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The Ultimate Packing Guide for Families

Is your family preparing for an upcoming relocation and feeling daunted by the task of packing? Are you searching for the best strategy to pack your family’s belongings without feeling stressed and overwhelmed?

Although packing can be a challenging process that requires a lot of time and effort, it doesn’t need to be a headache. In fact, with the right approach, you can simplify packing and ultimately make it a smooth and straightforward task with minimal stress. We’ve compiled your ultimate packing guide so you can pack like a pro. Discover our eight best tips below!

 

How to Pack for Your Upcoming Move

If you’ve ever moved before, you probably know that packing can be the most difficult part of the entire process. Fortunately, though, following the right steps can make the process of packing your family’s home a lot easier. Learn how with our ultimate packing guide for families!

 

  • Start in Advance

First, one of the most effective steps you can take to get your packing off to a strong start is to allow plenty of time. Starting the packing process far in advance of your relocation can make a huge difference to the overall experience.

If you don’t allow enough time to pack without rushing through the task, the process can feel extremely stressful. However, allowing plenty of time enables you to divide the job into manageable chunks, which is a great way to stay organized rather than rushing and packing in a hectic manner. Overall, the more time you have to pack your home, the better – especially when you’re packing up an entire family’s worth of items!

 

  • Declutter and Sort First

Before you begin the task of packing, you should start by decluttering your home. This involves sorting through your belongings and determining what you no longer want or need. Understandably, this can be a difficult task, especially when you first start. You might encounter some challenges as you try to eliminate some of your items. For this reason, it’s important to be extremely honest with yourself about what items in your house actually get regular usage.

As you start this process, try to begin in places where a lot of clutter has accumulated, such as closets, cabinets, and drawers. Oftentimes, items get shoved to the back of these spots and spend months or even years sitting there, forgotten and unused.

Once you’ve decluttered these hotspots, you may have an easier time determining what else to get rid of in the remainder of your home. These items can be sold, donated, or thrown away, depending on the condition they are in.

 

  • Hire Professional Movers Early

If you plan on working with a professional moving company for your upcoming relocation, be mindful of scheduling, and prioritize booking in advance.

This will help you to secure the date that works best for you, and it may even result in receiving a lower rate from your movers. Additionally, many full-service moving companies offer extensive packing services, which can help lighten the load of packing.

For instance, you may just want assistance with some of your more specialized items, such as electronics or appliances, or specific rooms. These flexible options can make packing a lot easier to manage.

 

  • Get High-Quality Supplies

When you’re packing your belongings for a move, it’s important to make sure you’re using high-quality moving supplies to yield the best results for your items’ safety. You will need the following materials (and potentially more!) to ensure the best outcome when you’re packing:

  • Sturdy cardboard boxes
  • Packing tape
  • Bubble wrap
  • Packing paper
  • Moving blankets
  • Mattress bags
  • Permanent markers
  • Resealable plastic bags

 

  • Pack One Room at a Time

Moving and packing experts agree – the best way to tackle packing is to go through the task one room at a time. Not only does this help to segment the process into smaller chunks, but it also promotes organization as it reduces the chances of items from different rooms ending up in the same box. This will be a huge benefit when it comes time to unpack your boxes.

To properly approach this room-by-room strategy, you will probably want to begin in any areas where your less frequently used items are, such as closets or guest rooms. You may not be able to entirely pack away, for instance, a bedroom before moving on to the next room, but you should pack as close to completion as possible before moving along.

 

  • Label Boxes Thoroughly

Another step that will make the task of unpacking infinitely easier is labeling your boxes thoroughly and in a detailed manner. Because you’re moving an entire family, you undoubtedly have plenty of items to pack and sort.

Labeling your boxes on more than one side enables you to easily discern what contents are in which boxes, which can streamline the unpacking process and just generally make it a lot easier to find whatever you’re looking for. Although it may be tedious, try to include as much detail as possible. Your future self will thank you!

