Pack Smart

15 May 2013

• ‘Tis the season…for moving, that is. If you’re getting ready to move, packing can be one of the largest and most intimidating parts of the process. We’ve got a few tips to help you pack smart and take advantage of this prime de-cluttering opportunity so you don’t end up moving lots of stuff you don’t need!
• 1. Gather your supplies. If you’re using professional movers, they may have a box drop off service, and many have used boxes available for reduced rates. Otherwise, check out local classifieds for free used boxes or head to your local home supply store for a stock of boxes, packing paper, and tape, including a good tape dispenser. You will also want sharpies and perhaps colored stickers if you’re planning on marking boxes by room, which we highly recommend.
• 2. Purge while you pack! There’s no sense in packing anything you don’t use, love or need. Be prepared with trash bags and boxes for items you want to donate. For donations, pick an organization that matches your needs – some offer on-site pick up vs. local drop-off locations, some accept certain items and not others. A simple Google search is often enough to find what you’re looking for. If you know you’ll be parting with lots of stuff, a junk removal company if often a good idea.
• 3. Use it or lose it. Last but not least, now’s the time to institute a ‘use it or lose it’ policy for small items discovered during your purging and packing, including food items, toiletries, office supplies and other consumables. If they aren’t something you regularly use, now you’ve got an expiration date for them – if they don’t get used before the final packing stages, just get rid of them!
• Even if you’re not packing yourself (and we don’t blame you), you can still follow the above steps to make sure you’re not moving items unnecessarily. For donations, simply weed them out and get rid of them before the packing help arrives or mark them and set them aside for a donation pick up. And if all of this seems overwhelming or you have a tight timeline, enlist the help of a professional organizer to help you breeze through all 3 steps – now that’s smart packing!