When beginning to pack for your move, it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start and how to pack certain items. Fortunately, we’ve had a ton of experience packing all kinds of things and both large and small volumes of items. Here are our top ten expert tips to put into play when you’re packing to move to a new home!  Start Early  When you start packing early, you save yourself a ton of stress. For an average 4 bedroom home, you could easily spend 4-5 days packing-which is a lot of time. That timeline also assumes you have all of your supplies on hand and experience no delays. With that in mind, the earlier you can start packing the better. Anything you won’t be using until your move can be packed away. Some great items to start with early on (even months in advance) can include seasonal items, home decor, guest bedroom furniture and items, and any collectibles or items of sentimental value. Since these are all items you won’t need before your move, it is simple to pack them away safely well in advance. Packing early also saves you from rushing through, running the risk that some items get broken.  Don’t Leave the Kitchen for Last  Many individuals leave the kitchen for last when they are packing. We highly advise against that. Kitchens are the room in your home that takes the longest to pack by far. Think about the number of breakable items, small appliances, or oddly shaped items in your kitchen. That’s why it takes so long! To avoid packing your kitchen up at 11 pm the night before your truck arrives, pack all the non-essential items up in the week leading up to your move. Save only a few cups and glasses or opt for paper plates and cups to save yourself even more time or opt for take out for a couple of days before your move. Taking the time to pack your delicate kitchen items properly will be well worth it-we promise!  Label Your Boxes This is not optional, so don’t skip this one. When packing to move you need to know what is in each and every box, which room it belongs in, and if it is fragile. It’s incredibly helpful to your moving team to know this as well. It saves you from getting to your new home with a pile of boxes in your living room and no clue where anything is. When your moving company is aware of what is in each box and where it belongs it makes the unloading process straightforward.  Invest in Good Boxes You may be tempted to take all of the cheap or free cardboard boxes you can get your hands on to save some cash when moving- afterall it is expensive. We highly recommend you don’t. Cheap, or overused boxes are going to be flimsy and lack the strength to keep your belongings safe during your move. Invest in boxes that are actually designed for residential moving. They are made to handle household items, and even give recommendations of the kind of items to use them for. Using proper packing supplies will keep your items safe, and give you the best opportunity for things to arrive at your new home in pristine condition.  Resist Reminiscing  As you’re packing you’re going to come across an old photo album, some baby items or even an old toy and be tempted to take a trip down memory lane. We know it can be exciting to come across these items you haven’t seen in a long time, but reminiscing can end up eating up hours of your packing time. Push yourself to push through the packing and allow for reminiscing on the other side of your transaction when unpacking. You’ll have more time to go through your memories and think about past situations when unpacking vs. packing. You definitely want to save yourself the time during packing so you’re not scrambling all night the night before your move to finish packing. Trust us-you’ll be glad you put that extra time to effective use.  These tips will help you to pack efficiently and effectively. The experts at Relocate Stress Free are here to help you and support your move!