Learn to Pack Like a Pro With These 10 Genius Packing Tips for Moving

For most Chicagoans, packing for a move is a drag. It can be stressful and tedious, and it’s not how many people would choose to spend their free time. And, since you have to pull everything out of each closet, cabinet, and drawer, the process can cause your home to feel messy and disorganized—that is, unless you have some professional packing tips for moving.

Wrapping and boxing up your home’s inventory is an art form that requires time, patience, and the right materials. In fact, careful packing is the best way to ensure a smooth, quick and cost-effective move. Since most of the population isn’t professional packers, we’ve put together this guide with our favorite tips and tricks.

Plan Your Pack—and Start Early

One of the best packing tips for moving is to be as organized as possible. If you have a one-bedroom or two-bedroom home, start packing at least two weeks before your moving date. Larger dwellings will benefit from even more time to prepare and pack before your professional movers arrive on your move day.

Organization is crucial throughout the packing process. Start by writing down the rooms and areas you’ll need to pack up…and don’t forget your attic, basement, garage, and backyard!

Then, find items you can pack early that you won’t miss between your packing and moving dates. This includes extra bed linens, clothes that are out of season, and knick-knacks you can live without for a few weeks. During this process, you’ll probably find at least a few things you don’t want or forgot you had, so consider getting rid of them instead of packing and moving them.

Declutter Before Your Move

As you take a sharp eye to your living area and all its nooks and crannies, you’ll likely rediscover items you haven’t seen in a while. And if you can live without something, why move it to your new place?

In other words, take advantage of the opportunity and declutter while you pack for your move. This can actually be a rejuvenating process: you get to say goodbye to old and unused items to make more space in the place you’re moving into.

Because your forgotten stuff could be someone else’s treasure, you don’t just have to throw it away. Here are some packing tips for moving to remove unwanted clutter:

Hold a yard sale or garage sale to put some extra money in your pocket.
Invite your family and friends over and let them have their pick of the items you don’t want to bring to your new home.
Donate to your favorite local causes.
Call a junk removal company to haul away whatever is left—especially if it’s too large and heavy to move on your own.

Voila! You’ve decluttered your space and can focus on carefully packing up the items you really do want to bring to your new dwelling.

Gather Your Packing Supplies

Once you’ve removed all the items you don’t want to schlep to your new home, it’s time to start gathering your packing supplies.

The first step is to use what you already have. Suitcases, duffel bags, and plastic bins make great containers, and you can wrap delicate items inside your towels, bed linens, and clothing. Just stay away from filling up trash bags or contractor bags, as those can be mistaken for garbage on your moving day.

Second, make your move easier with rentable moving totes that come with the added benefit of being eco-friendly. Materials like cardboard, packing tape, and bubble wrap create a lot of waste, but these reusable moving bins and recyclable packing paper can save you money and help you have a zero-waste move.

Most moves involve at least a couple of cardboard boxes—and that’s ok! Instead of running to your local big box store to purchase brand-new materials, look around for free moving boxes from your neighbors or local bars and restaurants. You’ll save some cash and be on your way to learning the right way to pack.

Learn How to Pack for a Move

Many people choose to hire professional packers to safely wrap and box their beloved possessions. However, here are a few pro packing tips for moving if you’re going the DIY route:

Watch the box size. The bigger the box, the more lightweight its contents should be. Large boxes are great for comforters and pillows, medium boxes work well for lamps, and small boxes are perfect for heavy books.
Fill the voids. Once you place items inside each box, add additional packing paper, towels, or clothing to fill up any empty areas. This helps prevent items from rattling around inside the boxes and getting damaged.
Label your heart out. Label the sides and top of each box with the contents and room to make your life easier when you unpack at your new home.

Spending time during packing can save you time and money during your move. So set aside some time, throw on your favorite playlist, and get to packing.

Understand What Your Movers Can and Can’t Move

One of the most important packing tips for moving to keep in mind is that even the best movers in Chicago are not allowed to handle certain items.

The State of Illinois prohibits moving companies from packing and transporting things like currency, medication, firearms, flammable items, jewelry, and valuable papers and documents, such as your passport and vehicle title. You’ll need to pack and move these items on your own, but you can, of course, contact your local movers for advice on safe transportation.

Make Packing a Family Affair

When you start packing for your move, try to involve the whole family. For example, let the kids pack up their own clothes and stuffed animals. Their packing job might not be perfect, but at least they’re participating!

You can even create small benefits or contests to get your young ones excited about moving to a new home. Maybe they get a little extra screen time if they fill up a couple of boxes, or whoever packs up their room the best gets to pick that night’s takeout dinner.

Be creative and let the entire family have some fun while you focus on learning even more packing tips for moving.

Empty Out Your Cabinets and Drawers

It’s easy to forget about items that are hidden inside cabinets and drawers. Be sure to empty out your furniture (and those gorgeous built-ins that Chicago is known for). This is another great chance to declutter stuff that’s been hidden away for a few years…and it’s also one of our favorite safety-based packing tips for moving.

Removing the contents from your dressers, China cabinets, and other furniture isn’t only another chance to clear out old or unwanted items. Emptying each cavity is also safer for the movers and the piece of furniture itself. If contents are left inside, the piece’s weight can shift unexpectedly, creating a safety hazard for your move crew and risking damage to the piece and the contents.

Eat Your Perishable Food

Food probably isn’t as easily forgotten about as random items stuffed into a drawer. However, it’s important to get through as much of your perishable food as possible before your move day, and one of the more fun packing tips for moving.

Sure, you can prep and schlep a cooler with some refrigerated and frozen food when moving—but you likely can’t fit everything from your fridge into your personal vehicle, and movers aren’t allowed to transport perishables.

Instead, invite your family and friends over for a dinner party…or just pig out by yourself!

Put Aside Some First-Night Essentials

As you get closer to your move date and cross more tasks off of your moving checklist, think about what essential items you’ll need for the first night in your new home. These might include:

Toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and hand soap
Linens to make everyone’s bed for a great first night’s sleep
Pajamas for each member of the family…and your youngest child’s favorite teddy bear
Snacks and water bottles to stay energized and hydrated throughout the move
The coffee pot, some mugs, and coffee grounds for the first morning in your new place

Stash these items inside a bag or box or two, and label them clearly so you’ll know to unpack them first. It’ll make your move, your first night, and the next morning much easier.

Pack Your Cleaning Supplies Last

Before you officially move out of your old home, you’ll likely do one final clean for the next tenants. You’ll want easy access to your cleaning supplies to give the place a thorough wipe down after the majority of your furniture and boxes are packed or moved.

The vacuum, broom, dustpan, rags, and cleaning solutions should be among the last items you pack up so the incoming residents can move into a nice, clean home.

Here’s One of Chicago’s Favorite Packing Tips for Moving: Hire Professional Packers!

Following these packing tips for moving can help you have a great overall relocation experience. And if you want a hand packing up your home’s inventory, the best professional packers in Chicago are here to help. We’re happy to handle the pack for your entire home—or, if you prefer, just a room or two in case you can’t face packing all the dining ware in your kitchen or the books in your living room.