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Common Mistakes People Make When Packing

1.    Not having a plan 

One of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to packing for their relocation process is not planning ahead. A good plan is half of the job done. If your moving day arrives and you still haven’t got a plan for packing, you’re doomed. Once your packers and movers arrive you need to be prepared for moving. Packing is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one. There are numerous things to think about and pack for your upcoming moving process. People usually just dive in without having any real plan on how they are going to pack every single thing they own. This is a big mistake. You will get frustrated and probably very stressed.

Tips on how to avoid it: A few days before you need to start packing, figure out a plan. If you’re not an organizational freak, find someone in your family or friends to help you out with the plan. Also, there are numerous checklists and plans online which you can download. If none of them suits you completely, write your own list, print it out and start packing according to your new plan!

2.    Not having enough supplies

Another problem that might arise once you start packing is that you realize you didn’t order enough packing supplies. It goes for boxes as well as protective paper, duct tape and similar things. You must be very careful when it comes to ordering supplies. On one hand you need to have enough for everything you need to pack. Than might be much more than you have imagined. People usually don’t realize how much they own until it’s time to start packing. On the other hand, you don’t want to order too much and waste your money on supplies you won’t be using. Therefore, you must be really careful while calculating how much supplies you need.

Tips on how to manage: Try asking someone to help you or use online packing calculators. They will give you an idea of how much packing supplies you will need based on the size of your home, your packing style and similar things. You can also get free packing supplies from a local store and in case you get too much, well, at least it’s free. The best thing is to buy just a little more in case you need it.

3.    Not decluttering before packing

This is a major mistake. People usually hoard things over time and the longer you have been in one place, the more stuff you have probably accumulated. Almost everyone gets astounded by the amount of things they own when they start packing. Decluttering at the same time while packing can be too much and a tedious task to do. Therefore, plan a decluttering day a couple of days before your actual moving day. Once you start going through your stuff, you’ll see there is so much you haven’t used in quite a while, but you keep it somewhere just in case you need it. Well, you do not need it. Obviously. You can give some things to your friends and family, or organize a garage sale in your yard and sell some of the things you don’t need. That’s a great way to earn some extra cash. You’ll need it once you move and start decorating your new home! If you don’t need the cash, you can donate those things to a goodwill and make other people happy!

Tips on how to avoid it: As soon as you decide to move, start thinking about decluttering. Start going through your things day by day and you will get a decent amount of things you are not using. You don’t have to dedicate a whole day to that task, just start step by step. Don’t stress over it and it will be an easy process.

4.    Getting caught up in perfectionism

Before your packers and movers arrive, you need to do everything that’s your task. This might be tricky, if you are not good with time and organization in general. Besides that, if you are a perfectionist in your life, it is to be expected that you will apply the same method to the packing process. However, trying to pack perfectly is simply a waste of time and there is no chance you will get everything perfectly packed in time. The main thing you should focus on is packing everything safely and correctly. No one will see the details and how the boxes are labelled. It is important to secure everything rather than label it perfectly.

Tips on how to avoid it: The best ways to avoid getting caught up in unnecessary details is focusing on the important – packing. Do what you can with the time you have and the resources you own without paying attention to things that are not worth it. You can try to pack and label everything perfectly, but if it is not – no one will care. It’s not the end of the world.

5.    Not securing things well enough

People usually are not aware of how things can get damaged during transport. No matter how big or small your move is and how many miles you need to cross to your new place, everything needs to be packed securely and correctly if you want to avoid your belongings getting damaged. Some of the main reasons why people don’t secure things well enough is not having enough supplies and boxes or simply being lazy. Even though you might think this is a waste of time, once you arrive at your new place and find your favorite piece of furniture damaged you will regret it. Invest your time smartly and it will be worth it.

Tips on how to avoid it: Use your best judgement to decide what needs to be packed and secured with more supplies. If you are not sure, ask someone to help you. There must be a friend or colleague that has moved recently and has good advice for you. Even if you don’t have enough supplies, you can be creative while packing. Anything from your linen, to socks, towels and clothing can be used to secure fragile things in the boxes. This is a win win situation!