 

  • Fill Boxes Strategically

When you pack your belongings, it’s crucial to be mindful of the way you’re filling each box. One of the biggest errors you can make is to leave too much empty space in your moving boxes. Instead, be strategic about the way you place your items, minimizing empty space and therefore preventing excessive movement while your belongings are in transit.

This is important to decrease the likelihood of your items sustaining damages. Because you won’t want to overpack your boxes and make them too heavy, be sure you’re filling the empty spaces in a way that doesn’t weigh down your boxes. In these cases, using bubble wrap and packing paper is an easy, lightweight way to tackle this issue.

 

  • Carry Your Essentials With You

Finally, be sure to have a bag of essentials for each family member on moving day. From a change of clothes to medication, or anything from snacks to a first aid kit, you should have the most important items handy for your own convenience.

These essentials will stay with you along the way, rather than being loaded into a moving truck, so you can access these items conveniently during the move. You never know when these things will come in handy, so assemble a little grouping of “just in case” items!

 

Packing Made Simple

Although packing can feel daunting, the good news is that there’s nothing to be afraid of. With the right know-how, you can transform your packing experience into a simple task divided into manageable chunks. If you need a moving company to help simplify your move even further, count on AAA Flat Rate Moving & Storage for all your needs! 

Our highly rated team provides the best of the best in full-service moving, storage, and packing solutions. That’s why we have been Florida’s proven Gulf Coast movers for over 40 years. Based in Sarasota, our moving professionals can get you wherever you need to go, whether that’s down the street or across the country.

No matter what your needs are, AAA Flat Rate has got you covered. Request a free quote online today, and learn more about our top-notch services at affordable rates!

10 Things to Know Before Moving to Florida

Thinking about relocating to Florida? Before you move to the Sunshine State, there are a few things you should know so you can be fully prepared. Understanding exactly what you can expect when you move to this gorgeous state can help you adjust and adapt to your new home a lot more easily. Want to find out the 10 things you should know before moving to Florida?

Keep reading, and discover more about the Sunshine State!

What to Know Before Moving to Florida

Florida is an amazing place to live for so many people, but as is the case with any area, it’s not for everyone. From weather to taxes and more, always ensure you’re fully prepared for what an area brings before you make your big move.

Florida Weather (Good and Bad!)

Before anything else, let’s address the weather. Without a doubt, this is one of the most known aspects of Florida, for better but also for worse.

First, the positives: Florida has a beautiful, tropical climate that lends itself to, of course, plenty of sunshine, blue skies, and warm weather all year round. Even in the winter months, you can find yourself enjoying mild days at the beach. For the most part, the seasons in Florida boil down to warm and warmer, as opposed to the traditional four seasons found in most other places in the United States.

However, Florida’s weather isn’t perfect. Hurricanes and tropical storms in this state make headlines each and every year due to the large levels of destruction they cause. Unfortunately, Florida residents often need to be prepared to evacuate during hurricane season because of the severity of these storms. If you choose to live right by the coast, you are more likely to sustain damages. This is a major downside of Florida’s climate.

Florida Taxes

One unique feature of Florida is that the Sunshine State has no state income tax. This lack of individual income tax is an awesome perk for Florida residents, allowing them to keep more of the money they earn and save or spend it accordingly.

Only eight other states in the entire nation can boast this same quality, setting Florida apart from much of the country as residents have the opportunity to pocket more money.

Florida Wildlife

When people think of the wildlife in Florida, one of the first things that typically comes to mind is alligators. This famous animal even earned itself the spot as the mascot for the University of Florida, bringing us the well-known Florida Gators. However, these aren’t the only critters roaming around the state! The hot and humid climate serves as the perfect home for countless species of animals and insects.

From snakes to manatees, dolphins to panthers, pelicans to bobcats, Florida is the stomping grounds for many creatures in land, sea, and air. Plus, the environment lends itself to many bugs, such as mosquitos, cockroaches, and ticks. Although these certainly aren’t reasons to stay away from the state, it’s important to be mindful of these creatures and be prepared to ward them away from your home.

