The years are passing by and you are getting bored with your current living situation. Maybe you want to distance yourself from your past relationships. Perhaps you got tired of your boss and colleagues and want a change. You finally got your dream job and the decision is made. You are definitely moving! People usually take some time between jobs. Everyone needs a break from waking up early every day if nothing else. Even so, when signing a new contract and deciding about which day will be your first at a new job, you must ask yourself – how much time do you need to sort out unfinished business and pack for a move. After you settle at a new location, you will need some adjustment time, but first things first.
Make checklists
If you want to have as much stress-free moving as possible, it is wise that you plan things ahead. For good planning and execution, you need to make a good checklist. Start with the important things and go towards the less crucial ones. Note down everything you can think of, but sort your checklists by categories. They can be by the rooms, and/or timeline, or by the people responsible for duties you assign to them. Afterward, when you get time-limited, it will be much easier to pack for a move when you follow planned steps. Making checklists can start the second you decide to actually move, hence you can take all the time you need. Even on the moving day – it is never too late for a checklist! The more checks you have on the list, the closer you are to finishing line.
Calculate time to pack for a move
There is not a lot of room for calculating packing time if you are in a hurry, but there are some basic ideas on how much time you need to pack for a move. It generally depends on:
- How big is your current residence,
- The amount of stuff you have,
- How many people are doing the packing and
- Who does the packing?
How big is your current residence
It certainly takes more time to pack for a move if you live in a mansion than if your nest contains one room and a kitchenette. Let’s suppose you are not an A-List Hollywood star, and you don’t have assistants to do the packing for you. Assuming you are just a regular Joe, you need to organize by yourself. The more rooms your apartment or a house have, the more time you will need to pack for a move. The estimated packing time per room is usually one to 1,5 day. Don’t forget about the additional spaces like the attic or garage. If there is more than one room that you live in, start with the one you use the least. Make sure to clean along with putting your belongings into boxes. Logically, you will begin with the stuff you use rarely and you know you won’t need them any time soon.
The amount of stuff you have
Leading the minimalist life is a big plus in this situation. It will be easier to organize your moving and packing, and it will cost you less. On the other hand, if you live a hoarder`s life, the time you will need to pack for a move shall significantly increase. Chances are you are somewhere in between, but still – the packing time is proportional to the number of your belongings. If you are a guy and don’t have too much stuff in your bathroom, the packing will be over in no time. Contrary to that, having kids means you probably have too many stuff all over the place. Whether it is clothes, dishes or toys, you will probably need much more boxes to pack. The most important thing before packing is purging. Make piles for charities, sale, and throwing and try to get rid of that stuff before the moving day. If will save you room, time and money.
How many people are doing the packing
Unlike the first two questions, this time we are talking about reversed proportions. The more people are doing the packing, the less time they will need to finish. You surely know the best when it comes to your stuff – what goes and what stays, so you should be the decision maker. However, you should still ask people for help in some areas. After you have decided what goes into those three piles, there is no reason you shouldn’t have someone else pack those items into boxes. While your mum and siblings put those away, your teenage children can pack their clothes, toys and school things. That way, you can have two rooms finished at once while you are deciding are you ever going to use that old loaf pan. The more the merrier especially works when loading the boxes into the truck.
Who does the packing
There are more ways than one to relocate your belongings. You can do it by yourself, with the help of friends and family and by your own vehicle. The cheapest, but the most time and labor intensive method. The other option is hiring someone to help you. That can be limited only to transportation, so you can use moving pods. The company provides you with containers and transports them from door to door, but you still have to load and unload them. Number one option to go in case you don’t have enough time is – hiring a reliable moving company. If you choose professionals to relocate your belongings to a new home, you will save time, energy and nerves. You can arrange the scope of their services you want to use and they will provide you with insurance for your stuff. In the end, only you decide who wins in the moving yourself vs. hiring movers battle.
If you opt for movers, you can expect the following. First, they will do an inventory of your items, and then give you the price. One more reason for a good purge. After that, they are the ones to make sure all of your belongings are packed properly. You don’t have to worry about boxes, bubble wrap, and moving boxes, they have it all covered. There are usually more people who prepare boxes and pack for a move. Since they are professionals, the crew of 2-3 workers can pack your belongings in 2-12 hours, depending on the square footage. After they label them, the boxes and furniture are carefully stacked into trucks and transported to your new address. Because of the proper labeling, the moving company will place your stuff in the right rooms, and then you can enjoy unpacking and enriching your new home.