DIY packing mistakes to learn from

Moving on a budget can be challenging. When you have to think about every little detail, you may feel pressured. However, there is a way you can do it all on your own, without feeling stressed. The one thing we are always trying to avoid is to make mistakes. They cost time and money and make you feel nervous. Nevertheless, do not forget that someone once said, to make a mistake is to learn. With that in mind, I’ve come up with this compact and useful guide that should help you to avoid DIY packing mistakes.

Most common DIY packing mistakes

Learning from others mistakes is a great way to save yourself a lot of trouble. When moving by yourself, one of the biggest challenges is packing. Everything needs to be neatly folded and packed into boxes. You have to organize your belongings into categories and pack them in the right order. If you are a first-time mover, you don’t even know all the steps you must take to properly pack your possessions. To help you avoid DIY packing mistakes, here are some of the most important aspects of moving on your own:

• start planning on time
• get enough supplies
• learn how to pack properly
• prioritize when deciding what to pack
• label your boxes the right way

Start planning on time

Moving with interstate movers is easy. However, if you are moving on your own, one of the most common DIY packing mistakes is that you don’t start planning on time. When organizing your relocation, making a plan is crucial. Avoid the situation in which you start remembering all these little things you didn’t do when it’s already time to hit the road. Instead, put everything on paper. Make notes and create a checklist to help you track your progress. Besides, there are many free planning mobile apps you can use to organize yourself.

Furthermore, give yourself a time frame in which you need to complete certain tasks. This way you’ll know if you are behind schedule.

Get enough packing supplies

The best way to avoid losing time is to get everything you need before you start packing. If you find yourself running to the store to buy more packing supplies, you didn’t do a good job. To be able to find out how much supplies you need, you have to assess how many things you have to pack. I will talk about this in detail in the section to come, but be aware of this step.

Another important thing to think about when acquiring packing supplies is your budget. Some like to buy high-quality packing paper, which is more expensive. If you wish to save a couple of dollars, there are many cheap replacements. If you invest some time into investigating more, you can find free packing supplies.

Learn how to pack items properly

This is crucial. If you don’t know how to organize your clothes and pack, you will make many mistakes that will later reflect on the entire relocation. To avoid these DIY packing mistakes, here are some useful tips you can use.

Roll your clothes

Instead of folding, roll your clothes. This saves space and packing supplies. It is also much faster, so you’ll pack quicker as well.

Don’t leave empty space when packing

One of many common DIY packing mistakes is leaving empty space. For example, fill all your drawers with clothes. Also, leave your clothes on the hangers in the closet. You will end up using fewer boxes to pack, and save a lot of time and money. Furthermore, it will be easier when unpacking, as you won’t have to move clothes back to the drawer or your closet.

Packing breakable items

To avoid damage when moving, learn how to pack fragile items or electronics. If you are packing glasses or plates, always fill the box with packing foam before you seal it. Another advice for packing plates is to pack them separately. Wrap them in the packing paper and stack them one on top of the other.

When packing electronic devices or tools, always use the original box. If you have any small parts on the device you are packing, store them separately in small plastic bags. Cables should be removed or coiled around the plastic handle.

Packing furniture

When moving on your own, always ask for help when packing furniture. If you are not handy with this, you might end up hurting yourself or damaging your items. You can find affordable furniture movers that will help you in no time. However, if you wish to do it on your own, search online for the best possible ways depending on the item you are packing.

The general advice is to remove all legs and pack them in a separate box. Also, you should tape and secure all openings, like closet doors or drawers. If they are not secured, they might open or slide out during your relocation, and break. What people usually do is ship larger items before the move.

Prioritize your items

This is an important section. When relocation, it is always smart to decide what is worth keeping. Never pack everything, you will probably not use it after the move. Make a yard sale or donate what you don’t use any longer. Once you are done, you’ll see that you have less to pack. In conclusion, you will save time and money, and space.

Another way to prioritize when packing is to know what to pack on top. In other words, think about the stuff you’ll need on the road. Pack them in a way so you can access them easily if needed. This usually goes for extra clothing, food or medicine.

Another example where you must prioritize is if you wish to have a stress-free military move. Here is where you really need to pack only essentials. Otherwise, you’ll not have a good time with all the extra stuff and no place to put them. You’ll probably end up throwing most of it away.

Labeling boxes

One of the biggest DIY packing mistakes is not knowing how to label boxes. Each box should have a list of items packed inside, and the name of the room where it should go. Also, don’t forget to label fragile boxes. Next, when packing, you should think about your essentials box. This is what you’ll unpack first after moving.

Take your time and do it right!

I hope that this guide helped you understand how to avoid the most common DIY packing mistakes. Learning how to pack properly can save you a lot of money and time, even if you are relocating with a moving company. The more you know how to do by yourself, the easier it gets. With that in mind, take your time to learn everything properly. Happy packing!