What a total headache. Moving. Sure, it’s a chance to get to know a new town, new friends. But packing all the accumulations – it makes the brain throb. Across town re-locations are stressful enough. Putting everything you own in boxes to another state, don’t you wish you  could leave all of the packing to the Austin moving companies?

For the ones that have to do it ourselves. You could hire a neighborhood gang of kids to handle the task. That is if you don’t mind opening the containers at the new place and finding approximately 83% of your cherished things in tatters.

Take Five Deep Breaths

Interviewing the pros who do this daily, they’ll tell you that at the top of the list you must have a procedure. Our best advice is write down a flexible plan. Which room will you tackle first? Note that we used the singular word “room.” Don’t make the mistake of doing a little here, moving to another space and doing a little there. Put your multi-tasking button on pause.

In aforementioned room, get a table and put it smack-dab in the middle of the area. Put your boxes, magic marker, packing materials, pad of paper, pens and masking tape near or on that working space. Find a spot where you want to begin and follow a pattern. Clockwise, let’s say. Not everything will be going in one box. As you clear a particular space, some items may go in the “fragile” box while others find room in the “book” container. You get the idea. You’re not stuffing things in cardboard, you’re arranging your possessions based on a method.

System of No Doubt

We like this technique. On that table in the middle of the room, have a couple of sheets of writing paper and a pen. Number each box and every piece of paper. As you place something in a container, write what it was on the corresponding numbered page. Keep all the notes in some binders. Write which room the pages came from on the folders. For the box itself, in magic marker, spell-out which room it should go into when the movers unload.

All in One Piece

Rule of thumb. When storing breakables, if you lightly shake the box and hear a rattle, you messed-up.

While newspaper circulation rates have dwindled over the year, since you know you’re moving, go out and buy a dozen of a thick Sunday editions. You’ll be crumbling it up to line the walls of the container. Now, lay down a strip of bubble wrap on the floor of the box. Put the breakable atop the soft stuff, fold the bubble wrap around it and tape everything in place. Let’s say you’re working with dishes. You can stack them. Simply make sure you put a sheet of bubble wrap between each plate.

Caution: Science Ahead

This is not a basketball game. It’s a process, a science if you will. You always put the heaviest items at the bottom, going light as you reach the top. Periodically pick up the container to ensure you’re not creating a monster that’s impossible to lift.

The size of the box should be Goldilocks, not too small, not too big – just right. Fit objects in there as snugly as you can. Don’t force things; you just want to lower any potential of shifting as its being transported. Never use a big box for books. If you do, don’t stuff it with reading material. Throw in a pillow or some linen to balance matters out.

It all sounds a little complicated, but trust us, you want to be practical if you’re packing your prized assets. You also want to have a system to help you dial-down the stress when you get from point “A” to point “B.” Or point “C” for that matter.