Moving can be one of the most stressful and time-consuming tasks you’ll face. Whether you’re relocating to a new home across town or across the country, packing up your entire life can feel overwhelming. But with the right strategies, you can significantly speed up the process and make your move far more efficient.
At CrowdPackers, we know that time is of the essence when it comes to moving. That’s why we’ve compiled this comprehensive guide filled with practical packing hacks and time-saving tips that will help you get through the process quickly and with less stress.
1. Start Early and Make a Plan
One of the most important time-saving tips is to start packing as early as possible. Waiting until the last minute can lead to disorganization, rushed decisions, and added stress. Instead, create a detailed packing plan as soon as you know your moving date. Set aside time each day to pack room by room, focusing on non-essential items first, such as out-of-season clothes, books, and decorative items.
Break your plan into manageable tasks by setting deadlines for when each room should be fully packed. This will prevent the need to scramble at the last minute and make the process feel less daunting.
Pro Tip: Use a moving checklist to keep track of tasks, from packing to hiring a professional moving company like CrowdPackers.
2. Declutter Before You Pack
Before you even start packing, take the opportunity to declutter your home. Go through each room and decide what to keep, donate, sell, or throw away. Moving unnecessary items will not only take more time but also increase the cost of your move if you’re paying for packing services or transportation.
By decluttering, you’ll reduce the number of boxes and items that need to be packed, making the entire process quicker and more efficient.
Pro Tip: Consider hosting a garage sale or selling items online to make some extra money before your move.
3. Use Quality Packing Supplies
Investing in high-quality packing supplies will save you time and protect your belongings during the move. Instead of using old or damaged boxes, purchase sturdy moving boxes in various sizes, packing tape, bubble wrap, and markers for labeling. High-quality supplies will prevent boxes from breaking or collapsing, reducing the risk of damage to your items.
CrowdPackers provides packing materials as part of our professional moving services, ensuring that your belongings are securely packed and transported safely.
4. Color-Code Your Boxes
Color-coding your boxes is a simple yet highly effective packing hack that will save you time when unpacking. Assign a different color to each room in your new home and place colored stickers or tape on the corresponding boxes. For example:
- Blue for the kitchen
- Green for the living room
- Yellow for the bedroom
This system makes it easy for movers (or you) to quickly identify which boxes belong in which room, making the unloading process much faster.
Pro Tip: You can also write the contents of the box on the label to make unpacking even more efficient.
5. Pack an Essentials Box
Packing an essentials box is a must for saving time and reducing stress on the first day in your new home. This box should contain all the items you’ll need for the first 24-48 hours, such as:
- Toiletries (toothpaste, soap, toilet paper)
- Chargers for electronics
- A change of clothes
- Basic kitchen supplies (cups, plates, utensils)
- Medications
Keep this box with you during the move so you have easy access to your essentials without having to dig through all your packed boxes.
6. Use Clothes as Packing Material
Instead of spending extra money on bubble wrap or packing paper, use your clothes and linens to wrap fragile items. This saves both time and money, and it’s an eco-friendly packing hack that reduces waste. Wrap items like dishes, glassware, and electronics in soft clothing or towels to provide padding and protection during transport.
Pro Tip: Socks work perfectly for packing smaller fragile items, such as glassware or jewelry.
7. Keep Clothes on Hangers
Don’t waste time taking clothes off hangers, folding them, and packing them into boxes only to rehang them when you arrive. Instead, leave your clothes on the hangers and pack them directly into wardrobe boxes or cover them with large garbage bags. Simply poke the hangers through the top of the bag and tie it off at the bottom. This method saves time during both packing and unpacking.
When you arrive at your new home, you can simply hang the clothes in your closet without the extra work.
8. Pack by Room, Not by Category
One common mistake people make when packing is grouping items by category rather than by room. While it may seem logical to pack all your books or all your kitchenware together, it makes unpacking much more complicated.