6.    Packing in the last moment

It is usually recommended to start packing as soon as possible. The more time you have, the better organization and the final product will be – a well packed belongings ready for safe transport! Packing in the last minute is likely to result in big mistakes that can cost you your favourite vase or glassware. Therefore, try to start packing as soon as possible. Sometimes it is not possible if you need to move our shortly or simply don’t have enough time because of other everyday business errands. Also, if you don’t start on time, you will probably end up losing more money than you have intended to. If you don’t have time to declutter and start packing a few days before your move, you will pay higher rates for your move simply because you need to move ALL of your possessions. Also, you will need to replace your belongings that will get damaged during transport if you don’t pack them properly – because you’re in a hurry.

Tips on how to avoid it: Don’t assume you will be able to pack all of your belongings in just a couple of days. It is quite a process, so start as soon as you can. You should start with the rooms and things you use the least. Leave the most used items for the last day of packing. Do not underestimate the time you will need to pack some things. Make sure you leave enough time for everything. Pack a couple of boxes each day. If you don’t have the whole day for packing, you can use an hour or two to pack some part of it.

7.    Not packing an essentials bag

This is a major mistake you can make while packing. Ask the more experienced people – they will confirm it. Don’t just start packing without a plan. Don’t pack everything that comes into your way. It is important to pack according to a plan, leaving the essentials for the end. Once your personal possessions and furniture is loaded into a truck, you won’t have access to them until you arrive at your new place. Even then, the boxes will be mixed and you won’t be able to find what you need in a short time. You won’t be able to unpack everything that same day. That is why not packing an essentials bag is a major mistake you want to avoid.

Tips on how to avoid it: Once you start packing, you will come across the things you need the most. Don’t leave them on the side for later, pack them right away. You will forget about them later or they will get lost. The things you leave unpacked for the morning of your moving day are the ones that should be put into the essentials bag. Also, don’t forget to pack the most valuable possessions in your essentials bag since you will have it by yourself at all times. Ensure your piece of mind by keeping your most valuable possessions such as jewelry, passport etc. by yourself during the move.

8.    Not labeling the boxes

It will take very little of your time to label a box while packing, but it will take you hours to find an unlabeled box once you are moved to your new destination. The movers won’t know which boxes need to be treated with special care. Also, if you don’t label the box with the name of the room it should be put in, you will need more time to arrange everything in your new home. This simple packing error can cause a great amount of confusion in your final stage of moving – unpacking and settling in.

Tips on how to avoid it: Don’t leave the labeling for the end. As soon as you start packing a certain box, label it. It doesn’t even have to be fully packed. Clearly write the contents and the designated room on the box and you will make your unpacking process that much easier. Your local movers will be able to arrange your things within your new home!

9.    Not getting packing help

If you think you can do everything by yourself – think twice! In theory, you could, but it would take so much of your time and nerves. This may also cost you a lot of your money. If you are not ready when your packers and movers arrive, you will have to pay them for waiting for you to finish or to help you pack the rest of the unpacked things. Either way, you will lose. Unless you have a lot of free time and very few things to relocate, packing on your own will be a big failure.

Tips on how to avoid it: Ask your friends and family to help you. It can be a fun activity for all of you. Going through your old things may bring some memories back and you can have fun along the way. Order pizza and start packing! If you’re hiring budget movers, help from your friends will be necessary!

Once you have gone through all of the listed most common mistakes, you can say you’re ready for your packing process. Even if you hire the best movers in town and you don’t pack properly, your things might get damaged during transport. Moving is one of the most stressful situations in life. Therefore, try to avoid adding more stress to it. Start packing on time, gather friends to help you out, label all the boxes, make a plan, secure everything well enough, don’t get caught up in perfectionism and you are bound to have a smooth packing and relocation process. And don’t forget to pack an essentials bag for your first night! Your local movers will be able to start with the relocation process immediately!