Tips for packing, and unpacking at a new location

Gather tons of boxes. Easiest is to work with local Walmart and pick them up about 4am! Then work room by room- starting with least used. Pack what is priority. Label with destination room. Deal with rest by donating, posting or garage sales.

Use towels, blankets and linens to wrap and cushion fragile things. Otherwise, go to U-Haul and pick up several packages of paper. That way you can use as much as you want and not feel like you are scrimping when you really need the cushioning around your delicate items. I've watched lots of movers packing my stuff. They make sure that every box is crush-proof. The boxes are packed to the top with like items or stuffed with wadded up paper to cushion the box. If you have not used something in a year, and you know you won't use it really soon, donate it so that someone else can benefit from your generosity. If you will really need it, you can find it again at a store, or even at a local thrift store where someone else gave it away. Do as much as you can every single day. You'll be surprised how much stuff accumulates in closets, drawers, etc. You can pack a lot of stuff in a house in a lifetime. Weed through it all as soon as possible. Don't wait for the last minute, or it will all go in the trash.

Label label label :) Also work on one room at a time so you do not get overwhelmed. Slow a steady

Take down all the picture and mirrors and set aside in one place. They may or may not be used in the same rooms again. Take it one room at a time after that. Wrap anything fragile in the bedrooms in FAVORITE clothing and label the boxes with the room name. Now go through the rest of the clothes and donate anything you don’t love or tossed if stained. Repeat for each bedroom.

For the rest of the House, carefully wrap any treasured items. Take photos of the rooms after that. Take a good long hard look at the photos. It’s easier to be objective when it’s a photo. I did this to my dining room once and was horrified at how cluttered it looked. It was much easier to downsize after that.

On a recent move I bought plastic tubs with covers at Walmart. Not only were they the perfect size (20-30 gallon) for lifting... but I am now using them (stacked) as storage (I downsized too) in my garage for seasonal items, etc. Since they are semi-clear, labels were/are not even necessary!

I retired from Walmart, and know that the most manageable boxes are the egg cases. Not only are they the perfect size, they come with handles. Use your linens to pack your breakables. Use up your pantry items when possible, so you don’t have to pack them. Leave clothing in drawers. Take drawers out with clothes in them and move the furniture out to the uhaul and put the drawers back in. Use painters tape to tape the drawers shut for the long haul. Rubber band or twist tie hanging garment together(usually 6-10). Then cover with an upside down new trash bag. I used tall kitchen bags. Make a small hole in the bottom of the bag to slip over the hangers. I taped the bottoms shut. Packing tape. We too, moved out of state and in our 60’s. Good luck!

Don't forget to pack a suitcase or two with clothing and personal items you will need right away, including medications. Then, as others have said, pack and label by room, use towels, etc, as packing material. Pack wall art together. As Mom and I will soon be making a move across town, she sorted her clothing and filled her dresser with the ones she wears most so everything she loves will be available the first day.

Label all boxes, maybe even number them and write in a book what's in there. have boxes ready for "Yard Sale" "Donate" "Trash" Memorabelia,

Essentials, Food. Pack a garbage bag and label "Bed linens" So you can make the bed right away. Have 2 changes of clothes so you don't have to hunt for clothes the first day. Label boxes for where they're going- kitchen, bedroom, den cellar storage etc. Use towels, linens, table cloths to pack fragels. Start packing as soon as possible. Moving time comes too quickly. Pack keepables, that you don't need before the move, first. Keep just the absolute necessaries til the end. Out of season gets done at this time too. Completely clear out an area, such as a spare room, garage, enclosed porch or where ever. Then stack all your prepacked stuff in there so it's not in the way. No matter how good your packing and labeling, you'll still "lose" something. But it'll show up eventually.

Good luck.