What to Pack First (And Last) When Moving
Declutter Your Items Before Packing
Packing your belongings is a time-consuming task. Thus, you need to make sure that you are not wasting your time and effort on something that is no more important to you. So, start looking for things that are not required in your new house and keep them in one place. Get rid of these items (like old clothes, coffee table, gadgets, cycle, skateboard, books, magazines, etc.) by organising a garage sale. You can also contact nearby NGO in Canberra and donate your stuff. This process will reduce the number of items to pack. It will not only save your time and effort but also reduce your overall transportation cost.Prepare A Packing Inventory List
Once you are done with the decluttering process, you will only have the relevant items. Now, before you start your packing, make a packing inventory list. This list will help you to pack every item in an organised manner, and it will also save time. People often make the mistake of not making this inventory list and get confused at the eleventh hour. If you hire professional removalists in Canberra, you will find that they also follow a similar approach. The packing inventory list will not only help you during the packing but also when you will unpack your boxes in your new house.Pack Your Moving Day Kit
Before you start your packing and put everything inside the moving boxes, you should pack your moving day kit. This kit is crucial when you are at the new place, and all your boxes are packed. The idea is to include all the items that you will most likely need during the first night in your new house. In this kit, you should have things like: • A pair of clothes • Extra towels • Medicines • Phone and laptop chargers • Vital documents • Cutter and scissors • Toilet paper and hand soap In the absence of these things, your first night in the new house can be very frustrating. Pack this kit before starting your final packing process. Once you are one with the pre-packing tasks, start with the packing process as mentioned below.1. Pack the Non-Essential Items
You should always start your packing with those things that you don’t use every day. This way, you will pack several things without disturbing your day-to-day life. As these items are not essential, you can also unpack them in your new house later. Consider the following items: Books and Magazines: Because of their uniform shape, it is easy to pack books and magazines together. Pack them in small or medium-size sturdy boxes. Picture Frames and Artwork: You should remove them from the wall before a few weeks and pack them properly. You should also patch up the holes in the walls left by the frames. Decoration Items: Your decoration items include lamps, clocks, vases, antiques, and other similar items. These items can easily get damaged, thus you should pack them properly using bubble wrap, packing paper and stretch wrap. Off-Season Clothes: If you are moving during the summer, start packing your coats and jackets. And if you are relocating in winters, pack your shorts and t-shirts. If you have hired experienced removalists in Canberra and opt for an end-to-end service, they will pack everything.2. Pack Kitchen Items
Initially, you may think that you will need everything you have in your kitchen, but as you start packing, you will find that there are many items that you can go without in the last few weeks before moving. Keep things like a few plates, bowls, cups, glasses, toaster, coffeemaker, knives, saucepans, dish soap, etc. separately and pack everything else. Use segregated cardboard boxes to pack wine and liquor bottles and glasses. Cover you china dishes with bubble wrap before keeping them in a small sturdy box. Wrap all your silver pieces in a clean and unprinted paper such as tissue paper. Kitchen packing can be very hectic and requires correct packing methods. So you can hire experienced removalists in Canberra for their packing.3. Documents
When you are packing, be very careful with your essential documents. You should not keep them for the last minute. It will lead to confusion and frustration. Also, there are chances that you might lose a few documents in the last minute hotchpotch. So, pack them a few weeks before moving. Many people hire removalists in Canberra and allow them to pack everything, including documents, but that is a huge mistake. You should handle your essential documents like your property papers, insurance, bills, vehicle papers, prescriptions, etc. Organise and pack all your documents, including ID Cards and passport in a separate bag. And always keep it with yourself because you never know when you might require these documents during the moving process.4. Electronic Devices
Now, it’s time to pack your electronic devices like your television, DVD player, laptop, desktop computer, iPod, iPad, camera, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, game console, radio, printer, etc. It may take some time to understand how everything is plugged in. Also, you must have enough time in your hand so that you can wrap them properly in bubble wrap and pack them in moving boxes. That is why you should not delay this packing task.5. Toiletries and Cleaning Supplies
A few days before moving, you should pack all your toiletries like toothbrush, cap, floss, tooth cleaner, razor, blades, shaving foam, aftershave lotion, comb and/or hairbrush, shampoo, body soap, deodorant, nail clippers, mirror, and so on. These are small items, so you need to pack them carefully. Also make sure that all the essential cleaning supplies like all-purpose cleaners, scrubbers, duster, broom, etc. are also packed. You are most likely to need them within the first few days of moving.6. Small and Large Furniture
Last but not the least is your small and large furniture, such as chairs, tables, beds, desks, dressers and cupboards. Once you are done with all the packing, you must focus on packing your furniture as per the room. Usually, people hire professional Canberra removalists to handle their furniture, but you can also pack them using plastic covers. It will protect the fabric and wood of the furniture during bad weather conditions.Conclusion
The more time you will invest in packing of your belongings, the more relaxed you will be on your final moving day. Experts believe that your packing should be completed at least one day before the moving day. If you follow the packing approach mentioned here, you are least likely to face any confusion.
