Planning a move in Toronto? The experts at Miracle Movers are happy to share their hard-earned wisdom with you. Few elements of a move end up requiring more time, or come as a bigger surprise to many of our customers, than packing. Reduce your stress on the big day by following some of our handy tips below.
Packing tips
Start packing – and start planning your packing – at least six weeks before your move. It will take longer than you think, and the more time you give yourself to organize your efforts at your own pace, the less stressed you will be.
Begin by cleaning out your closets and storage rooms, and don’t assume you need to keep everything. Use your move as an opportunity to throw out, sell, or give away items you don’t really want or need. Reducing clutter will not only lead to more space in your new home, it will reduce the number of items that need to be packed and transported.
As you decide which items you’re keeping, divide them into categories so that you can pack them more quickly when the time comes.
When packing, remember to place the heaviest or sturdiest items at the bottom and delicate, light ones at the top.
Pack for weight, not quantity. Instead of packing everything you can into the fewest boxes possible, make sure the weight of each box remains manageable. This will make the moving process safer and easier for both you and the movers alike.
Wrap your smallest items in colored paper or tissue so that you can easily notice them when unpacking. It would be a shame to accidentally throw something away because it looked like a crumpled ball of packing newspaper!
Make sure you clean large furniture and appliances such as TVs and refrigerators before loading them, as dirty or greasy surfaces can make them difficult to grip.
However, don’t confuse cleaning with furniture polish. The padding surrounding a freshly polished item might leave permanent imprints on the surface. Wait until your items are unpacked to polish them!
Try to pack items from each room into the same set of boxes, and make sure each box is clearly labelled based on where you want it placed in your new home.
Pack an “essentials” box that is loaded last onto the truck and unloaded first, and ensure it contains emergency items such as non-perishable food, drinks, medicine, blankets, a flashlight, batteries, etc.
If you have any valuable antiques or family heirlooms, have them appraised before packing them, or consider arranging separate transportation, due to the risk of damage. It may also be wise to purchase a separate insurance policy for them, as standard mover’s insurance does not typically cover item values.
Even you don’t own antiques, avoid packing your most important documents and belongings such as passports, birth certificates, and jewellery into the moving truck. Keep them with you to ensure that you can access them at all times.
If you have children, make sure you pack a separate bag that contains some of their favorite toys, books, and snacks. Keep it with you, so that when you arrive at your new home your kids can keep themselves occupied while you unpack.
…Of course, if you really want to make your move as smooth as possible, we recommend that you order your packing supplies directly from us (check out our list of supplies here, which we’re happy to deliver right to your home) and hire one of our expert teams to do the packing for you.