Packing Tips

My family is moving!!  We are so excited to be out of a one-bedroom apartment (with 3 people) and into a 3-bedroom!  Crazy thing is that we'll be paying less at our new place.  What a God thing.

I have to say that living in a one bedroom with three people has been a huge blessing to us in many ways.  For one thing, we were blessed to find a place that we could afford that was close to hubby's work.  We were also so very very blessed by our landlord.  Let me tell you, he has been so good to us!  What a wonderful thing to have a Christian landlord!!  But I think the best way that this place has been a blessing to us is that it has humbled us in ways we never thought possible.  We are more stingy with our money that we ever would have been if we had decided that we simply couldn't live in a one bedroom with a baby!  Let me tell you, with God all things are possible!!  We are also feeling less like we need things than ever before.  Rather than moving into this bigger apartment because we need to, we are more able to recognize that it is because we want the space.  It is a huge accomplishment for us to consider the difference between a want and a need.

Anyway, here are the packing tips that I have come up with while packing the odds and ends that have accumulated around the house.  Most of these are ways that I am trying to save mula in the midst of a move.  Let me know if you have any other ideas!!

Pack dishes in a plastic bin with blankets

I'm using blankets, hoodies, fabric napkins, and anything else that I will have to pack anyways instead of bubble wrap... it will serve the same purpose without us having to buy plastic that we will just throw away after the move.

The other thing about packing dishes that makes me nervous is putting them in a cardboard box.  It always makes me think that they will all fall out of the bottom of the box.  I'm using a plastic bin that I had in storage instead of a cardboard box.  It just gives me some peace of mind.

Garbage Bags are your Friend

Donate or throw away anything that you won't have a place for when you move.  I always hate having that one box of junk toward the end that really didn't fit into any other category, so you stuck all the odds and ends in it.  I decided with this move I didn't want any boxes that I was dreading going through, so I'm not putting anything in a box unless I have a place in mind for it.

Make sure you donate as much as you can, rather than throwing things away.  Try not to be wasteful, but if you don't have a place for it, you don't need it.

Masking Tape: Label your boxes with the room they're going to

When all your friends come over to pack up the U-Haul, it's going to be chaotic... no matter how much planning and packing you have already done.  If you're like me, you don't like chaos and will want to hit the pause button while you tidy around people and send them to the right place with each and every box.  Realize that you can't do that... and plan ahead.  Simple use of masking tape and a sharpie will get your boxes into the right rooms.  (Don't just write what's in the boxes, write which room they go to for your movers.)

Dust off that Crockpot

I'm packing up all our dishes so that we don't have to worry about washing dishes and pots and pans in the midst of packing.  My plan is to make a crockpot dinner each night and use paper plates, silverware, and napkins for the next 5 days before the move.

If you don't want to use paper and plastic products, pack up all but some of your dishes ahead of time and make sure everyone washes their own dishes each night.  This will take the pressure off you while your head is, well, everywhere else.

If you would like to see more of my tips for moving, click here!