Are you in a situation where moving day is coming up quick, and you’re not quite as prepared as you’d like to be? Whether this is because you were waiting for things to fall into place or you simply procrastinated, the process of moving doesn’t have to be a mess. There are several creative packing strategies you can use to get your apartment collected in as little time as possible. Some of the best strategies you can use right now to get a jump start are listed below.
1. Throw Out Junk/ Give to Charity
Packing junk that you don’t use, want, or need is only going to cost you more time to pack. Go through your apartment, beginning with the kitchen, and put items you don’t want into donation and trash boxes. If you don’t have time to drop off the donations, call and ask a local NYC charity if they can come and pick it up.
2. Make a Necessity Box
Any clothing, electronics, shoes, snacks, toiletries, etc. that are important parts of your daily routine should be placed into a box. Set this aside, so you don’t run the risk of accidentally sealing it for transport.
3. Pack Clothing
Beginning with clothing that’s hanging, use a rubber band to tie 10 or so hangers together (with the clothes still on). Next, rip a small hole in the bottom of a trash bag and slide that over the top of the hangers. Cover your clothing with the bag and you’re done (see photos of how to do this here). With items that are on your dresser, roll them up and place into your luggage, so it takes up as little space as possible.
4. Pack Linens
Place comforters, blankets, sheets, pillows, and throws into trash bags. However, before you tie them shut, sit on top of them to push the air out. By doing so, you’ll create a vacuum seal that doesn’t require additional tools. Check out tips here.
5. Pack the Kitchen
If you’re in a time crunch, then new boxes may be easier to get than used boxes. Fortunately, you can recycle these when you’re finished. When packing your kitchen, wrap up knives in kitchen towels, plates in newspapers, and utensils in socks. Staten Island movers from Cheap Movers NYC gave us the following tips for packing the kitchen:
- Pack dishes vertically in the box, to prevent the weight of the ones on top from damaging those at the bottom of the stack.
- Make sure all breakables are completely wrapped in packing paper before placing in the box.
- Top off boxes with extra packing paper or packing peanuts. Empty space is usually what sends items crashing into one another during transportation.
- Don’t try to move large kitchen appliances by yourself. Get the help of at least one other person, and make sure you have all the proper equipment to do the job (i.e. dollies and ratchet straps).
6. Pack the Bathroom and Bedrooms
Soap, shampoo, and other toiletries should be placed in plastic zip bags just in case of leaks. Your bathroom rug and curtain can be used for padding to protect any ceramic or glass items you own. Bekins has more great tips on bathroom packing.
7. Call Movers
To save time, have movers haul your boxes to a truck and move large items for you. The time it takes to empty your apartment will be cut in half by doing so. If you need extra help, hire packers or ask friends to come and help.
8. Packing in a Hurry
Packing is notorious for taking a long time but it doesn’t have to. By focusing without any distractions and having a game plan, things will go much more smoothly. In fact, it may only take a few hours once you’re prepared. Be creative!
Hopefully these packing tips will help you start the moving process and save you a little bit of money on your next move. NYC moves can get expensive, but packing yourself will help save you a bundle!
