It would be great if you had all the time in the world to prepare for your move. It would be even better if you could get some days off. But oftentimes, life puts us in unexpected situations, and next thing you know, you are googling how to pack to move in a hurry. Let’s hope you got that amazing apartment unexpectedly or a better job and should start immediately – keep that picture in mind and keep a positive attitude.
You are not alone – we are Chicago movers, and we’ve seen our share of hectic moves, so we decided to share our tips on how to pack quickly for a move. Hopefully, you’ll find them helpful, and you succeed in completing your move in due time, so let’s give it a shot.
How Do I Pack for a Last-Minute Move?
How soon before moving should I start packing? Well, you should have started weeks before the move day. For a local move, it’s ideal to start preparing around 3-4 weeks prior. But, if you’ve suddenly learned that you’re about to move to some of the safest neighborhoods in Chicago as you’ve got a cool, new job – don’t let the lack of time and preparation ruin your happiness.
There are certain relocation hacks you can put to work and successfully complete this journey to your new home. And, guess who’s got them all? That’s right – these movers in Chicago have got these rush moves down to a T, and we’ll tell you all about it through our tips, including what the most commonly forgotten things to pack are, so you don’t forget them.
How Do I Pack and Move in 2 Days?
Two days, huh? Talking about a tight schedule. You must feel overwhelmed by relocation stress right about now, but you shouldn’t be. As Audrey Hepburn once said: “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’m possible.” And she was right. You can still do this. Sure, you’ll be working round the clock, getting up way earlier than usual, and possibly end up paying a bit more, but, hey – you’ll do it. Not panicking is very important if you find yourself in a situation like this – you can’t take back the time, and it won’t help your case. So, don’t beat yourself up too much and get on to work. But, firstly – follow our amazing advice.
#1 How to Pack to Move in a Hurry? Organize and Make a Plan
You know how there are always these two types of people – those who meticulously plan and organize everything way ahead and those who leave it for the last minute and kind of just hope for the best. Well, not to throw any judgment here, but if you aren’t the first type, you should surely become and do it ASAP.
To move efficiently, you’ll have to organize yourself well, especially at this stage of the process. Figure out what needs to be done, divide it into whatever days or hours you have left, and get on with it. This is not a moment to either panic or procrastinate any further, so take things into your own hands and do it now.
The Best Would Be to Keep a Checklist of the Tasks You Should Do
The only way to stay organized in this hectic period is to keep running checklists. Let’s face it – you are running out of time, and you can’t keep track of everything unless you put it down on a piece of paper. So, create a to-do list with all the things that you should do. Keep it somewhere you can easily see it and reach it, as not to forget something in this chaos.
Another thing you should do as soon as possible is set a relocation expenses checklist. Being in a rush that you are, you will likely require more funds than usual, and you’ll like to keep your budget in check. You’ll also want to figure out what kind of moving services in Chicago you will require and be able to afford. So, get that out of the way first, and everything else will just fall into place.
#2 Gather Packing Supplies for Moving
The first step to figuring out how to pack for a move quickly or at all is getting the right equipment. So, yeah, we are talking about boxes mostly, but not only them, you’ll also require other things like tape, paper, peanuts, bubble wrap, markers, and scissors. But, yeah – boxes are the big guns when it comes to supplies, and you may not be in the position to order them online at this point.
You may not even have enough days ahead of the move to go around stores, and see if they have any to spare, so you might as well go straight to the hardware store. You’ll want to get the sturdy ones for when you pack dishes and start packing plates. Figure out how many boxes you’ll need, and go get them along with other packing supplies.
Use Alternatives You Have in Your House
If you want to save a buck on boxes and other equipment – you can. Take the items you already have in your home, and use them as containers or for padding. For example, you can pack books in suitcases – they are durable enough, and they will save you some space in the truck, too.
Keep whatever clothing you have in the dresser drawers, cover them with plastic, and place them in the truck like that. Use garbage bags for clothes on hangers and tie a knot at the bottom. You can also save on space and money by using clothes or towels for padding instead of packing paper or peanuts. Put these items you already have in your house to good use, and you won’t have to worry about boxing them up.
