How to master you packing skills?

Though packing your stuff will take a long time, as long as you’re organized and have a good plan in advance, it shouldn’t consume your life. You should start packing at least a few weeks in advance so you have enough time to pack everything, but not so far in advance that you’re surrounded by clutter and start packing away the things you’ll need. Here’s what to do:

Get your cardboard boxes ready. You will need more cardboard boxes than you think. You can get them for free from your local grocery store, find them under “free stuff” on craigslist, get them from a friend who recently moved, or just buy them if you want to save time.

Label all of your boxes carefully. You should write where each box should go on the tops and on the sides of the boxes, so you’ll know where the boxes should go even if they’re stacked on top of each other.

Pack a box of essential items. You should do this on the morning or night before your move. The box should include bathroom necessities such as toothpaste, shampoo, soap, your shower rods and curtain, and towels, as well as any overnight essentials like your bedspread, blanket, pillows, and pajamas. Also, if you can’t live without caffeine, pack away your coffee maker or tea and tea kettle.

Pack all the items that go in the same room in one box. Don’t worry about separating your books from your notebooks, if they’ll both go in your office. Just put everything that goes in the same part of your room in one box so you can unpack the stuff more easily.

Have a “packing station” in your house. Instead of cluttering each of your rooms with a few boxes, pick one place to keep all your packed items.

Keep your hardware in a prominent place. Make sure your toolbox is on-hand when you move so you start assembling your furniture again. You can either put it in your essentials box, or keep it in the cabin of your moving truck or your car.

Hang on to your essential paperwork. Hold on to any paperwork that is related to your old home, your new home, or your moving process. Don’t pack it away with the other stuff that goes in your desk, or you won’t be able to find it in a pinch.

Ask some trusted friends for help in advance. Whether your friends are heroically helping you move all of your boxes, or if they’re just hanging out for moral support, you should let them know when you’re moving well advance. Send them an email or give them a call asking for their help on the big moving day.

Don’t forget to reward your friends for helping you. Though they’re offering to help you out of the kindness of their hearts, you should still make sure to take them out to a restaurant after the move, or to order in beer and pizza.

Set up the utilities in your new home and coordinate services and places ahead of your move. Call ahead to make sure you have heat and electricity in your new home, or your move will be off to a very unpleasant start.

Utilities include water / gas / electric (often bundled), telephone / TV / internet (also often bundled), home security, and refuse.

Services that you’ll need to coordinate once you move in include address changes and anything tied to your address, for example insurance, banking, or car licenses and registration.

Places to locate include the nearest hospital, fire station, police station, village hall, country government, post office, park district, animal hospital, library, public transportation, and school.