When we decided that we were moving last month and that it will be approximately 1600 miles away, I knew that with our entire brood (not to mention having our belongings stored for 3 months while between homes) I had to approach it as methodically as I possibly could. No one has time for Mama to have a breakdown, you know? And when we do arrive in Tennessee, the last thing I want to be worried about is finding the extra pillows or a pot to cook some mac and cheese in for that first night or two while we get things situated. So, I set out to research and find the best help I could in making sure I was hyper-organized for this experience. Today I wanted to share with you my moving organizations and how to tackle the packing part of the process.

The first thing I did was jump on Amazon to order sticker room labels (this pack is huge and comes with more than enough labels!) as well as the Duck Pack & Track QR code labels. After researching I felt like these were the best to do the job I was wanting them to do. Once they showed up, I then worked through a list of what to pack and when based on items we still needed to have on hand or things we could do without. Obviously the items we could do without went first. These were items such as:

• decor
• books
• hand-me-down clothing
• storage items

And I packed by item instead of by room which I felt made things far less chaotic for me.

The way I approached the packing process was in three steps:

Step 1: Once I taped a box to be packed, I added the Pack & Track label on the left side and then the appropriate room label on the right side of the box. I kept this same setup for every single box packed. I would then write the general idea of what is in the box on the QR code label. Remember back in the day when we would literally write out every single thing that was in the box on the outside of it? Or if we didn’t take the time to do that, we simply wrote the general idea of what was inside, but then finding an item you needed meant opening up all of the boxes? That is why I loved this system so much!

Step 2: I then would use the Pack & Track app, scan the QR code label and name the box as well as the location of it (the location coordinated with the room sticker). As I packed the items into the box, I would make sure and also enter them into the app within that assigned box. The app also allows you to take pictures of each box and save the images right within the app, however, I decided my time was better spent elsewhere and it sounded like it would take up a lot of storage on my phone as well.

Step 3: One feature I wish these labels had is a numbering system. For example, I have a total of about 12 boxes that are labeled “Dishes”. This includes dinnerware, entertaining pieces, glasses, etc. When we get to our destination and if takes us a bit to get completely unpacked and settled in, I knew I wouldn’t want to have to look through all 12 boxes to find an item that I want or need. So what I would do then is add my own number to the QR code label. For instance, my fifth box of dishes packed I labeled as “Dishes 5”. I made sure it was labeled the same way in the app as well.

Yes, this did take a little bit of time to make sure I had repeated a number from what was already packed, but well worth the extra effort I think.

So, there are a few benefits to going through this process and doing the work ahead of time:

Benefit 1: When we arrive at our destination and if we happen to have extra hands helping us unload (we are a DIY type of family), I will simply use a piece of paper posted up on each door of each room in the house with a room sticker label on the piece of paper. This way people know exactly where to take the box they pull off the truck. This helps to be helping as well to get the job done instead of directing only. Note! Remember that when you are packing your moving truck, every box is facing the same way with labels showing. This will help to make it a very quick and fluid process because the labels can be quickly read and it is clear where the box belongs.

Benefit 2: I normally work through something like unpacking fairly quickly, but I also know as a family of seven and how much we have that there will be times a little one or even my husband and I will need to find something quickly. What is so great about the Pack & Track app is that it makes doing this extremely convenient. I can simply click the “find” button on the app home screen and I can simply speak the item I am searching for. It will then tell me what the box is titled as. And remember how I added my own numbers to the labeling system? In this situation, it will not only inform me the item is in (for example) “Dishes”, but that it is in “Dishes 5”. So I can locate the box immediately and get what I need!

I hope you found this approach and my few tips helpful! And while I have moved plenty of times before, I have never moved out of state, let alone several states away. Any need-to-know things? I am all ears when it comes to making this experience and transition as smooth as possible for us and the fierce five!