If you’ve ever had to move to a new house, you probably already know that the garage is one of the least-fun rooms to pack up for moving day. Many garages act as a catch-all for things that you don’t often need, or where you put those forgotten keepsakes that you can’t get rid of. All that adds up to a space that is a big challenge for moving day.
If you want to get it out of the way early, we’ve put together some tips to make the process easier. Even if you are using a moving company, you can reduce stress and make the entire process smoother by getting started today.
Step 1: take inventory
If you are like most people, you’ll probably be surprised by all the stuff in your garage! Here’s a good system for sorting through your belongings in this area:
- Things to bring to the new house;
- Things to sell (at a garage sale or online);
- Things to donate to charity;
- Things to toss or recycle.
These four groups allow you to easily prioritize what you should pack, and what you can get rid of before the big day. You may be on the fence about certain items – and in most cases, if you don’t know right away that you want to keep it, it’s best to let it go.
Step 2: gather up the tools
Packing up a garage requires some supplies, and it’s best if you start with these already gathered. Get plenty of cardboard boxes in a lot of sizes, along with protective materials like bubble wrap and newspaper. Be sure you have shipping tape to keep the boxes closed and reinforced along the bottoms for those heavier items.
Step 3: make a plan for odds and ends
We all have things in our garage that can’t be wrapped, like cans of paint, propane tanks, gas cans, and so on. If you are using a professional moving company, you definitely need to ask what they allow in their trucks for transportation. They may not allow some things like flammable products. If you can’t bring these things, get in touch with a recycling company or junk removal company to properly dispose of them
Step 4: make moving day easier with labeling
It is much easier to unpack when you get to your new home if you label everything correctly as you pack. You can mark everything with the name of the room where it goes, or make it even faster by assigning a color to each room and marking boxes with that color marker or sticker. Be sure to mark any boxes with fragile things inside to prevent breakage. Once you’ve gotten everything marked, put aside any boxes that have donations or giveaway items, so they don’t end up accidentally packed.
Step 5: Protect Your Fragile Items
It’s important to protect fragile items by packing them carefully. Here are a few tips for good packing:
- Keep like objects together.
- Protect fragile objects with bubble wrap.
- Always use the original packaging if you have it.
- Disassemble things like bicycles and playground equipment.
- Don’t over-pack boxes. Heavy boxes will crush objects in other boxes when they are put on the moving truck.
If you want to keep stress to a minimum before the move, it’s best to start on this packing early. If you can start with the garage a few months before your move, you’ll have more space to store boxes as you pack the rest of the house, which makes things much easier. Struggling to get rid of things that have been in your garage forever? Try getting an outsider’s view on items by getting a family member or friend to help. They can help you see what is really important, and what you’ve just being hanging on to.
Does your new house have a sturdy garage with a secure garage door to protect your belongings? If the garage door in your new house deserves a good tune‑up or even an outright change, just contact us anytime at 1-800-409-3667.
You can also request a quotation by email. We can happily come to your new home and explain the whole range of garage doors on the market. We will also advise you on the best choice to make. Check out our Design Centre, or look at our image gallery to get ideas and inspiration.
Add new comment