To save time, pack each room’s items together. For instance, pack everything from the living room in one set of boxes and everything from the kitchen in another. This way, when you start unpacking, you can tackle one room at a time rather than searching through boxes for items that belong in different areas of the house.
9. Use Clear Plastic Bins for Essentials
For items you’ll need right away, such as cleaning supplies, toilet paper, or kitchen essentials, pack them in clear plastic bins rather than cardboard boxes. This will make them easy to identify when you arrive at your new home, saving time spent searching through boxes for necessary items.
Pro Tip: Clear bins are especially useful for bathroom and kitchen supplies that you’ll need to access immediately after moving.
10. Take Photos of Your Electronics
Before disconnecting your electronics, take photos of how the cords are connected. This will save you time and frustration when setting up your TV, computer, or other devices at your new home. Label each cord with masking tape or zip ties so that you know exactly which one goes where.
At CrowdPackers, we recommend this hack to our customers to ensure their electronics are set up quickly and correctly after the move.
11. Label Cables and Hardware
Disassembling furniture and electronics is often necessary for a move, but it can lead to frustration when you can’t remember which screws or cables belong to which item. To avoid this, label all cables and hardware using small bags or zip-lock containers. Tape the bags to the corresponding pieces of furniture or electronics so you’ll have them ready when it’s time to reassemble.
This simple hack can save hours of searching for misplaced parts during the unpacking process.
12. Use Small Boxes for Heavy Items
When packing heavy items like books or kitchenware, it’s tempting to fill large boxes to the brim. However, this can make the boxes too heavy to lift and more prone to breaking. Instead, use smaller boxes for heavier items, and larger boxes for lighter belongings such as pillows or blankets.
This not only makes the boxes easier to handle but also reduces the risk of injury or damage to your items.
13. Roll, Don’t Fold, Your Clothes
Maximize space and minimize wrinkles by rolling your clothes instead of folding them. This packing hack is especially useful when packing suitcases or duffel bags, allowing you to fit more clothing in less space. Rolling clothes also helps to prevent creases and wrinkles, which means you won’t have to spend extra time ironing after the move.
14. Pack Dishes Vertically
To prevent your dishes from breaking during the move, pack them vertically rather than stacking them flat. This reduces the pressure on each dish and decreases the chances of them cracking or shattering. Use bubble wrap or towels to cushion each dish and prevent movement during transport.
At CrowdPackers, our team is experienced in handling fragile items, and we recommend this packing method to keep your dishes safe during the move.
15. Delegate Tasks
If you’re moving with family members or friends, don’t try to do everything yourself. Delegate tasks to different people to save time and ensure that the workload is distributed evenly. Assign each person a specific room to pack, or delegate responsibilities like labeling boxes, organizing supplies, or keeping track of the moving checklist.
If you’re hiring a professional moving service like CrowdPackers, you can leave the packing to our team of experts and focus on other aspects of the move.
16. Label Boxes with Priority Numbers
As you pack, label each box with a priority number to indicate how quickly it needs to be unpacked. For example, label essential boxes with a “1” to indicate that they should be unpacked first, and less important boxes with a “3” to indicate that they can wait. This system helps you prioritize your unpacking tasks, making the process more efficient and less overwhelming.
17. Keep a Moving Binder
Stay organized by keeping all your moving-related paperwork in one place. Create a moving binder to store important documents, such as moving contracts, inventory lists, contact information for utilities, and receipts. Having everything in one location will save time when you need to reference important details during or after the move.
Conclusion
Moving doesn’t have to be a time-consuming and stressful ordeal. With these packing hacks and time-saving tips, you can speed up the process, stay organized, and reduce the chaos of moving day. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, these strategies will help make your move faster and more efficient.
At CrowdPackers, we’re here to help make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible. With our professional packing and moving services, we take the hassle out of moving, so you can focus on settling into your new home. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist with your next move!
