In last week’s "Move Monday" you sorted your belongings, reviewed each category, and purged what wasn’t going to the new house. Now, it’s time to get ready for packing and moving day.
Step #4: Prepare for Packing
Confirm
Call all vendors involved in the move and confirm dates, times, etc. Check the weather & prepare accordingly. Communicate with the movers which items will need to be unloaded first at the new house, especially items for the first night, so that these come off the back of the truck first.
‘Do not pack’
Before the packers arrive (or before you start packing yourself), create clearly labeled ‘do not pack’ bins. Anything you may need in the transition time between packing and unpacking should go into these bins. This includes functional items, such as clothes and toiletries, but also valuables, such as money and jewelry. We recommend starting with a ‘do not pack’ bin in each bedroom, then consolidating all items to one location that can be blocked off from the packers.
Here’s our starter list of the most common ‘do not pack’ items:
- suitcase of clothes
- toiletries
- kitchen items for a few days (utensils, dishes, etc.)
- snacks and water
- coffee
- pet items
- toilet paper
- paper towels
- soap
- sheets
- towels
- shower curtains
- trash bags
- medication
- paperwork for closing, and any other valuable documents
- electronics chargers
- kids’ homework and school items
Professional packers pack absolutely everything, so remember to empty the trash cans first.
Label
If packers are coming to your house, make sure each room has a clearly labeled sign instructing where the contents are to go in the new house. If the contents of the ‘guest bedroom closet’ are going to ‘Lucy’s bedroom closet’ in the new house, then make sure the boxes are labeled as such. If you’re not sure which items are going into which room in the new house, think through the layout and make a plan before the packers arrive. This will be crucial for organization on the other end of the move. It will prevent you from moving boxes to different rooms while unpacking, or digging through heaps of boxes around the house to find a specific item.
Your current home is now ready to go! Next week, we’ll talk about how to start things off right in your new home, starting with coordination on moving day.
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