There’s no doubt that the packing process is the most stressful and time consuming part of a move. After all, gathering all of the belongings you own and packing them into boxes is far from easy. Fortunately, there are plenty of tips and tricks to help you streamline your packing process and stay organized at the same time.Here are a few tips for speeding up the packing process so your move will be as easy as possible.

Spend time decluttering before packing.

Packing items you don’t need is an enormous waste of time and energy. To effectively save time and eliminate unnecessary clutter, start by decluttering each room in your home. To do this, begin by creating three piles: a trash pile, a donate pile, and a sell pile. Anything that isn’t worth keeping can be discarded in the trash pile. Donations can be given to a number of different charitable organizations. Anything that is of value or worth selling, can be sold through on online marketplace or at a yard sale. The items that are left will be the items you plan to pack and bring to your new home.

Use a packing calculator to determine how many boxes you need.

You can speed up the packing process by gathering all of your packing materials in advance. The last thing you want is to be making multiple trips back and forth to the store to purchase more boxes. That’s why it can be very helpful to use a packing calculator to determine how many boxes you will need. The estimate is based on the number of rooms in your home, the number of people in your household, as well as your lifestyle. This helpful step can save you a great deal of time.

Gather all packing materials in advance.

Once you have an idea of how many boxes you will need, go ahead and start gathering boxes, packing paper, packing tape, bubble wrap, and any other packing materials you might need. You can get some of these items for free by checking out your local warehouse store, grocery store, or liquor store, and then you can purchase the rest. Doing this beforehand can save you money on packing supplies and will definitely speed up your packing process once you get started.

Use a color coded system.

Another great tip for staying organized while you pack is to use a color coded system. Label your boxes using sharpies, colored stickers, or colored tape to keep track of what’s inside each box and where it belongs. This will greatly reduce time when you begin unpacking, as you will quickly know which box goes in which room.

Have a plan for those hard to pack items.

Prior to packing, read up on the best way to pack and protect specific items such as electronics, paintings, valuables, appliances, exercise equipment, pianos, or other valuable items. Having a plan in place will definitely save you time come packing day.

Pack one room at a time.

The best way to streamline the packing process is to take it one room at a time. Otherwise, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and completely disorganized. It is best to start with rooms that have items you don’t use every day such as attic, closets, shed, library, or guest room. Save the rooms you use most for last, such as the kitchen and bedrooms.

Disassemble furniture, lamps, and other large items.

If you are planning to do most of the moving yourself, it can be extremely helpful to disassemble furniture, lamps, and other large items such as exercise equipment, fish tank, or any other fragile items. By taking these items apart ahead of time, you will save a great deal of time on moving day and you will also have more room in your portable storage container or moving truck.