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Packing Food – What to Know
Some of us have a genuine love affair with our refrigerator and freezer. Oh, and let’s not forget the pantry – the lovely pantry can hide some deliciousness in it, too. However, when we need to pack all that up and relocate, it gets less exciting. Packing kitchen supplies can be hard, but what about food? Here are some tips on how to do it systematically and get ready for the movers. Cook & Eat As Much As Possible One of the great ways to minimize the amount of food you’ll pack is to use it up before moving. Prioritize the foods and ingredients with a quick expiration date. This is another great way of saving money you’d usually spend on takeout or delivery. When Packing, Think Weight and Size of Boxes The boxes you’d use for food shouldn’t be too big, and they should be sturdy. Plastic relocation boxes and crates can be a good choice for relocating food. With food, as with anything else, think about the weight – the heaviest packaging should be at the bottom; lighter goes on top. Check What Can Get Spilled You might think you can just place a bag of flour to the bottom of the box and hope for the best. Well, it won’t, because flour and sugar, for example, can go everywhere. That’s why you should place the ingredients that can spill into either sealable plastic bags or some other containers. You Are Responsible For Your Booze Most moving companies won’t transport alcohol, so if you have a collection you’re proud of, make sure you pack it into your...
Home Packing Series – How to Pack Kitchen
Most of us love the kitchen, as we eat delicious food and bond with people we care about over it. Americans typically love a spacious kitchen, too. But what happens when we need to pack all of that in a bunch of boxes? Stress, that’s what happens. However, if systematically approached, packing up your kitchen can be easier than you think. Let’s see how to make it easier. Packing Fragile Dishes, Pots & Pans Even though dishes seem scary to pack, if approached with a bit of extra care, you’ll be able to do it easily. Use the heaviest-to-lightest trick when packing dishes, making sure each dish is separately cushioned and protected. If you get sturdy packing boxes, you’ll ensure extra protection, but in each case, label the dish boxes with “fragile.” Pots and pans are easier to pack as they might not be as fragile, but they can get scratched, so make sure to wrap them, as well. Packing Knives & Sharp Items Use additional precaution with all the sharp blades. If your knives have a block, by all means, use them, but even then, make sure to tape them and wrap them. After wrapping all the blades in packing paper (newspapers will also do the trick) and taping them together, wrap everything in a towel or other cushioning material, and tape it. Packing Kitchen Appliances The best boxes you can use for appliances like toasters, blenders, etc., are their original boxes. If some of the original boxes are missing, try to pack those appliances into boxes of similar shape and size and pad them properly. Packing Food...
Packing & Saving Space – It is Possible
When you’re preparing for packing, you can do a lot to save yourself space and unnecessary luggage. Let’s see how to do it.
How to Pack Books for a Move
I admit it, I am a big book worm! I love books so much, but I also have to admit – they take up a lot of space in my house, and sometimes you just don’t have enough room in your house. So how do you pack up your entire library for your new home, without damaging your books? Some books are extra special – either a first edition, a signed copy, a special gift with a dedication from a deceased relative. These will need extra care to make sure they are safe. What you don’t want happening to your books Dog – ears – If I give someone a new, crisp book, and they return it to me dog – eared, they will never get another book load from me again.Water damage – if you use cardboard boxes, they will likely tear and get water damage.Sun damage – if books are left out in the sun, they will fade, the pages will deform and the pages will get fragile.Damaged spines – bent, broken, peeled spines are bad for your book’s value. Step 1: declutter Go through your books and see if there are any you can give away to family and friends, donate to charities or the local libraries, or recycle. Some books I will never let go of, but some I will happily give away, as they have no significance to me and I will not re-read them. Step 2: pack Get strong bins and boxes – do not get a big cardboard box. Professional movers and packers will have the supplies you need.Stuff the box and...
Best Moving Boxes & Items for Your Relocation
Here are some boxes and packing items to help you relocate smoothly while taking good care of your belongings.
