Packing procrastination can prevent the moving process from being smooth and painless. While moving is almost always exciting, NO ONE gets hyped up about the packing part. Because we all know it’s stressful and we want to put it off as much as we can, here are 5 ways to conquer packing procrastination.
Prepare Ahead
Scratch that. Prepare WAY ahead of time. If moving day is Saturday, aim to finish packing by Wednesday. Moving has a lot of…moving parts and one never knows what will come up. If you’re done two days early, you can allot time for whatever springs up. Trust me, something ALWAYS comes up.
First, make early reservations for whatever you need for your move, be it a truck, a trailer, or moving help. Scheduling early sets things in motion and provides momentum.
Have All the Right Tools
It’s easier to enter a packing mindset when you have the proper tools handy. You don’t want to stop mid-way because you ran out of boxes or tape. The thought of having to run to the store might invite packing procrastination so have everything you need at the start. Get an extra set of everything because things get misplaced in the chaos. Also, this gives friends and family who are helping something to use so packing is done in less time.
Seeing the right packing tools and materials around prompts you to start the job immediately.
Exceed your Schedule
While a mental note suffices, putting it down on paper will go A LONG WAY in preventing packing procrastination. If you’ve scheduled three days, break each day down into two parts. For example:
Day 1 AM = clothes and shoes 
Day 1 PM = kitchen
Day 2 AM = bathroom and bedroom
Day 2 PM = disassemble furniture
Day 3 AM = personal items
Day 3 PM = everything else
More than setting a schedule, strive to pack things scheduled for the next day. This sustains your momentum and sets the pace for the next day. You might find yourself finishing much earlier.
Avoid Facebook
You’ll want to document and share your move, but don’t get too distracted. This applies to everything that could derail your packing like ESPN, Netflix, or the Playstation. If you can’t control the urge, it might help to turn everything off and unplugging for some hours. This will provide you the necessary focus to also stave off packing procrastination.
Nobody enjoys packing. It takes a lot out of anyone but it is unavoidable. Those boxes are not going to pack themselves. Hopefully, the steps outlined above could help eliminate packing procrastination. The proper preparation and focus will contribute to making the process less painful and allow you to get the job done in less time.
Share your packing procrastination prevention tips below.
