Packing for a Move

Use Paper Plates for Packing Plates

I am getting ready to move and packing up my dishes. I have packed my plates between paper plates that I got from the dollar store. They take up less room than newspaper. When I get to my new place, I can just put the plates in the cupboard without washing them once again, and the paper plates are used over again for lunch time.

By Sandy from Nova Scotia

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Have A Move In Kit

When moving into a home, throw these few things into a bag and have them ready to take into the house on the first trip. It will save you lots of frustration:

1. A roll of toilet paper, hand soap, and a towel. You won't know until you get there if there will be any, so be prepared.
2. Light bulbs and/or a lamp. Flashlights if the power will not be on yet.
3. Shower curtain, rod, and rings. Nothing worse after a long day of moving than not being able to take a real shower! This can also double as window covering until you unpack the shades. String or cord can be used to hang the curtain temporarily if there is no shower rod or no rings.
4. Hammer, pliers, screwdriver, duct tape, scissors, garbage bags, string or cord. Enough said.
5. Paper plates, cups, and utensils. Last thing you want to do on moving day will be dishes.
6. Pack an overnight bag with your toiletries, towels, and a change of clothes. You will want these things where you can find them easily, not in an unmarked box.

Treat it like a camping trip: take what you think you will need with you. Pillows and blankets, water and food in a cooler, lighter or matches and cooking implements should be handy.

By Diane from Wonder Lake, IL

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Use Popcorn as Packing Material

Another packing material: popcorn! You can buy 10 pound bags of popcorn for very little money. All you need to do is get out your air popper, and 10 pounds of popcorn will probably fill up a very large move.

I really did this for one move when I went across country. I didn't have any significant breakage. Is it better than some of the eco-hostile packaging materials available? Probably not, but most things are not fragile crystal, anyway.

Not to mention, that you are using completely biodegradable material and if you arrive somewhere when you've just moved, have no food around, and are really desperate, there's always stale popcorn to eat until you get your phone service hooked up!

By Ken from Los Angeles

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Packing Tips for Moving

Here are some tips to help you pack for a move.

• Call around for prices on boxes and special wrap for dishes. If you use newspaper on your kitchen dishes you will have no choice but to wash them before they are put away.

• Call a moving company and see if they can fax you a list of how they advise you to pack, and how they sort for the move, along with the supplies they carry. You may incorporate good ideas from them without using their services.

• Save newspapers ahead of time for wrapping fragile items. Use your left over Christmas and birthday wrapping paper for fragile items, as well. This is less to move. Purchase markers for boxes; use black for regular household items and mark the room name on it. With colored markers assign one color for each person in your household for their personal items.

• First pack items you use daily, per room, and mark box "Daily (name of room)". These will be the everyday items you use on a regular bases. Example: kitchen silverware, pots and pans, coffee machine, coffee, filter, cups, sugar and creamer, etc.

• Have a cooler and ice for condiments from the fridge, as well as water and drinks for the family. Example: kitchen pet supplies with bowls and food together, paper towels handy, and rags for cleaning with a few cleaners for cabinets, dusting, and glass.

• In a box marked "Immediate Need", include: flashlight, batteries, household tools, with nails, hooks, command strips, shower curtain, electrical tape, and light bulbs. I also advise a camera with fresh batteries for those first photos at your new place.

• In a box marked "Immediate Bed Linens" put: sheets, pillowcases, and blankets.

• Pack a suitcase of clothing, health and beauty aids, like shampoo, conditioner, soap, toilet paper, shave cream, razor, etc., as if you were taking a trip. If your new residence is not ready on time you could stay a few days in a hotel or with family until your house is completely ready.

• Pack a box marked "Just in Case - Bathroom" with towels and washcloths to last 3 days.

• Everything else can be marked per room; black or color coded, fragile if needed. These are all the items you can do without for a month if it takes that long.

• I do advise if you have children they have a color coded box of a few toys or favorite books until you have time to unpack their rooms.

• The more you think through each day as if you are on a vacation living out of a box and suitcases the easier the move will be. It will be easier on the kids.

• As you go through each room to pack, pull out what you no longer need. You could hold a yard sale before, or donate these to a mission, Goodwill, church family, or even check with your local fire department to see if there is a family in need. If you donate to Goodwill you can use the receipt to deduct from your taxes. This is the time to clean out.

  This can be the first step in packing a room and boxing what goes, marking give away or mark yard sale before you move if you have the time. This does make the move a little lighter.

• Talk to others about what mistake tripped them up in their move and learn from them. Decide which of these steps are first, per your moving situation and know that you cannot know where things are unless they are marked.

• Load first onto the truck room boxes and household items. Furniture should be loaded next. Load luggage in car. Put the "Immediate" boxes at the back of the truck with the household furniture, also at the back of the truck. It will go inside first, so beds can be made.

By Cheryl from Nashville, TN

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Paper Towels as Packing Material

When packing household item to move I use paper towels, the recycled kind. When I unpack, I reuse the paper towels for cleaning jobs!

By Kate from Gainesville, FL

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Update on Green Moving

DH and I finally got moved and are in process of unpacking. I encountered some minor things which were not problems, but I would change if I had it to do over.

When we were preparing to move, I packed a few outfits for each of us and all our underwear. I would have packed a couple more outfits for me, since I dumped coffee in my lap before we got out of Texas. We drove up here.

The packing worked out great. I would recommend it to anyone. We were in the house for 6 days with an air mattress, percolator, and 2 coffee cups. We bought disposable picnic ware to use.

DH said he regrets not having a few of his tools, that is screwdrivers, hammer and a drill motor for minor repairs. All in all I feel it was a good idea and I'm glad we did it.

By Marty D. from Knoxville, TN

Editor's Note: Here is a link to Marty's original moving post.

• Use Towels And Clothing As Packing Material

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Packing Materials for Glass Items

Cheap paper towels are the best wrapper for glass items when packing to move. It leaves no black ink residue the way newspaper does. It's thick and reliable and best of all, it can be used again after you unpack!

By Sandra McArdle

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Packing Dishes and Linens

Use towels, wash cloths, sheets, etc. to wrap lamps, dishes, fragile items, etc. to prevent breakage during a move. They are clean and you do not have to rewash and clean everything after moving.

By Linda from Arlington, Texas

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Use Towels And Clothing As Packing Material

Having been in Houston for almost 30 years, DH and I are going to retire and go back to Knoxville, Tennessee. We can live on our retirement checks without working.

In the past, I have used a lot of bubble wrap and newspaper to pack. This time, I packed with clothing, towels, and wash cloths. I rolled my pictures in bath towels and all my breakables in T-shirts and such. It goes without saying I didn't use our nice clothing for this, only the knock around every day things. The movers came this morning and carted everything away. The next time you hear from me, I'll be back in Tennessee with no printer's ink on my hands.

By Marty from Houston, Tx

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Newspaper End Rolls for Packing

If you need packing paper to wrap your valuables, go to your local newspaper and ask for an end roll of paper. They give it away for free here and it has no print on it and has plenty of paper for getting your things packed. You can also cut it to the exact size you need. And again, the best thing about it is that it is FREE!

By Southeastgeorgiapeach from Jesup, GA

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When moving, what is the best way to pack pantsuits and skirt suits? Last time I moved I left them on the hangers and laid them in the trunk but when I got to my location they were scattered all over the trunk and hangers were all tangled up. Any advice?

Most Recent Answer

By Allison5 06/14/2008

I agree with the dry cleaning bags -- or tissue paper folded in between them (I do this when packing for a trip).

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