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When and How to Start Packing for Your Move

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Some questions are hard to answer—they require a considerable amount of thought and weighing multiple factors. But when to start packing? This one is easy! You should begin packing the very moment you decide to move.

Part of what makes moving so stressful is everything you have to get done to relocate from here to there: make repairs, prep your house for selling, shop for a new home, secure a mortgage, get estimates from moving companies or for moving vehicles, change your address, turn utilities on and off, make arrangements for new commutes or new schools … new everything.

So why not give yourself a nice long stretch of time and lots of breathing room to get the most labor-intensive task out of the way (or, at least, on the way) by packing up all your belongings just a little at a time, slow and steady, so that what could be overwhelming actually becomes fulfilling and productive. One or two boxes a day, perhaps. One room per weekend. Everything from the basement and attic first or, conversely, everything in the garage or shed first. The point is to give yourself wide margins between which you can pack your things comfortably and methodically so you don’t get squeezed in and short on time on the latter end of the move.

As to how to pack most efficiently and economically, a handful of tips can get you started down the right road … and keep you rolling right up until moving day:

  • Gather the supplies you’ll need:
    • Moving boxes of all different sizes. Get as many as you can for free at retail outlets and by checking with your neighbors on sites like Nextdoor.com, but it’s worth considering professional-grade sturdy boxes for some of your heavy and valuable items, like china, glassware, mirrors, artwork, and electronics.
    • Bubble wrap
    • Tissue paper and/or newspapers
    • Heavy-duty packing tape
    • Scissors
    • Stickers & markers for labeling
  • Pack out-of-season items first–no matter how early you pack them, you won’t miss them and any buyers coming to view your home won’t either.
  • Start in the least-used rooms in your house—the guest bedroom and the dining room, for example, saving the kitchen and bathrooms for last.
  • Even in rooms you use every day, items in those rooms that you don’t use every day can be packed well ahead of time, like all the videos and books in the den, figurines in the curio cabinet, extra linens in closets, board games.
  • As you proceed through packing, organize and streamline as you go: sell things you don’t use, make donation piles of clothing and household goods, throw out unsalvageable items that have just been taking up space.
  • Label, label, label. We can’t stress this enough. Whether you find yourself in need of something you packed away three weeks ago or whether your toddler simply won’t go to sleep the first night in your new home without his pet giraffe, having your boxes and tubs marked with what’s in them and what room they belong in is an invaluable time-saver and frustration-reducer.

Even if you run out of time, don’t panic! A professional moving company can offer any kind of assistance you need, from supplying specialty packing materials to dismantling the entertainment center. Call us anytime for a free estimate.

BB&D Moving Services
301-57-5447 (MD)  |   571-375-2826 (VA)  |  786-390-4040 (FL)  |  bbdmoving.com/

Not Your Average Move

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When people think about moving, most often they envision a pretty straight line from here to there: You sell or vacate one place, pack it up, and move into another, right?

But sometimes that’s not the case. Sometimes, in the fluid, flexible, and open society we live in, people have more individualized needs, special circumstances, or more complicated relocations than just going directly from point A to point B. For example, sometimes moves are only temporary. Sometimes moves happen so quickly that there’s a need to sell or disburse belongings in a hurry. Sometimes people aren’t sure of where they’re going to end up yet, and sometimes they are indeed going from here to there, but “there” is a looooong ways away, and they’re wary of managing an overseas transport.

In cases like these—temporary moves, sudden life changes, downsizing, merging homes—a full-service professional moving company like BB&D Moving Services can actually take care of a lot more than just moving for you. We can service you from soup to nuts, no matter your personal situation or challenges.

Some of the Specialty Services We Offer

  • Cleaning & Handyman Services: When time is tight, when repairs are needed before you can depart, or when you just don’t want to take care of the finishing touches yourself, we can arrange for housecleaning and minor home repairs to give you peace of mind and take some of the weight off your shoulders.
  • Junk Removal: Not bringing all of the things in one place to the next place, but want to get rid of them without any hassle? We can haul away loads, small or large, and make sure they’re properly disposed of.
  • Furniture Sales: Have some sellable items that you just don’t use anymore or won’t fit where you’re going? If you don’t want to list them online, we’ll do that for you—easing your load, literally and figuratively!
  • Packing/Unpacking & Packing Materials: Movers don’t just move—we can do the lion’s share of packing and unpacking too, greatly decreasing your effort and shortening your timeline. And if you’d rather not scrape together or have to shop for boxes and tape and liners and fillers, we can also provide all the packing materials you’ll need at a very reasonable added cost, delivered right to your door.
  • Storage Options: It’s not uncommon anymore for people to be “in transit” as job placements, relationship statuses, family circumstances, and wanderlust preclude us from immediately putting down anchor somewhere new. We offer both short-term and long-term storage options in lighted, temperature-controlled facilities with around-the-clock monitored security cameras.
  • International Moving Services: Moving across foreign borders requires not just specialty expertise in international transit and regulations assistance, but someone you trust to manage your transport professionally and efficiently, getting everything to you safely and intact in your destination country.
  • Additional Services: Need something else? Just ask and we’ll see what we can do! For example, we can digitally scan documents so you don’t have to haul boxes of hard copies with you. And we can make sure your boxes are properly labelled so they’re delivered right to the room in which you want them.

Call BB&D Moving Services today to learn more about how we can make your move and take care of your moving needs—however simple or complicated—as stress-free as possible:

301-573-5447 (MD)  |  571-375-2826 (VA)  |  786-390-4040 (FL)  |  bbdmoving.com/

Packing Your Kitchen for a Move

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Are you getting ready for a move and find that your kitchen is untidy and disorganized? Whether you are moving across the street or across the country, you’ll need to get organized. Organization is key when trying to decide which items to pack up and take with you, which to give away, and which to throw out.

SOME BASIC STEPS IN PACKING YOUR KITCHEN:

Acquire Boxes – Purchasing boxes from your professional moving company or a storage facility is a great time saver. Use small boxes for kitchen utensils and cookbooks, medium-sized boxes for Tupperware and small appliances, and large boxes for awkward items such as baking tins and casserole dishes. Be sure to use heavy-duty boxes for glasses, dishes, china, and plates.

Acquire Packing Supplies – 1. Marker for labeling 2. Dish packs for breakables 3. Packing paper 4. Bubble wrap (residential small bubble) 5. Tape

Organizing Items – Start by sorting things into piles. First, decide which items are outdated or duplicates that you don’t need to take with you. The items you are keeping can be sorted into piles to pack together.

Pack Non-Essential Items – Now that items are sorted and you have boxes ready, start packing items that you don’t use every day such as cookbooks, kitchen gadgets and towels, glasses, and pots and pans that are not for everyday use.

Kitchen Essentials – It is a good idea to have a few essential items stored in an easy to access box or bin to get you through the last couple of days in your old place and the first couple of days in the new place. Be sure to label this box clearly. It might hold a few bowls, plates, cups, utensils, napkins, and paper towels so you can have them handy for your meals.

Pack Fragile Items – Any items that are fragile such as china, dishes, glasses, casserole dishes, and any other breakable items can be packed into medium boxes. Be sure to use plenty of packing materials and bubble wrap. Remember: don’t make these boxes too heavy!

Tape & Label Boxes – Check all boxes to make sure contents are well protected and not too heavy. Seal each one up with packing tape and label all boxes with their contents and which room they belong in.

Your kitchen may be one of the most time consuming rooms to pack, so another great option is to have your professional movers handle the packing, labeling, and even provide the moving boxes for you. This will ensure that your belongings are packed securely and will arrive at your destination safely.