Packing Tips for A Successful Spring/Summer Move

Spring is widely associated with new beginnings and a fresh start. The longer days and warmer weather are a welcome change from the cold winter months and bring feelings of renewal, rejuvenation and change.

For many people, one of the biggest changes during the spring is a residential move. Spring and summer, or May through September, are the most popular months for moving and for good reason. In addition to the warmer weather making it easier to move (no snow, icy roads or loading and unloading in the bitter cold), the summer is also generally the least disruptive time of year to spend so much time packing, moving and settling into a new house. For many companies, business slows down in the summer, which makes it the ideal, and least-stressful time for employees to plan a move. Families also often prefer moving during the summer, when school is not in session, so that they can avoid the major disruption to their childrens’ schedules that would be inevitable with a fall or winter move.

Of course, all this means that many individuals do in fact time their moves for the spring/summer, which makes it the busiest season of the year for moving companies. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to book your moving company as soon as you know your moving date. When you book in advance, you have a much better chance of securing the services of reputable, professional movers instead of having to resort to using less preferred, or even uninsured moving companies because your date was not available. To avoid this stress and ensure that you can book a date with experienced and trustworthy movers, book your moving date right away.

At All Jersey Moving & Storage, we have been trusted for almost 60 years with both local and long distance moves. We will do everything we can to accommodate your moving date and your moving needs, but make sure you do your part and call us as soon as you know your moving date!

While moving companies are the busiest during the spring/summer season for good reason, the one down-side to a summer move is that no one likes a stressful, work-filled summer. Who wants to be sorting through belongings and stuffing boxes when they could be soaking up the summer sun during a day at the beach? However, the good news is that it doesn’t have to be a total trade off. With the right planning and an early start, a smooth and stress-free spring/summer move is possible, leaving you with plenty of time for beach and backyard barbeque days. With the right packing plan, you can tackle the packing in a timely and organized fashion, avoid getting overwhelmed, and ensure that you still have lots of down time this summer.

At All Jersey Moving & Storage, we are packing experts. Having helped thousands of professionals, families, seniors and college students with smooth and successful moves, we have learned exactly what packing strategies and methods ensure a stress-free, simple move.

To help you with a seamless summer move, we’re happy to share some seasonal (as well as all-year round) expert packing tips.

Get an Early Start 

Packing for a move is something that is best started early since one of the most important goals when packing is staying organized, and it’s almost impossible to stay organized when you’re rushing and stressing. Giving yourself the time to pack methodically in your old home pays off when you’re unpacking in your new home. Anyone who’s moved before can tell you that unpacking unlabeled/mislabeled or completely miscellaneous and unorganized boxes is not an easy job when you finally do get settled in your new home. But that can be avoided by giving yourself enough time to pack in an organized manner. 

Give yourself at least a month in advance of your moving date to sort through and pack up your belongings in an orderly and organized fashion. If you have the flexibility, try to plan your move for late spring. Many of your friends or family might have off during the summer months and could help with the packing, making the job easier and faster.

Don’t be Afraid to Purge

There are 300,000 items in the average American home.  That number may sound almost unbelievable at first, but the truth is that people spend years, if not decades accumulating possessions, both big and small. When it comes time for packing, it can be daunting to have to sort through and pack all your things. That’s why one of the most helpful things to do while sorting through your possessions is to toss, donate, sell or give away whatever you don’t want or need. If you do plan to sell your unwanted items, spring/summer is the perfect time for a garage sale. And if you plan on donating your unwanted items, you may be eligible for a tax deduction. Just make sure you plan your sale or arrange a pick-up with your local charity well in advance of moving day. Additionally, keep in mind that during the Covid-19 pandemic, charities are restricting the kinds of items they accept, so contact your local charity directly for more information about the kinds of donation you can make. 

Be Prepared and Well-Supplied

Once you’ve sorted through all your belongings and know what you will be packing and taking with you, it’s time to start packing things up. However, before you can begin the actual packing process, you need to make sure you have all the materials you will need to help your packing go smoothly. A few days before you plan to start the packing process, make sure you have moving boxes, lots of packing tape (you may need more than you think!), labels, permanent markers, scissors or a boxcutter, packing paper and/or bubble wrap. All the supplies you need can be purchased at most home improvement stores or self-storage facilities. Having all the necessary materials on hand before you start packing helps the packing process run smoothly and efficiently. It’s always a good idea to stock up on extra materials since the packing process runs much more smoothly when you don’t have to stop and run out to the store each time you realize you’re missing or running low on supplies.

