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March 20, 2023

5 Tips for Staging Boxes Before You Move

If you’re like most people, you’ll spend a couple of months packing. As you progress through the process, you must have a place to put the completed boxes.

It’s common to rent a storage unit for a few months or set aside a guest room to hold them. In any case, you need a safe spot.

Here are five tips that will help you stage boxes efficiently and safely.

1. Clean Before You Start

Once you set down several boxes, you’re less likely to move them. You want to ensure the area is clean and dry before staging.

Give yourself an hour or two to clean the space from top to bottom. If you’re keeping the boxes at home, consider vacuuming and spot-cleaning the ceiling and walls in advance. Vacuum or sweep and mop the floor, and allow the area to dry before placing boxes there.

2. Label Clearly

The last thing you want to do is re-organize your boxes once you get going. The best way to avoid this problem is to label your boxes clearly when you start packing.

Creating a labeling system, you use from the beginning makes the moving process more manageable. For example, write on the box before loading it.

Make sure that the labeling system is visible from multiple angles. For example, it’s better to have labels on the sides, not the top.

3. Stack by Size and Weight

Gather sturdy boxes in a variety of sizes. Use the small ones to pack heavy items like books and the larger cartons for lightweight things like pillows.

Avoid a toppling hazard by stacking the boxes by size and weight. Generally, you’ll put heavier cartons on the bottom as you stack them. Still, depending on your situation, you might need to keep the same-sized boxes stacked together.

4. Minimizing Toppling

Toppling is a significant risk, especially if you keep the boxes at home. Taller stacks are more likely to fall, especially if no other stacks provide support.

Create a plan to stack the boxes in advance. Then, you can follow the plan as you seal each box.

As you start to accumulate boxes, consider creating one or two larger piles. Avoid stacking boxes taller than you. Take advantage of the corner of a room, and build outward as you go.

5. Avoid Moisture Damage

Moisture damage can be a concern, especially if you keep the boxes in a basement or garage. However, water seeping in from the walls or floor may not be visible, and you might not notice it until moving day.

If you’re putting boxes directly on concrete, consider laying down a tarp beforehand. A tarp can also help to prevent pests from getting inside the boxes.

If you worry about water dripping from the ceiling, also put a tarp on top of the boxes.