Differences Between North & South Florida

Although you might think Florida is all the same throughout the state, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Different areas of Florida offer many different perks to their residents, and the distinction between North and South Florida is noteworthy. When you’re deciding where in Florida you’d like to relocate to, it’s important to think about the varying aspects of these regions. 

As you would probably expect, North Florida is not quite as warm as South Florida, meaning that you will experience more of the four seasons than you would in the southernmost part of the state. These separate parts of the state are also influenced by different cultures. While North Florida is more consistent with the culture of the Southern United States which it neighbors, South Florida has influence from the Caribbean and Latin America. These differences make a huge impact from the vibes of these areas as a whole.

Florida Sports

If you’re a sports fanatic, you can look forward to attending and watching various sporting events with fans who are just as passionate as you. There are plenty of teams to enjoy on both the professional and collegiate levels, and these teams are certainly worth cheering for. With three NFL teams, two MLB teams, two NHL teams, and two NBA teams, how could you ever get bored? There are games to look forward to all year long!

Plus, if you’re into NASCAR, Florida is the perfect place for you. Each year, the Daytona 500 is held in Daytona Beach, a major event for those who enjoy motor racing. Golf is popular in the Sunshine State as well! No matter what sport you enjoy, Florida can certainly offer endless entertainment to you.

Florida Tourism

With so many fun things to do and amazing sights to see, Florida understandably attracts many tourists. It’s no secret that this destination is beloved by people of all ages. Although tourism truly boosts the economy of the state and is a wonderful advantage for Florida as a whole, it can sometimes be irksome for Floridians.

Be mindful of the fact that, especially during peak times of year, there will be an inevitable influx of tourists visiting the Sunshine State. However, it varies depending on which part of the state you’re living in, so tourists may not cause too much of a disruption depending on where you reside.

Florida Cost of Living vs. Cost of Housing

Of course, an important aspect to consider for any move is if your destination works with your budget. Real estate in Florida is historically known for being more affordable compared to other areas of the country, especially if you live outside of any of the more popular cities that draw in tourists.

However, the cost of living in other categories can be high, meaning goods and services might be a bit more expensive here. Again, this is dependent on other aspects and can vary according to what region you’re living in.

Florida Nature

If you enjoy spending time in the great outdoors, you’re in luck! Florida has so much beautiful nature to offer to its residents. You can find so many places to boat, kayak, hike, bike, zipline, paddleboard, and much more when you explore the Sunshine State, providing Floridians with great activities to enjoy in the beautiful weather.

There are many state and national parks in Florida that are well-known for their excellence, from Blue Spring State Park to Biscayne National Park to Everglades National Park and more. You’ll never run out of nature to explore in Florida.

Florida Education

If you or a family member are looking for higher education, Florida has excellent educational opportunities to discover. There are many state and community colleges, as well as a lot of wonderful state universities such as Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and University of Central Florida, just to name a few. This means that people living in Florida can conveniently find local options for high quality schooling, which is an incredible advantage.

Is Florida Good for Families?

Last but certainly not least, Florida is the ideal place for your entire family. We already discussed many of the fun advantages of living in this state, and many of these activities and adventures are perfect for family members of all ages. If you have children, you can trust that they won’t get bored in the Sunshine State. We also can’t forget to mention the many theme parks Florida is known for. Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Studios, Legoland, and Busch Gardens are just a few of the great places to bring your family, whether it’s for a day trip or a full-blown vacation.

How to Find Florida Movers

With more information about Florida in your back pocket, you’re now ready to make an educated decision about a potential move to the Sunshine State. And with so many perks, what’s not to love?

If you’re ready to get the ball rolling on your Florida relocation, AAA Flat Rate Moving & Storage is here to meet all your needs and make this your best move yet! We have been Sarasota’s trusted movers for over 40 years, and our team’s top priority is providing excellent service at an affordable rate. Request a free quote today, and discover what AAA can do for you!