Ask anyone who has moved house what they would do differently, and the answers come fast. Too many boxes. Not enough labels. Spending a small fortune on packing supplies and then wondering where the money went. One professional organizer who has been hired to help families move says there is a clear number one mistake, and almost everybody makes it.
The organizer behind the Clutterbug YouTube channel shared the best packing tips and the top mistakes to avoid in a video on house moving. The timing was personal, too: Clutterbug says viewers know a move is coming up and packing is about to start. In the past, the organizer was hired many times to help other families move, made a lot of mistakes, and learned a bunch along the way.
The Biggest Mistake: Not Decluttering as You Pack
Without a doubt, Clutterbug says, the biggest mistake almost everyone makes is not decluttering while packing. The advice is to have a trash bag ready, along with a donation pile, so that things you do not need never make it into a box.
It makes sense. Every item that goes into a box is an item you will carry, load, unload and unpack. Sorting as you go means you are not paying that price for things you were going to throw away anyway.
A simple way to make that work is to carry the bag and the donation box with you from room to room, instead of waiting until the end. When you pick something up and it is obviously trash or something you no longer want, it goes straight into the bag or the pile. It never earns a spot in a box, and you never have to think about it again.
Next Mistake: Wasting Money on Supplies
The next biggest mistake, according to the video, is wasting money on huge, expensive totes, bubble wrap and other packing supplies to go inside your boxes. Buying totes to move is a waste, Clutterbug says, because of what happens when you get to the new place and start to unpack.
For furniture, there is a cheaper and faster idea. Instead of taking everything apart, wrap smaller pieces of furniture in Saran Wrap. Clutterbug notes that there is even moving tape made for this. Secure the wrap with packing tape, and as long as the piece is light, you can move it as it is. The caution is clear: do not try this with a dresser filled with clothes. For smaller pieces, though, it saves time and a ton of space.
Smart Tricks That Save Headaches
Several of the tips are things you can start doing today.
- Take photos before you take things apart. If you are disassembling furniture, the TV, electronics or a computer, there are many different wires. Snap pictures of everything first, so it is obvious how to put things back together.
- Use sandwich bags for small parts. Put the small cables or screws in a bag, and tape the bag to whatever it belongs to.
- Label the room on top of every box. Use a marker and do not overcomplicate it. Just write what room it is going to, really big, on the top, so that as movers or you are carrying it, a glance down tells you where to set it.
- Use clear bags for pillows and blankets. They are less likely to get thrown out by accident.
- Pack an essentials box. Include underwear, clothes you want to wear, pajamas and your favorite bathroom products, all kept separate so you do not have to unpack everything to find what you need.
Do Not Empty Small Furniture
Another mistake on the list is taking everything out of small pieces of furniture, such as end tables and filing cabinets. Clutterbug mentions a big mirror that is filled with jewelry. Emptying it all out and unpacking it all again is a waste of effort.
Putting These Tips to Work
The beauty of this advice is that it saves both money and energy. Here is a simple way to pull it together.
- Before you buy a single supply, set up a trash bag and a donation pile in each room.
- Skip the expensive totes and the extra padding, and use what you have.
- Photograph and bag the small parts before taking anything apart.
- Label each box with its room in big letters.
- Set aside an essentials box that travels with you.
It is worth noticing how many of these ideas are free or nearly free. A marker, a few sandwich bags, a roll of tape and your phone camera cover most of the list. That is a nice change from a shopping trip for fancy supplies, and the money you keep can go toward something that matters more, like a good first meal in the new place.
Moving is a lot, and the video acknowledges that. Clutterbug says the overwhelm is understandable, and offers a calm reminder to take it one box at a time, one pile at a time. That is good advice for any big job. You do not have to tackle the whole house at once. Start with one room, one drawer or one box, and keep going.
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