Pre-Relocation Purging – What to Get Rid Of
Cleaning is a great way to re-check all the items you might or might not need. It’s particularly important to do it when relocating as the number of items can affect the relocating price. But, we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t make such drama over getting rid of certain items. Yes, some of you are low-key hoarders, but you will feel much better when you say goodbye to unnecessary junk before moving to a new location. Let’s see how to do it. Purging Closets Many of us hold on for dear life to some ridiculous clothing items. Before packing your wardrobe into plastic boxes (or cardboard boxes, but be practical and safe, please), go through your clothes and check them through asking questions like Has it been over two years you’ve last worn some pieces? Do certain pieces not fit you anymore? What pieces do you think you’ll never wear again? The garments that don’t pass those filtering questions need to go. Garage Purge Your garage is like a black hole as it contains things you didn’t know existed anymore and the things you didn’t know you ever got. But all jokes aside, garage reveals the not-so-tidy side of us, and we need to take care of it. Any appliances that don’t work, hazardous materials and suspicious aluminum cans, lighting that stopped working a long time ago, stained and old garden cushions you know you won’t use – it’s time to get rid of those. Online Sale & Donation If after purging you came across some great garments, appliances, pieces of furniture, etc. that you know you won’t...
What Supplies Do You Need For a Perfect Move?
When you think about moving supplies, you might think of some cardboard boxes and duct tape. However, that is far from enough for a smooth packing process and relocation. Since packing is one of the tedious tasks people mostly dread (some enjoy packing and organizing, we can’t generalize), we have to simplify it. The right moving supplies will simplify the packing process and make it much easier for you. Here’s what you need. Packing Essentials Plastic moving bins – If you have cardboard boxes on-hand, or better yet, the original boxes of your electrical appliances, those will be perfect for relocation. However, renting plastic moving boxes will make your relocation easier and safer. They are also easy to clean and disinfect in this time of COVID pandemic. Tape – When you buy tape, get slightly more than you think you need because you don’t want to run out during the busy time. Also, get a stronger tape because you will need that sticking power. Padding & bubble wrap – Investing in bubble wrap might be necessary for some items, but not always. You can use blankets, towels, and other cloth materials for padding, as well, and that’s how you can save money. Labeling stickers or markers – Whatever you prefer and need of these two, buy it because you will have to do a lot of labeling. Moving Furniture – What You Need Cargo rope or strap...
Smart Packing, Room by Room
The thought of packing can be gut-wrenching for many, and that’s probably due to perspective. When we think about packing in its entirety, we don’t know where to start, and the work scope seems intimidating and stressful. However, when organized and reduced to bite-sized pieces, packing gets more comfortable and more manageable. Here are tips on how to organize packing, room by room. Kitchen & Dining Room These two areas are the most demanding to pack, as the kitchen contains lots of fragile dishes and other appliances. Protect the dishes with bubble wrap or towels and blankets when packing. For glasses and other smaller items, sectioned boxes are the right solution. When you order plastic moving boxes, the companies usually have different types of crates t offer and the sectioned ones. Don’t forget about the refrigerator – you should defrost it about two days before the relocation. Dry items can be packed in boxes, whereas the food (and especially frozen food) needs to stay in a portable fridge, if possible. If you can disassemble the chairs and the dining table, by all means, do it. Also, protect the tabletop so it doesn’t get scratches on it while moving. Living Room & Bedroom The massive furniture from your living room and bedroom (couch, bed, etc.) should go into the moving truck first. Protect the electronic appliances with some padding. Clothes are easy to pack, but always purge before packing – we always tend to have too many clothes we don’t wear. Roll up the rugs and carpets. Finally, protect the mirrors and other fragile pieces (like artwork) with bubble wrap...
Move & Pack Safely During COVID-19
With relocation being a stress factor in itself, the fact that we are experiencing a world-scale pandemic is giving it another dimension of worry. Can I even hire movers and how will they carry around my things? How should I pack and sanitize everything? What do I need to organize and pack properly? Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about moving and packing, and how to make the process smooth. Add Sanitizer to Your Cleaning Supplies’ List Even though it sounds like a no-brainer by now, it doesn’t hurt to remind you of this product in the hectic days of relocating and organizing. You won’t only need the sanitizer for cleaning and packing by yourself, but also when your movers arrive on the spot. Yes, movers can provide you with their services, but with masks, enough social distance, and hand sanitizer. Original Appliance Boxes & Plastic Crates Not only that stocking up on ridiculous numbers of cardboard is wasteful – it can be dangerous during pandemics, as well. Avoid taking cardboard boxes from someone as the virus can stick onto those surfaces. Using the original boxes of your home appliances is the best idea. Additionally, when you rent plastic boxes, you can easily sanitize them and they will be safe for use. Don’t Underestimate Packing Time The earlier you start packing, the less stress you will feel overall. You can start with packing the things you know you won’t need for a while. Clothes you know you don’t need for that season, anything that’s hanging on the wall, Christmas décor (since we are at...
