If you're getting ready to move for the first time, you may be considering moving…
We’ve noticed that packing the bathroom seems to be lowest on the list of priorities for many moving families. After all, a bathroom is full of essentials that are needed right up to the last minute — no need to waste your precious brain power and time focusing on such a small area of the home, right?
As true as that may be, a bathroom is arguably the most difficult room in the house to pack — for all the same reasons that so many of us avoid tackling it until the last minute. Not only is it full of essentials, but it’s also full of difficult to pack items.
Honestly, how DO you pack up a toilet brush and plunger, anyway? Throwing everything from your bathroom into a bin on moving day just isn’t going to cut it.
We’ve got some tricks to help you tackle bathrooms easily and speedily so that you don’t find yourself frantically hunting for your toothbrush or hair conditioner the day after you move in.
The Three Step Bathroom Packing Process:
Moving your bathroom comes down to three steps. Sorting, purging and packing. These are essentially the steps of every moving process and the recommendation of every moving company, but these ring just as true for the bathroom as for the rest of the home.
Step 1: Sorting
First, start opening drawers and cupboards. What’s inside? What’s actually necessary? Get a realistic idea of how many half-empty bottles, band-aids, towels, and old socks you’ve got lurking in your bathroom.
Begin sorting, drawer by drawer. (Read our decluttering guide to establish your guidelines for knowing what to keep and what to toss.) Put your essentials — the things you use every day — back in it’s place. You’ll need these on daily basis, and it’ll help diminish your stress if you keep them in the same area as before the moving process began.
Sort your belongings in categories. Here are some examples and some great ideas to start:
- – Appliances
- – Cosmetics
- – Feminine care products
- – Paper products
- – Hair care products
- – Toiletries
- – Medicine
- – First aid
- – Towels and linens
- – Cleaning supplies
Once you’ve sorted everything, you’re ready to move on to step 2.
Step 2: Purge
It’s amazing how easily we accumulate unnecessary items, and the bathroom is a perfect example. Old hair care products for hair styles we haven’t had in years, old cosmetics that we replaced with brands we like more, extra hair clips and pins, old towels — the list goes on.
So here’s the fun part (or not, depending on your personality) — you get to start purging! Rid yourself of all those unused items. Toss them straight into a garbage bin.
Have two of one item, such as two blow dryers? Donate the extra.
Have some products that are practically never used? It’s probably time to let go of them.
Have a bunch of old hairbands, headbands, and bobby pins? Take a moment to stop and sort through. Which of these do you actually use? Are there any broken hair clips or bobby pins that have gotten rusty? Go ahead and toss them and put the ones you’d like to keep in a little sandwich baggy.
There are a few exceptions to the Great Bathroom Purge though:
- Cosmetics: These are expensive, and you may not use a particular eye shadow often, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you should toss it. Focus first on the quality of the cosmetic — if they are getting dried out, cracked, or no longer match your style/skin tone, it’s time to find a replacement.
- Hair Products: Throw away those that are only partially full or those you never use. It might seem like a waste, but you must remember you’re paying for space in your moving truck. The exception to this rule is hair products that are still unopened. This is where you have to stop and consider if it’s cheaper to donate these and buy new after your move, hang on to these unopened items, or even donate them to a local charity.
- Medicine: Many of us seem to be running our own pharmacy out of our bathroom cupboards. Moving is the perfect time to rid yourself of expired, ineffective, or unnecessary medication. Medicines which you can no longer read the label or those that seem to have ‘gone bad’ can be gotten rid of as well. Important: Do not flush your medication! This releases those chemical and substances into the environment and can be seriously damaging to the habitat and wildlife.
- Towels: Towels get worn down — after all, they have a hard job. But rather than tossing these tired out towels, consider them for other uses, not the least of which is packing material! You can cut them up to use as rags for cleaning, lay them on the floor during the moving process to keep your floors clean, or wrap fragile objects in them for added safety during transport.
Step 3: Packing
Now that you’ve sorted your bathroom and purged it’s contents, it’s time to start packing. Remember to keep essential items like first aid kits available that you and your family will need before your final move. One of the best ways to ensure no one is suddenly missing a comb or glasses case is to have each family member go into the bathroom and pack their own bathroom bag. Some things you’ll want to include are:
- – Toothbrush and toothpaste
- – Daily medication
- – Soap / shampoos / etc.
- – Deodorant
- – Hair products
- – Daily cosmetics
- – Blow dryer / curling or straightening iron
- – Hair clips / hair bands
Finally, make sure you leave supplies for your final day. And don’t forget to leave toilet paper as well — and you ALWAYS need more than you think you will!
Tricks to Packing Bathroom Supplies
- – Place bottles (such as shampoo and conditioner) in gallon plastic bags. This prevents spillage during transport.
- – Line boxes with small items (such as bobby pins) with towels. Do the same for any fragile items.
- – Pack unused bath towels in heavy boxes, all the way to the top of the box. This will prevent them from collapsing when stacking them in the truck and will take up that wasted space without adding more weight.
- – CLEARLY label all boxes. You don’t want to be digging through all your boxes when you suddenly find yourself in need of toilet paper at your new home.
- – Use grocery bags to wrap up plungers and toilet brushes. This keeps those germs from getting all over your other belongings!
Moving is stressful — that’s just a reality. But there are ways that you can minimize the stress and share the load with others. One of the best ways to ensure a stress-free move is to hire some help.
Our Seattle moving and storage company would be delighted to help you with your move! Whether you need help packing, moving, or storage, our crew of experienced moving professionals knows exactly what to do to relieve you from any extra hassle, helping you achieve a stress-free move.
Contact our moving company today to learn more, or to get a free moving and packing cost quote. Call us today!