Packing Tips for Long Distance Relocation

Whether you’re researching moving companies to help a recently injured veteran return home or searching for moving and storage companies to assist a military family with a cross country transition, here are some moving tips to make the process smoother and simpler.

1. Prepare well!

Apply military discipline to the preplanning. Don’t improvise the day of or wait to pack boxes the night before. Get the right packing materials; get big enough boxes; create appropriate/color-coded labels, etc. Pack things ahead of time that you know you won’t need until you’re at your new home.

2. Travel as light as possible.

You don’t need to watch an episode of Hoarders to understand the cost of clutter. Go through your stuff, item by item, and ask yourself “can I toss this?” Lean on the side of answering “yes.” Keep in mind that the less you keep, the less you have to pack (and unpack at the new place). If you don’t want to “throw it away” donate the stuff to friends so you feel good about letting it go.

3. Avoid overfilling your boxes.

Even though you may be strong and fit, avoid overfilling your boxes for several reasons. First, you don’t want to harm yourself (or the mover) who lifts and stows the box. Also, by over packing, you can crush valuables accidentally. Over packing can also make unpacking a pain … and potentially dangerous. Here’s a tip: Pack lighter stuff in larger boxes, and heavier stuff in smaller boxes.

4. Create a need-it-now bag for things that you will need right away (and through the travel process).

Keep this bag separate from your moving day possessions. Pack changes of clothes, toiletries/toothbrush, your computer, critical work documents, medications, etc.

5. Get help with the kids the day of the move.

Either ask your parents or in-laws to help, or hire a sitter for the day of the move, so that you won’t be stressed watching the kids and packing up the house. If you choose to hire movers like the team here at Magic Moving & Storage, we can do all the work so that you can focus on the kids.

Consider Hiring a Reliable Packing and Moving Company

Moving ranks as one of the top stressful events of one’s life, and if you’re PCSing, it can be even harder. If you’re raising a family, packing and moving your entire household can be 10 times harder. For a free estimate for your military move, call the Magic Moving & Storage team today at 1-877-246-2442 or get your free moving quote right here on our website. We even provide the boxes for FREE, so you don’t have to “collect” them or buy them from the local hardware store.