Packing is not as simple as you might be tempted to believe at first glance. There are numerous things that need to be considered, ranging from when you pack to how you pack. Also, we need to factor in the stress associated with packing since this can easily make you make some serious mistakes.
The good news is there is no reason to feel bad when it is time to pack simply because you do not know the best practices of the moment. This is why we hire movers. However, if you do want to pack yourself, make sure you avoid the following mistakes that are much more common than they should be.
Not Planning Ahead
This mistake can be huge since you might end up not having the necessary time to pack everything or you may not have all the items needed to properly pack. Such a mistake can create true havoc when moving over a long distance. For instance, when moving from NZ to Australia, you may end up in an unwanted situation in which you will need to leave some things at home.
Getting back to the subject of planning, you need to know how to efficiently and safely pack everything you will transport. In order to do this, create your planning game plan. It does not necessarily need to be written down, although this would be pretty useful.
You need a blueprint to pack and it is a shame to see few homeowners consider this.
Not Having Enough Time To Pack
Most people underestimate how long it takes to pack, especially when moving. This is why specialists will tell you that not allowing yourself the time you need to pack everything is the biggest mistake you could make. Also, when you do not have time, there is a really good possibility you will end up making other packing mistakes.
The trick here is to be realistic. Think about how much time is needed to pack and then allow yourself more time just in case you were wrong. Generally speaking, when you pack everything in a one-bedroom house or a studio apartment, you need 2 to 3 days. When you pack everything in a 3 bedroom house, you need around 6 days. This actually applies when you pack for the whole day, which rarely happens.
Just over-estimate the number of days you need.
Not Enough Supplies
There are not many things that are worse than being on a packing roll and figuring out that you do not have supplies anymore. You then have to take a break, buy extra items, lose time, and maybe even not be on a roll anymore.
During your planning phase, calculate how many supplies you need. Fortunately, there are many moving box calculators you can try online (an example here).
Extra tip: Make sure you do not forget about markers. Many do and end up moving without clearly labelling items, which is highly problematic.
You Do Not Get Rid Of Items Before Packing
In every situation in which you pack, you need to take it as an opportunity to get rid of everything that you do not need or use anymore. Why pack something that you will not use? Everything that is not necessary, desired, or needed should be removed from your packing list.
Thankfully, avoiding this mistake is not difficult. Before you pack, separate the items that you do not need anymore. Create 3 piles with them:
- Donations pile
- Recycling pile
- Trash
Do not be sentimental. You want to remove all that is not purposeful anymore, like clothes you did not wear in a year or kitchen gadgets that you never use even if you keep taking them with you from one home to the next. Remove all of these and you will even pay less on moving because transportation is usually paid per weight.
Not Properly Securing Items
There is no use to pack anything if what is inside your boxes ends up broken. Usually, because of a lack of supplies or time, people tend to slack and do not properly secure the items they put inside boxes. This is a recipe for disaster and it is a certainty you will have a problem because of broken or damaged items.
Always use your best judgment to figure out what you have to wrap and what is fragile. Some things are quite obvious, like glass, but others are not so durable and you might think they are, like several electronics.
The good news is you do not always need packing paper and special bubble wrap. You can save some money and even space by using things you already have at home, like clothes. Just make sure that if you want something to be properly secured and take zero chances, you should use appropriate packing materials that guarantee safety.
Final Thoughts
The 5 packing mistakes we highlighted above are really common but there are definitely several others that could be mentioned. This is why it is a very good idea to work with specialists or at least ask them when you have doubts. If there are some things that are very important for you and you want them to be packed properly but you have no idea how, hire professional movers.
