10 MMINY Packing Tips for your Next Moving Adventure

Pin It now! Packing and moving are no fun.  The end result is great, but getting from your old place to your new place takes effort and sometimes (although hopefully not) grief.  Here are some Match Made in NY tips that I think might help.

1. Start packing early, even if it's one box at a time.  No matter what your husband may tell you, you can't pack an entire apartment in one day.
2. Instead of newspaper to wrap fragile items, I used leftover rolls of wrapping paper.  You can tear any size you need and you don't have to wash everything after you unpack.  (I'm sourcing this tip to the hubs - great idea babe).  Don't forget to recycle all the leftover paper!
3. You can also use your clothes or linens to wrap the breakable items or to cushion things.  It saves space and requires less packing.
4. As much as you can, put smaller items in larger items.  For example, we filled our pots with smaller things.  Again, this saves space and requires less boxes.
5. You'll need more boxes and packing tape than you think.  We needed double than we originally thought.  Ask for boxes wherever you can - a lot of stores just recycle their boxes anyway so catch the managers as they're breaking down the boxes and take them off the store's hands.  If permitted, you can use the boxes at work that hold reams of paper.  They're really durable and have a top that you can just plop on.
6. Take apart as many big items as you can and only if you have the proper tools - for example, lamps, the dining table and the bed frame can be taken apart before the movers come.  Although the movers will break things down, it cuts down on moving time and since you're paying by the hour, every minute counts.  Keep screws and all pieces together, and tape them to the original item as best you can.
7. Make a list of the contents of each box, number each box and label which room it's for.  Bring the list with you on moving day and check that each box or item is accounted for.  It makes it easier to make sure you haven't forgotten anything.  Plus, it's not that you don't trust your movers, but you shouldn't trust your movers.
8. If you can get into your new place to clean before you move in, try to do so.  Even though the building developer told us the place was cleaned and wiped down before we moved, we found paint dust and paint splattering all throughout the apartment.
9. Moving is a great time to edit your life.  I like to follow "if you haven't worn something in one year, let it go".  Hubby and I went through our closets and donated a lot clothes, electronics and a jewelry box.  Don't forget to make a list of the items and what you think they're worth now (not what you bought them for) so you can use the donation as a tax deduction.
10. Plan for the worst, hope the best.  We were lucky to move the day after a blizzard (remember the Box Day blizzard??) but we packed anyway, packed efficiently and durably, organized and planned, and even with all the snow, we moved without a problem.