5 Packing Hacks You Need for Your Next Move

​It’s no secret that having a spouse in the military means you will be moving… A lot. Being an army spouse I have learned how to pack quickly and efficiently. Whether you are a military spouse or someone who is moving soon, I have some tips and tricks to make the moving process easier. Thankfully, Walmart makes preparing for a big move easier by having everything I need and having it at an affordable price. Walmart is my one stop shop for everything and they’ve proven that moving and packing can be made simpler.

1. Pack up Nonessentials. Take all the pictures off the wall and box up any décor and nonessential items you have. (Think decorations and throw pillows). These aren’t necessities and will make the moving process a lot less stressful and cluttered. You can even start packing up clothes, such as seasonal pieces like jackets or swimsuits.

​2. Bag Your Clothes. Speaking of clothes, I discovered this was the easiest way to move clothing. Leave all your clothes on their hangers and slip a trash bag on over them. Then use the bag drawstrings to loop over your hangers. This helps free up more box space because when you not only pack the clothes, but you end up having to box up all of your hangers too. This eliminates that problem and you can just throw your clothes up on top of everything in your moving truck. 
I have my clothes color coordinated and so I keep them organized even when packing them. It keeps me organized, and while I’m at it I toss all of the clothes I plan on packing up into the laundry. Tide pods come in handy, because I just toss in a pod with my load and not have to worry about perfectly measuring out each load. Not only is it a detergent, but also a stain remover and brightener; which makes me feel better about packing up my closet and knowing they will still look good and smell clean when I get to my new place.

3. Consolidate Rooms. This may be harder with kids, but try to move in everything you’ll need for the next month into one or two rooms. This way you can get a head start on cleaning the other rooms, and not have to worry about all of them on your move out day. 

Bounty paper towels are great for cleaning any room of your house and because they are so absorbent; you can use less than you would with the other brands. I love using Bounty paper towels to clean bathrooms and kitchens, rather than rags because I feel they do a better job and don’t leave any lint. 

​4. Do One Final Clean. Your apartment manager or future home owner will greatly appreciate this and it will increase the chances of getting your deposit back. After everything has been moved out, I vacuum the carpeted areas and then load it up in the truck. Then I turn my attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. If you have ever moved, you know how much of a pain it is to have to leave out the mop, cleaner, and bucket. And then after you’re done cleaning you have to rinse out the bucket, pack up the cleaner, and debate on whether you really want to drag this dirty mop to your new home.

​I then discovered the beauty of Swiffer Wetjet Mop. The Swiffer does an amazing job at trapping and locking the dirt, as for a mop it kind of just gets moved around. Another bonus of this, is after you have cleaned the rooms one last time, you can just take off the mop base and throw it away. No more waiting for mops to dry, or tossing them away before moving! The Swiffer Wetjet mop is a life saver and I can just put it in the back of the car to take to our new home.

5. Have a First Day Bag. A lot of people forget this and move into their new place with everything in boxes leading to a stressful and disastrous first day in their new place. I like to use cloth bags for this, as they are easy to just grab and go. Put together items that you will need for the first day or two in your new home. Pack toiletries like your toothbrushes and toothpaste and possibly some travel size shampoo and conditioner. A huge forgotten thing: Toilet paper. My favorite is Charmin because they are ultra-soft and they come in packs big enough to place in all bathrooms for you and your guests! This is such a commonly overlooked thing and you’ll thank me later when you have this packed and don’t have to make a quick run to the store in the middle of unpacking at the new place.

​Now, I don’t know about you, but when I first move into a new place I have to clean the kitchen that day. I don’t know how well the previous owners or cleaners cleaned this area and I just want to really scrub it down. I pack a cleaner and some of my Bounty paper towels which usually does the task. Also, if you are moving into base housing, or any house that may have a funky smell I’ll give you a huge secret to fixing this: Unstopables air freshener. I could probably spend all day in the fragrance spray aisle, but I’ll save you the trouble and tell you this is the one you need! The smell can last up to 6 hours and make any home, even base housing, smell luxurious.

That’s all folks! 5 not so commonly known packing hacks that will make any move stress free and easier. I have come to love moving around, and with Walmart’s unbeatable prices and great products; I can pack up with the help of some great cleaning products. Comment down below what has been your favorite place to move, or where you would like to move! If you are moving in the near future, I hope these tips helped you and you are looking forward to your upcoming move now.

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