten something – again! But if you make a list of all the items you will need in order to properly pack then there are no reasons to be worried, you just follow your list and check off everything you have gotten. After you have checked everything off, it is time to finally start packing.
2. Boxes, boxes, boxes!
Now that you are finally thinking about packing it is time you get supplies. And it is crucial you do it on time so you don’t get in a rush later and panically run from one to another drugstore or supermarket nearby searching for boxes. It is clear that you will need something to put your stuff in when you are packing and not throw them to fly around the truck. First things that you will need are, with no question and no doubt, definitely boxes. You will need a lot of boxes. And when we say a lot, we mean A LOT.
Now you are probably wondering”where do I find enough boxes for my move?!” Of course, you could go and buy some, but wouldn’t it be much easier and more convenient if you got some for free? Don’t worry, we have some ideas that will save your life in this situation:
o Liquor store.
This might not occur to you at the first moment, but it is true. Liquor stores get big shipments every month and often get so many boxes they simply don’t know what to do with them and end up throwing them in the dumpster. Instead of allowing this to happen to your precious packing material, stop by some nearby liquor store, or send a friend that knows some and ask their manager if it would be ok if you took some boxes. You will probably do them a favor and at the same time they will help you with your moving process!
o Bookstores
Doesn’t matter if it is a big chain bookstore or a small local book store, they should have some boxes that could help you with your packing issues. They probably have a lot more smaller sized boxes rather than the big ones, but you will need both for your packing.
o Grocery stores
Similarly to liquor stores, grocery stores also get a lot of shipments. Actually, they get their shipments even more often – weekly, and some even daily since it is important for their products to always be fresh. You could pop up at your local grocery store or a large supermarket and ask the manager if it would be ok if you took some boxes of their hands. But be careful and check are the boxes clean and are they smelly. You don’t want to ruin your stuff by taking a dirty box.
o A recycling drop-off point
We don’t know have you ever heard about them but recycling drop off points are like a true treasury of the moving boxes. They get tons of it every single day probably and are waiting for you to ask! When taking a box from the recycling drop off points make sure you check if the boxes are clean as well.
o Ask friends and family
Do you have any friends who have been moving recently or own some small business? If so, they will probably have at least a few boxes you could use for your own moving. Ask your friends and family members if they have something for you and wouldn’t mind if you took it. If they don’t have any usable materials for you we suggest you ask them at least to help you with the hunt when they get the opportunity!Another important thing when it comes to getting boxes is that you take the right sizes you will need. Different sized boxes are useful for different things, so you should pick a variety of sizes in order to be completely covered. Use small boxes to pack a little bit heavier items such as books or your makeup and cosmetics and the bigger ones for bulkier things like your blankets or pillows, cushions etc. There are also medium sized boxes and boxes with dividers are very convenient for fragile items such as your dishes – plates, glasses, mugs etc.
3. Packing tape
Now, similar to boxes, you just cannot have enough packing tape when you are packing! You will need a good packing tape for two reasons: first, to build up your boxes, and second to seal them up once you have finished packing the certain box. Don’t try to save money by getting some cheap tape, instead invest in a good quality tape and you will be sure your plates won’t be flying around the truck because your box opens in the middle of the ride! Because of this reason, make sure you get a few extra tapes, just in case.
4. Packing paper
You cannot just take certain items and put them in the boxes just like that. There are many reasons for this, but the most important one is: you do not want your precious stuff to get damaged or completely broken during the moving process (especially the truck drive). It is our advice you take a lot of paper since you will most definitely need it. You should use your wrapping paper to pack items that are fragile and items that are sharp and could easily make damage.
5. Plastic bubble wrap
Now another thing besides the wrapping paper you will need to wrap your items in is a one sturdy plastic wrap. You shouldn’t put it on all of your items, bubble plastic wraps are mainly used for two purposes: to keep similar items stay together (for example plates in a medium sized box) or to prevent liquors from leaking out of the bottles. You should take the caps off the bottles, put a plastic wrap and then close the bottles again. This way you will be sure there will be no liquor in your moving truck or in your boxes! You can also use bubble cushioning for protecting your most fragile items made of glass or porcelain.
6. A good toolbox
It is probably unimaginable to think of packing and moving without using any tools. The first thing on your mind is probably the most important one – disassembling furniture. For this you will most definitely be going to need some tools. A screwdriver and wrench with some heads should be enough to do the job. Also don’t forget the basics, like scissors– you will need something to cut all of that packing tapes, wrapping papers and bubble wraps!
7. Labeling tools
When it comes to packing your stuff in boxes, labeling comes as one of the most important things. If you label all the boxes you will always be able to manage easily among all of those things and will keep in track with everything.
You will not be panically looking for that particular item, emptying and then again packing the same boxes unable to remember where you have put it! Labeling your boxes is one of the keys of staying organized and sane during this process. You can use markers and write the content of every box on it. You could use different colored markers or stickers and make things more interesting. And your kids will most definitely love the colorful solutions! You could also pick a color and make it a sign of the particular room in your new house – for example, yellow for the kitchen, pink for the bedroom and blue for the bathroom. This way, not only will you stay organized during the packing process, but will also make unpacking so much easier and save you a lot of time!