Label, Label, Label

Create a simple labelling system for the boxes you will be packing. As you pack, label each box with a brief, but informative description of its contents. For example, instead of labeling a box “Danny’s stuff,” it would be more helpful to label it “textbooks, notebooks and sketching pads.” Labels should also clearly identify the room that each box should be moved to upon arrival in your new home. Clearly labeling your boxes in this way will make both your unpacking job and your movers’ moving job far easier. With all your items moved to the appropriate location within your home, and with the boxes clearly and helpfully labeled, the unpacking process should be a breeze. (Keep in mind that because boxes are often stacked, it is important to label the tops and sides of each box).

Pack Room by Room

It’s often easiest to accomplish tasks if you break them down into smaller parts. The same is true with packing. Rather than trying to just pack up your whole house at once (which can be quite overwhelming!), take it room by room. Create a packing “game plan” and check off the rooms in your house from your to-do list as you move along. Some people like to start with the smaller, more manageable rooms like the linen closets or bathrooms because packing up those rooms gives them the sense of confidence and momentum necessary to tackle larger, more challenging rooms. Others, however, prefer to get the hardest part over and done with while they have the most energy and stamina, so they choose to start with the more difficult rooms, such as the kitchen or living room first. After packing up those larger, more detailed rooms, tackling the smaller rooms feels like a breeze. Whatever your “game plan” is, the most important thing is to take it one room at a time. Packing will be easier and more manageable that way. 

Remember that it’s Allergy Season!

It’s important to remember that allergies are usually the most severe in the spring, with pollen causing sneezing, congestion and itchy, watery eyes for millions of Americans nationwide. If you, or anyone in your family does have seasonal allergies, it’s important to keep a few things in mind while packing:

• Keep the windows of your home shut when packing to keep pollen from getting in and settling into the boxes you’re packing up. You don’t want to bring any unnecessary allergens with you into your new home. Packing can be strenuous and make you feel overheated, but instead of letting in a breeze, turn on some ceiling or standing fans, or run the A/C.
• To make sure that pollen stays out, seal your cardboard boxes tightly. Use packing tape to cover all openings, both large and small. Remember that pollen can’t always be seen by the naked eye.
• Make sure that any allergy medications are close by. Don’t pack them up in a moving box because it’s hard to know where a specific box is at any given moment during your move, and you don’t want to be in a situation where you need your medication but don’t know where to find it. Keep all medications on hand and make sure you know where they are at all times during packing and moving. 

Consider a Packing Service

There are a few reasons to consider a packing service instead of doing it yourself. You may find yourself moving at the last minute with very little time to pack up your home. Or, maybe spring/summer is not a more relaxed time for you as it is for many Americans. Maybe you have job - or other - constraints that leave you with even less free time in the summer months. Maybe, even if you do have the free time, you’d rather not spend your well-earned summer days sweating over boxes. Or, perhaps you don’t have many people available to assist you and you’re just overwhelmed at the thought of packing up your entire home by yourself. 

If you find that any of the above situations apply to you, or, if, for any other reason, you feel that it would be a worthwhile investment to consider a packing service, call All Jersey Moving & Storage today to learn about our full range of affordable packing and unpacking services. We can pack up your whole home, start to finish, or simply pack up whatever you don't want to do yourself. We come prepared with all the necessary packing equipment and we’re experts at what we do. We can pack up everything from dishes to antiques to artwork in a neat, orderly and professional manner so that when it comes to unpacking, there’s no unnecessary mess and clutter to sort through. We know how important it is to pack things up securely and in an organized way, and we have years of experience doing it. Contact us today to find out more about our different packing packages. 

All Jersey Moving & Storage: The Company You Can Count on Year-Round

Spring and summer moves are exciting, and many people choose this season as the perfect time to plan a move. At All Jersey Moving & Storage, we have helped thousands of individuals make their move during the spring or summer, whether it’s across town or across the country. 

With decades of experience in local, long-distance, residential and commercial moves, All Jersey Moving & Storage is one the most trusted names in the moving industry and has been recognized as a “Circle of Excellence” New Jersey moving company.  

We don’t just help you physically move, we offer professional assistance every step of the way. In addition to our stellar moving services, we offer a full range of packing and unpacking services, climate-controlled, secure containerized storage services, piano moving services and more. All Jersey Moving & Storage is truly your one stop shop for all your moving needs. 

You can always count on us - spring, summer, winter or fall. But, remember to keep in mind that spring and summer are the busiest moving seasons, so, if you’re planning a move this spring or summer, book us early. For a no-obligation estimate, give us a call today. We’re her to make your spring or summer move seamless, breezy and as care-free as possible.