#3 Don’t Hesitate to Get Rid of Things
Before getting packed, you should do some decent decluttering. And, now is not the time to start having second thoughts about specific items. The more objects you get rid of, the fewer objects are left to be packed. Hence you’ll get this done earlier and easier. Besides, we all need good riddance here and there, so why not make it now and make your life much easier? You sure would use it. Figure out what you won’t be needing and get it tossed.
Set aside some clothes and other objects that are in good condition, and give them away. You may not be able to organize a pick-up on such short notice, so drive it yourself to some of the donation centers in Chicago. You can choose based on what organization is closest to your heart or simply the one closest to your home, as efficiency is imperative here. Goodville is always a good choice and a favorite of many, and for a good reason.
#4 Some Essential Tips for Packing to Move in a Hurry
If you are running late, you can forget about researching the best folding techniques, and we won’t even go into detail about that. Regardless, being late doesn’t mean you can’t be efficient with this. You just gotta act fast. Fold your clothes quickly instead of rolling them up. Box up the seasonal clothing first, the ones you rarely wear, and those in storage.
Put aside some essentials in an essentials box or bag. If you are relocating with pets – put some of their essentials in their own bag. When it comes to furniture, approach this with the room-by-room method, and leave the kitchen for last, as you’ll still want to cook something or get coffee in the morning. Not forgetting something in a rush is also vital, so here are some objects that are most commonly forgotten:
- Keys – Whether you should take yours somewhere or leave them for the next renters, remember them. And we mean all keys – cabinet keys and garage openers, as well.
- Trash can – Taking out the trash tends to be overlooked in times like this, so take out the garbage and wrap up the trash can, as well.
- Medicine – These should go in your essentials bag.
- Personal hygiene products – Put these in the essentials bag, as well.
- Toilet paper – You wouldn’t like to be caught in your new home without toilet paper, would you?
- Coffee maker and coffee – You will want a cup of coffee in the morning after the move, believe us.
- Valuables and important documents – Take them out from wherever they are and box them up.
#5 Get up Earlier Than Usual
Let’s just put it this way – you won’t have the luxury of sleeping these days. Save that for when you are in your new home. For now, you’re just going to have to get up at least two hours earlier than usual. And, skip long morning coffee rituals, if you’ve ever had ones. If you don’t work, you’ll still want to change your morning routines and habits to get everything done.
#6 Use All the Help You Can Get
There’s no way you’ll be able to do this all on your own. And since you are relocating locally – chances are you won’t have to. If you have friends or family living nearby in some of the best neighborhoods in Chicago, see if they can give you a hand with this so you can be ready when your local movers in Chicago arrive.
We are sure they’ll understand the gravity of the situation and that they’ll be more than happy to help with packing. They can assist with boxing items up or simply watch over the kids if yours are too young. Throwing a going-away party is a great way to thank them and also to take your mind off of the move, at least for a while.
Get Kids Involved on Moving Day
If your kids are not too young to participate – get them involved. They can be of great assistance. Get them to box up their clothes and furniture – it will mean a lot to you. Get them to participate in other tasks as well, no matter how small they might be. Small tasks add up, and your kids will like being a part of the move and in control. You can talk to them about their future rooms, how they want to decorate them, and so on.
#7 Take a Break Every Now and Then
We might have mentioned this a couple of times, and yes, being efficient and fast is imperative here. But, you wouldn’t want to wear yourself down. It won’t do you any good, and you won’t be as energetic and capable unless you get a rest every now and then. So, do get a rest, chill down, sleep, and remember not to skip meals during this period. Give yourself a movie night with the family if you feel like you’ve made enough progress that day. But, be careful not to get too distracted or consumed with unrelated things.
#8 Hire a Reliable Moving Company in Chicago
Nothing beats hiring professional movers in Chicago to assist you every step of the way. Our tips are great, and they will surely be helpful, but our workers are the best movers in Chicago, and they can do it all instead of you if you opt for our packing services. There are a couple of items our movers won’t move, but other than that, our moving company in Chicago can do everything for you, including relocating a piano. So, contact us and head in for a successful move.