Cost-Effective Ways to Pack for Your Move

Packing is probably the most time-consuming part of any relocation, but things can get even more difficult if you’re moving on a budget. You want to be practical and spend less money, but you also want to make sure that your items are protected and packed correctly to avoid damage and unnecessary expenses. Fortunately, professional and affordable movers shared their tips to help you pack with ease. Read on to learn about various cost-effective ways to pack for your move. Our tips will help you save money and time when you’re packing for your relocation.

Keep the drawers full

When you’re looking for cost-effective ways to pack for a move, you’ll want to utilize every bit of space. You can do so by leaving the drawers full and using them as storage containers. If a piece of furniture is sturdy enough, you can even leave the drawers inside and save extra space, but if that option is not safe, you can still use drawers to move things. Pack lightweight items inside like clothing and bedding and protect each drawer with stretch film and moving blankets.

Use hangers

The next cost-effective way to pack for moving is to leave your clothes on the hanger. It will save you money because you won’t have to buy moving boxes and other packing materials. You can group several hangers together, or you can keep each one separately. To protect your clothing when you’re moving it on hangers, use designated covers or simply put them in large garbage bags.

Multipurpose items

The next thing you should do when looking for cost-effective ways to pack for moving is to put each item in your household to use. For example, your pillowcases, bed sheets, towels, linens, or other soft goods can be used for wrapping other items like glassware, vases, china, lamps, etc. Be creative about this because everything can be useful when you want to pack and move a budget – you can even use your socks to place perfumes and other breakables inside.

Use pots

This may come as a surprise, but you can really be creative when you’re moving on a budget and use pots as storage containers. Use your large pots to place other household items inside and that will save you some space as well as some money for buying extra moving boxes.

Prevent spills

Instead of using a lot of packing materials and taking extra space, you can pack in a simple way. One way to do so is to use a stretch wrap for any item that can spill – think shower gels, shampoos, cleaning supplies, or anything else in your household. Simply use a bit of stretch tape and wrap it around those items that could spill in transit.

Use everything as a container

When you’re looking for cost-effective ways to pack for a move, you should utilize literally everything in your household. Go ahead and use your suitcases and duffle bags to pack things inside and use those instead of moving boxes. Use suitcases specifically for heavy items like books or serving dishes, because the wheels will make it easier for you to move them.

Use colored stickers

While this isn’t exactly a money-saver, it definitely is a time-saver, which can be the same in some situations. You can save time by assigning colors to each room in your home. For instance, red color can be for a living room, blue can be for your bathroom, etc. Use a colored sticker on each box to be able to locate unpack the boxes quickly after you arrive at your new address.

A few extra tips on packing for a move

Take pictures

Taking pictures when packing is a real time-saver because you can take a quick look and remember what was in the box rather than opening every single box to check its content. You should also take pictures of your flat-screen TV and other devices that need to be unplugged because it’s easy to get confused later on when you have to plug them in again.

Pack an essential bag

This is a must when you’re moving because unexpected situations and mishaps are always a possibility. Pack an essential box with all the necessary things like medications, personal documents, some essential toiletries, clean bedding, a few clothing pieces, some snacks, and anything else that will help you get through a few days if anything goes unplanned. Do this before you pack your household items to make sure you have everything in place and keep this bag close to you while relocating.

Do a home purge

One of the best tips you can follow is to get rid of all the things you don’t use. Declutter your entire home and let go of anything that’s out of style, not being used, anything you don’t like and wouldn’t purchase again. By doing a home purge, you’ll have way fewer things to pack and that will directly impact the moving cost. The overall cost is calculated based on the volume of your shipment, so if you declutter and say goodbye to unwanted items, you’ll have the most cost-effective way to pack.

Consider renting a storage unit

If you have some things in your household that you’re not ready to give up yet, but you don’t want to take with you, consider renting a short-term storage unit that will not be too expensive but can save you time and effort.

Hire professional packers

While this may not seem like a cost-effective way to pack, it can actually end up being cheaper than DIY. For example, if you’re moving in a rush and you have to take a few days off work to pack, paying someone to pack for you may pay off more. If you add the cost of packing supplies and your effort, the final calculations may be different than it seems at first. So, do not hesitate to hire professional packers for your upcoming move.