Do you have a mountain of moving supplies? Your boxes, bins, tape, bubble wrap, and everything else you need to move aren’t exactly organized. Now what? Take a look at what you need to know about organizing these items and the area that surrounds them.

Gather the Supplies

Have you crossed every item off your packing supply list? If you don’t have everything you need or aren’t sure which supplies you want, now is the time to gather these materials. While different moves may require different supplies, the primary items you’ll need to pack everything from home accents to furniture include:

  • Cardboard boxes. There’s no one-size-fits-all cardboard box that works for every move. This means you’ll need to gather several different types and sizes of containers. Choose small, medium, large, and extra-large boxes, along with wardrobe or other specialty boxes.
  • Tape. Even though you can fold cardboard boxes closed, tape will reinforce these closures and reduce the spill risk. Select a sturdy type of packing tape, and avoid paper tapes such as masking, painter’s, or craft tape. These won’t hold a heavy box closed.
  • Protective materials. Protective packing materials include a variety of air-filled or soft items, such as bubble wrap, towels or lint-free fabric, or plain and acid-free packing paper.
  • Bins. Plastic bins with well-fitting lids can hold heavier items and are perfect for move-to-storage types of situations.
  • Bags. These can include garbage bags, totes, suitcases, or large purse types of bags.
  • Labels. You can write directly onto cardboard boxes. But you can’t write on some bins or bags. Use masking tape, duct tape, or large address labels for every container.
  • Markers. You’ll need waterproof permanent markers to label your to-move items.
  • Moving quilts. Cover furniture or larger items with moving quilts or blankets.

You can also cover larger items and furniture with plastic sheeting or painter’s tarps. If you plan to store these items, remove the plastic to avoid humidity-related damage.

Separate the Supplies

Now that you have everything you need for your move, organize the stash. Separate the items into categories such as:

  • Containers. Place your cardboard boxes, specialty boxes, bins, and bags in one area. After separating these items, break them down into sub-categories — such as soft bags, recyclable boxes, or bins with lids.
  • Tape and adhesives. This category includes all packing tape types or any other adhesive you’ll use to hold containers together. Leave adhesive labels and labeling tape out of this group.
  • Labeling items. Include labels, paper tape, duct tape, markers, labeling lists, or inventories.
  • Protective items. This group includes moving quilts, protective blankets, plastic sheets, and tarps along with smaller items such as bubble wrap or towels.

Move each group into a separate area of one room or keep the items in separate spaces or areas of the house). Physical distance can help you to organize the items and visualize what you do or don’t have for your move.

Store the Supplies

Are you ready to move? Whether your move-out or move-in day is later in days, weeks, or months, you need a strategic way to store the supplies. An organized haul of moving supplies will make the entire process easier for everyone. To effectively store the packing supplies:

  • Find an unused space. If possible, store packing supplies in an unused room or rooms. This gives you the space necessary to spread out each category of supply and take stock of what you have or need.
  • Bundle like items together. Stack plastic bins inside of each other, place labels and markers in a box, bag packing supplies, and fold quilts together. This type of bundling approach reduces the chances you’ll lose supplies or mix items together.
  • Inventory everything. You don’t only need to inventory your to-move belongings. Make a list of your packing supplies. Include the category, name, and number of the supplies.

If you don’t have one extra area to store supplies, place each type of item in the room where you’ll use it most — place wardrobe boxes in the bedroom near your closet, separated corrugated cardboard boxes near your dishware, and moving quilts near the living room furniture.

Do you need help with your move? Contact Island Movers Inc. for more information.