As tempting as it is to postpone unpacking the boxes, just dive in and take them one box at a time. If you choose to use professional packing services, you have several options: you can hire full-service carriers who will handle your move from start to finish (pack, load, transport, unload and unpack), order additional packing services (full or partial) from your chosen moving companies, or hire a independent packaging service. The cost of the full packaging service can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the number of items to be packed and the complexity of the work (some companies charge by the hour, while others have fixed rates and additional services always have an additional cost). If you trust yourself, and only yourself, with the task of packing up your precious possessions to move, then packing is in your hands.
The company will also provide you with a time estimate on how long it will take to pack your products and the cost involved. Before the movers arrive, clear a path for your belongings to move and keep it clear until the end. You can also hire an external packaging company, separate from the moving company you hire to handle the heavy lifting of your move, which can offer many of the same packing services at lower prices. Of course, you don't want to hear about it halfway through the packing process, when you've spent weeks sporadically packing and collecting supplies and you don't see an end in sight.
It will also speed up the process considerably, as carriers will have a definitive moving inventory in front of them to consult while they pack. Skilled packers will be much more thorough with work than you, even if you take your time and pack carefully and methodically, going room by room. Go back and pick up the extra towels from when you were unpacking your bathroom and look for that out-of-season clothes box you kept while you were tidying up your bedroom. Whether you use the packing services of your moving company or another company, you must have them come to your house for an in-home evaluation.
However, if packaging services are too expensive, you can always choose to choose a packing service only for your fragile items and other valuable goods. Wrap each knife on a whole sheet of wrapping paper, and then wrap a kitchen towel around them and secure it all with an elastic band. It is perhaps the most compartmentalized room in your home and, as such, it has a lot to unpack and organize. Set up your electronics and furniture before unpacking small office supplies and optimize your desk layout.
