How many boxes does it take to pack your home and move? That’s a question impossible to answer even with sufficient data on hand, including the number of rooms in your home, your family size, and your current location. Figure that you’ll need more boxes than you thought possible, an expense you can reduce by acquiring strong boxes from local businesses you regularly patronize. Here’s how to get all boxed up and ready for your move.
Declutter Your Home First
You’ll be overwhelmed with your move if you’re overwhelmed by what you own. There is a good chance that many of the items in your house can’t or shouldn’t go with you. Make it a priority to go through your goods and pull out what you no longer want.
Your next decision is deciding what to do with the excess. Holding a moving sale is a logical response, one that can net you monies to help fund your relocation. Such sales take a lot of work, requiring much time and organization. If the thought of holding a sale turns you off, consider donating what you own to nonprofits such as goodwill or the Salvation Army. Both groups can pick your items up and leave a valuable tax receipt behind.
Acquire Early and Often
Now about those local businesses: you need to visit the stores you regularly patronize, ask to speak with the manager, and tell her of your moving plans and need for boxes. Most retailers will oblige you except for those contractually obligated to supply boxes for recycling purposes.
You may learn that you can acquire a few on the spot, then return twice per week or so following the store’s delivery dates. That’s a lot of work, something you can reduce by visiting other stores in your area on the same day. Make stops in five or six stores and you could come away with dozens of boxes. Sure, that’s still not enough, but it allows you to go home and begin packing.
Throw a Packing Party
You can pack by yourself and take weeks to complete the work or you can ask for help from family and friends. One of the best ways to handle this is to throw a packing party — invite people to your home and ask them to bring boxes with them. You can always use extra boxes to go with the extra hands.
One of the best ways to plan such an event is to ask people to stop by one afternoon and have them pack room by room. This can be done by assigning one couple to help your son in his room, another couple to help your daughter in her room, and other couples or groups assigned to the remaining rooms. In just four or five hours you may be able to knock out most of the work, saving you time and energy. You can reward your team by supplying food and beverages at the end of the day. Consider how much time you saved!
Consider Crates and Containers
Not everything you’ll be moving should be placed in boxes. And if you still have trouble finding boxes, the next course of action is to acquire plastic crates and similar containers. Both options mean you’ll be dealing with lids and tops — just make sure that they snap shut. You can also tape them shut for good measure.
Why should you consider other containers? Besides the lack of box availability, such containers can be reused once you arrive in your new home. Use them to hold your seasonal items, keeping them in the attic, garage or basement until needed.
Moving Options
Of course, your moving company is another source for containers, boxes, and what have you explains the North American Moving Company. Contact your moving company representative for more information. And if you’re in need of packers, your moving company may be able to supply crew for you or recommend a company that can get the work done.