This is a sponsored post written by us on behalf of The Duck Brand. All opinions are 100% mine.
If there was every a time to make you feel like you should become a minimalist, it’s when you’re moving. “How do I have so much stuff?” is a question you might ask yourself over and over…and over again when you are packing up your belongings to move to a new place. And although you may be excited about the place you are moving to (maybe a new house or a beautiful location), the whole process of organizing your things, boxing them up, getting them to your new place, and unpacking everything is enough to make you want to throw your stuff in a giant bonfire and start over. But don’t light that match just yet! Although packing and moving can be rough, there are some ways you can make it easier on yourself and the rest of the family (and dare we say it- maybe even making moving kind of fun). Here are 5 things you didn’t know you needed to rock your next DIY move:
1. Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo is a purging expert, and you need her in your life before you start your move. But purging can be hard, especially if you are in the early stages of being on the next episode of Hoarders. But general rules that will help you get rid of some un-used items are usually something like this:
- Clothing- if you haven’t worn it in 6 months (or during the last season), toss it.
- Appliances- if you haven’t used it in the last year, toss it.
- Decor- if it’s been sitting in a closet or a box from your last move, toss it.
Don’t be careless, though. Make sure you find donation centers, women’s shelters, animal shelters, or recycling plants near you to throw away your stuff in the proper manner. If you don’t want your stuff filling your house, don’t have it fill a landfill.
2. Duck Pack & Track™
If there ever was a tool to keep you organized during your move, it’s theDuck Pack & Track™ system. This unique packing tool will help keep you as organized as possible during your move and unpacking stages. This system allows you to not only easily label and organize your items in your boxes, but it also can help you locate the item you need now when you get to your destination (or while you’re still packing for situations like when Janet from accounting who offered to help accidentally packs your phone charger). 
There are 4 easy steps in using the Duck Pack & Track™. See how it works:
- Label your boxes- Use the Duck Pack & Track™ labels and place it on your not-yet-taped up box.
- Scan the label- Before you tape up your box, label the box with the room name (i.e., Kitchen 1, Kitchen 2, etc) and scan the label using the Duck Pack & Track™ app on your phone.
- Speak the contents- Again, before you tape up your box, speak or type the contents of the box into your phone. Be as specific as possible (i.e., “green dish plates” instead of just “plates” or “blue and green comforter for Jane’s room” instead of “kid’s comforter) so that it’s easier to find your items when you need to.
- Find your items- When you’re ready to unpack or when you just need to find your bottle opener because you’ve finally emptied the moving truck, just open your Duck Pack & Track™ app and either type or speak the item you are looking for. The <Duck Pack & Track™ will tell you exactly which box that item is located!
If you get any item before your move, it would be this one. As seasoned movers, we can tell you that not remembering which box you packed an item in is stressful. The Duck Pack & Track™ eliminates the fury of going through boxes in a rage because you can’t find that one thing you need when you need it (been there, done that- not fun).
3. Special Boxes
These aren’t your mama’s regular, ol’ square boxes. These are special boxes that will make your move thousand times easier. Take it from the pros: get these boxes before you start packing.
- Liquor boxes- Head to your local liquor store and ask for a couple boxes. Not only is the great to haul all your booze, but it’s also good for items like your cooking oils, cooking wines, and even your drinking glasses.
- Picture boxes– These boxes keep your large pictures and paintings safe from being torn or broken, which happens quite a bit during the actual move.
- Tall standing boxes– Not only are these great for tall lamps, but they are also good for longer items like curtain rods. Pro-tip: Rubber band your curtain rods together as a set, and tape a baggie of the curtain rod holders and screws to it so you don’t have to search for the pieces when it comes time to set up your new place.
- Wardrobe boxes- Make unpacking your house a million times easier by grabbing yourself a few wardrobe boxes. This nifty things have a bar in the middle for you to hang your clothes which makes packing and unpacking a breeze.
- Pro-tip #1: place a plastic trash bag over your clothes while they are still hung up to prevent any clothes from coming unhung and having just a giant heap of clothing at the bottom of the box.
- Pro-tip #2: add light stuff (pillows, blankets, comforters) to the bottom of the box so you can utilize all the space possible
- Pro-tip #3: use Space Saver bags to get all those light yet bulky items down to a reasonable size
Pro-tip: Use the Duck Pack and Track™ label to label your boxes with exactly which items are in your boxes so you know what needs to be unpacked first and what can wait for tomorrow. Or the next day. Or two months after you move in- we don’t judge.
4. Parts Box
Before you start packing, grab a small box and label it in gigantic letters with PARTS BOX. This is the place you will put all the little parts to your larger items so you can easily find them. Things that go in here might be legs to your couch, television remotes, parts to a television stand, cords, screws for furniture, etc. Make sure to pack that box in your truck last so it comes out of the truck first, and then put it in a safe, easily accessible place in your new house. Once you get to your destination, you won’t have to worry about where to find the parts to put together your bed. Everything will be in one box and easily accessible, so no one will want to kill each other for burying the screws to the tv stand in a random box. Pro-tip: Label your parts box with the Duck Pack and Track™. List every part that is in there so you know exactly where the part is when it comes to put something together.
5. Rubber Bands, Baggies, and Sharpies
Be the ultimate in organized with simple things like rubber bands and baggies. Any small items should be banded together and/or bagged. Rubber bands and baggies can be used to:
- Organize utensils: rubber band together your forks, knives, spoons (all separately) and place them in a large baggie to make unpacking your kitchen drawers easily.
- Rubber band your curtain rods together and place the curtain rod holders in a baggie. Tape that baggie to the curtain rods so you know what goes with what.
- Loose hangers? Rubber band a bunch together by the hooks so you don’t have a tangled mess of hangers to unpack on the other side.
- Bag your clothes- if moving using a wardrobe box, bag together your clothes with a trash bag and tie it at the top so that if your clothes fall off the hangers in transit they will fall into the bag and not on the bottom of the box. This also helps everything to stay on the hangers.
- LABEL EVERYTHING- every time you bag something, put a label on it even if it’s taped to an item, so that you know exactly what part is in there.
Moving is not the best. It’s hard, it’s exhausting, it’s stressful, and it’s expensive. But starting a new chapter in your life is exciting (and sometimes terrifying) so try to embrace the process a little bit. These 5 things you didn’t know you needed for your next DIY move will make the entire move go a bit smoother for you. But don’t pack the wine just yet- you might need it still. Or at least pack it with the Duck Pack & Track™ so you know what box it is in when you get to the other side!
Have more questions about Duck Pack & Track™? Check out their FAQs here.
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Moving with kids? Read 6 Tips for a Hassle Free Move with Kids on how to make things easier for everyone!
