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One of the fastest ways to slow down packing is to turn it into a decluttering session. Keep in mind that packing is one task, organizing is another. With that said, moving is an excellent opportunity to purge the stuff you don’t need and start fresh in your new home. All you need to do is get started earlier. For example, if you need two weeks to pack, then four weeks out, start de-cluttering, donating, and selling the excess. Find time frames that work for you. You’ll find that packing and unp

Boxes, packing tape, markers, bubble wrap, extra cardboard, and moving blankets are all essentials for safe and effective packing. Everything is available at your local moving store, but you can also use Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace and get some items for cheap or free.

Or post on social media and ask if anyone has moving boxes they want out of the way. Movers in the unpacking phase are very motivated to get rid of boxes! Those old shipping boxes occupying space in your garage are also gre

Any professional mover will tell you that there’s a right way and a wrong way to pack boxes. One of the best pro tips is to pack boxes so that one person can lift them. Put heavy items, like books, in small boxes and voluminous but lightweight pillows and cushions in the big boxes. Pack one room at a time and keep like items together. Securely wrap your breakable objects and clearly label each box with its contents and corresponding room.

Wounds and lacerations from broken glass are a common cause of visits to the emergency room, so be especially careful when you’re packing and moving breakables. If you have large frames with glass or mirrors, wrap them generously with padding. And, to minimize danger if something does break, use packing tape to put an X across the glass.

Not everything is fair game to throw in a box with the contents of your sock drawer. Don’t pack dangerous items. Dangerous and hazardous material requires special handling or may not even be allowed at all. Household chemicals, ammunition, fuel, and fire extinguishers are just a few things to consult the moving company about, or simply dispose of it at a hazardous material collection site.

Even with super-specific labeling, locating a needed item in a pile of moving boxes is essentially a modern-day metaphor for finding a needle in a haystack. In other words, don’t inconvenience yourself by packing your favorite bottle of shampoo at the bottom of a box that ends up in the bottom of a pile of boxes. Keep your daily essentials readily available by packing a bag as if you’re going on vacation for a week. Having your necessary items will set you up for a much less stressful move.

A box of bathroom towels? See you at the new place. But the birth certificates, social security cards, school records, recent bank records, and current bills? Don’t put those in the pile for general transport, as they should be personally hand-delivered — by you. Regardless of how insured and licensed the moving company is, it’s safest to keep important documents in your possession.

Moving is arduous. Depending on your situation and the size of the job, you might need to enlist some help — or outsource the task entirely. Professional moving companies typically have a sliding scale of offerings. So if you want help moving the heavy stuff but don’t want anyone touching the dishes, you should be able to get the service you want a la carte. And if you do go solo or enlist the help of friends and family, remember that a dolly is invaluable for moving heavy boxes and appliances.