While the thought of starting afresh in a new home is thrilling, the process of packing, transporting and unpacking your belongings can be a real pain in the… well, you know.
Many “gurus” and so-called “experts” will offer you all sorts of ludicrous solutions and hacks. They also might attempt to sell you some useless “helping tool” that will be useless at best and will break the first time you try it at worst.
In fact, reducing the stress of moving homes is not that complicated, and professional moving companies have been doing it for decades. The solution is simple–you create a list and label all your boxes.
What you need to do before listing and labelling your packs
Before you start labelling and listing your packed items, there are a few things you need to do to ensure that the process is as smooth and efficient as possible.
First, declutter and organise your home, for nobody wants to squander their time and energy packing items, they won’t need in their new home. Instead, take some time to sort through your belongings and decide what you want to keep, donate, or sell.
Once you’ve decluttered, organise your items into categories. For example, clothes, books, kitchenware, etc. This will help you pack efficiently and label your boxes more accurately.
Secondly, you need to choose what packing materials you will use. Naturally, this comes after decluttering, as you must know the approximate number of boxes and containers.
Finally, prepare an online or could document where you can create your inventory list. Why not use a good old-fashioned pen and paper? Since those are quite easy to lose in the mess that will follow. So, stick to your phone and something you can access from anywhere at any time.
How to label your packs the right way
Now that your items are neatly placed into categories, it’s time to start packing and labelling.
The first step is to use high-quality packing materials to ensure all your items remain safe during the move, but they’ll also make it easier to label your boxes.
Choose durable boxes that can withstand the weight of your items, and don’t forget to use bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or newspaper to wrap fragile items.
When it comes to labelling your boxes, make sure to use a clear and legible font. You don’t want to end up squinting at your handwriting when trying to find something in a hurry.
Use a bold, black marker to write the box contents on the side and top. That will ensure you can quickly identify the box from any angle.
What has to be included on the label
Your label should be informative and include the most essential information about the box.
Being specific will bring you a long way. Clearly indicate which room the box belongs to so you or your movers know where to place each box when unloading them into your new home.
Next, Write a brief description of the items inside each box. Be specific and avoid generic labels such as “miscellaneous” or “stuff.” For example, instead of labelling a box as “books,” you can be more specific and label it as “fiction books.”
The presence of any fragile items in the box must be clearly indicated on the label. Use a bold red marker or a fragile sticker to indicate that the box’s contents require extra care.
If you have multiple boxes with the same contents, indicating the quantity on the label can be helpful. That can make tracking your items easier during the move.
Finally, label your boxes in order of priority since there will be more than one box going to the kitchen or living room. For example, label the box with the items you’ll need immediately upon arrival in your new home as “Open first”, “Kitchen 1”, or simply “Box 1”.
When should you start labelling
It’s never too early to start labelling your packed items. Label each box once you finish packing it, as that will help you track what you have packed and what needs to be packed.
Moreover, if you leave it for later, you may forget everything that went into that box and wonder where you put that awesome cat figurine right before you move out.
Needless to say, labelling goes hand in hand with updating your inventory list. So don’t disregard this one as well. Doing so will definitely relieve your stress and anxiety in the long run, despite it feeling like a drag at first.
What are the benefits of labelling and listing your packed items?
The benefits of labelling and listing your packed items are immense. Doing so will prevent plenty of nerves and panic at the last moments because you will have everything checked and ready. Still, there are much more upsides to that simple practice.
Convenience
One of the biggest benefits of labelling and listing packed items is convenience. When packing up your home, you quickly lose track of where you’ve packed certain items.
By labelling your boxes, you’ll be able to quickly identify what’s inside them and avoid the frustration of having to dig through several ones to find what you’re looking for. That can prevent wasting your time and energy during the unpacking process.
Stress-Free Unpacking Process
Moving is tough, especially when it comes to unpacking. However, labelling and listing your packed items can make the unpacking process stress-free. After all, it’s essential to be healthy and in as good a mood as possible before moving.
When you label your boxes, you’ll be able to identify where each box belongs in your new home quickly. Thus, placing each container in the right room will be easier, saving you time and energy during unpacking.
Good Organising
Proper organisation is essential when it comes to moving to a new home.
Labelling and listing your packed items lets you stay organised and track what you’ve packed. This can help you avoid losing items during the move and ensure everything arrives safely in your new home.
Additionally, when you label your boxes, you’ll be able to easily identify what’s inside each box, making it easier to prioritise which boxes to unpack first.
Do your packing materials affect the labelling
Yes, your packing materials can certainly affect the labelling process.
When it comes to packing your items, it’s important to use high-quality packing materials that can protect your items during the move. This helps ensure your items arrive safely in your new home and makes the labelling process easier and more efficient.
For example, using good quality containers or boxes will allow you to label them easier, and the label won’t disappear due to damages or other reasons.
Let’s recap
Moving out is a nightmare, and labelling and listing your packed items can give you a sense of lucidity in these crazy times. Following our advice, you can make the labelling process extremely efficient to the point where you can take advantage of all its benefits.
Still, packing will be hard, and if you prefer to spare yourself this stress, you might as well hire a packing service to do it for you. That can ensure you have the time to take care of all other tasks associated with moving out, and you won’t feel the immense pressure of not packing fast enough.
But, most importantly, all your items will be packed professionally and insured, giving you a piece of mind that you will get everything in your new home damage free. Surely, that’s the most important thing when push comes to shove?
Lastly, don’t forget to leave some time to unwind during the weekend before you move to reduce stress and say a proper goodbye to your old neighbourhood and friends.
