Packing 101

As I mentioned yesterday, we're moving out of our apartment next week. Unfortunately, after 7 months, we're still waiting on a closing date for the house. Court between the bank and seller falls on the same date that our lease ends so, if all goes well, we could be in the house very soon!

Our lease ended two months back so during that time we've been paying a month-to-month price, which was $300 over our original rent. They let us know that if we signed a 3rd month, they would need to raise it again. In my opinion, it's not worth the paying such a large percentage more for the same apartment. Alas, we made the decision to each move to our parents house until we figure out the house situation. Knowing that we're about to be responsible for a mortgage, I think this was the best option to save as much money as possible before making that huge step.. even if it's just for a few weeks.

Anywho, the basis of this post was to list some packing tips that I've found useful in the past, as well as some tricks that I found while browsing Pinterest. 

1. Free Boxes - The prices of boxes are rather expensive considering that you're not going to use them after the move so don't pay for them. You can go to your local liquor store and they always have a ton - some are even sectioned off which are great for gasses, vases, and glass home decor!

2. Wrapping - Don't waste money on bubble wrap! Simply use your extra bedsheets and towels to wrap your frames, dishes or any breakable items. Use shrink wrap to wrap your cutlery so you don't waste time packing and unpacking it.

3. Clothes - Taking your clothes off the hanger to move can be a huge pain, especially when you're just going to put them back up. Suggestion, use a garbage bag 

4. Label, label, label - Not being able to find items after a move is extremely frustrating. That's why labeling the boxes with the contents is so helpful! I also tend to go marker happy and label every side of the box just in case they are all in a pile and I can only see one side. If you're moving a large house or have kids, using colored labels can definitely be beneficial :)

5. Use what you have - For all the clothes that fill my dresser, I'm packing my suitcases as if I'm going on vacation. Luckily, I'm only moving a mile away so I can do this process slowly over the next week but using the things you have for packing can be extremely helpful. You can also use your pots & pans as food organizers, or your crock pot as a spice organizer. It keeps everything together and allows you to use your space wisely.

Now let's hope I get through this move without losing my mind.
Moving = my least favorite hobby!