When beginning to think about a move, it can be easy for certain items, details, and even people to get lost in the shuffle of such a large task. That’s why it’s important to create a pre-packing checklist to figure out: what you have, what can go, what you might need, and more.
Your list should split things into categories ranging from what can be packed with what, what goes in the truck vs what stays with you, and what might need to be put into storage for later. Making a checklist like this can seem like a no-brainer, but we’ve had many clients neglect this important task and end up scrambling last-minute with certain items and even people they forgot to account for. But where do you start?
Taking Inventory and Sorting It All Out
The first place you should always start with your checklist is an inventory check. You’ll want to divide your inventory check into phases:
Phase I: Write. Down. Everything. You may hear “write down the essentials,” but right now, you don’t know what you may end up wanting to leave behind, move into storage, donate, or sell. During this initial check of inventory, you just want to know what you have. Everything from the number of forks in your drawers to how many hangers you have. You should have an operating number of how much of everything you own. If you don’t get the exact number, that’s ok! But you should have a ballpark estimate.
Phase II: This is where you need to start categorizing everything. In this phase, you should start thinking about what you want to keep and what you want to donate, sell, or put in storage. This is most effective and easy when you know how much of everything you own. For instance, if you find you have too many shirts, you can make a nice donation to Goodwill with some of the extras you don’t want. Knowledge is power!
Phase III: Packing everything up. This is where you want to pack everything up. You know now what you’re keeping, what’s being put into storage, and what you may be getting rid of. Packing is arguably the hardest part of the moving process, and if you already know what’s going where, you can make that aspect of it exponentially more efficient. This part includes packing clothes together to save space, gently wrapping up and packing bowls and plates, and knowing where you’re going to store large objects to move later like sofas or large tables.
How Elite Can Help
Elite is Chicago’s premier moving company. We have years of experience packing, moving, and storing items ranging from desks to antique artwork. We offer a variety of packing options from our wood crate solution for less durable items, to our all-inclusive white glove service. If you’re looking for an easy way to get help with moving, consider Elite!