There are few people who will say they enjoy packing up a garage or shed for a move. There is nothing fun about it, so the sooner you can get it done, the further ahead you will be. For many, this is a large project. Do not wait until the final few days when you are already exhausted and tired of packing. Tackle these outdoor spaces first when your motivation level is still high.
Go Through Everything
Most people do not realize how much they have in their garage until they start packing. This space is typically filled with a ton of odds and ends, with everything from lawnmowers to sporting equipment to countless boxes of opened nails and screws. There may also be items such as gas, oil, antifreeze, and fertilizer, some of which your mower may not handle for you. It is important to make sure you know what your mover will and will not handle.
Going through everything is the first step. If you can recruit a friend to help you, it might make the project seem less exhausting. What items do you actually need? if you are saving hardware, but you are not sure what it goes to, chances are good you probably do not need it. Do you have broken powered items that you have been meaning to fix? If you are not actually going to fix them maybe you can give them to someone who will. If you are making a cross-country move, or if you are downsizing into an apartment, you may want to have a garage sale. There is no point moving anything you do not use or need just to take up space in your new place.
Packing Tools
Tools are expensive and heavy. So, you need heavy duty boxes and some zip lock bags. Filling a large box with tools will be far too heavy, so stick with small to medium-sized ones. Group items that are close to the same size together. If you have open containers of hardware, put them in individual plastic bags so they do not spill all over the box. If you are packing any knives, gardening sheers, or any other tools with a sharp blade, be sure to protect the sharp edge, with old rags or bubble wrap, and mark the box accordingly.
Power and Lawn Tools
Electric power tools are fairly easy to pack. Any parts that can be removed should be. If you do not have protective covers for lawn mower blades, chainsaws, grills, etc., you may want to buy some or look around the house to see what you can use to wrap around them.
Gas powered items need to be drained. This includes everything from your lawnmower to your snow blower. Now you understand why no one likes this job. You will also need to dispose of any unusual charcoal and remove the propane tank from your grill. Make sure you use a hose to purge the line. Find out where this can be recycled in your area because it cannot go in the moving van.
Patio Furniture
Clean furniture and decorative pieces like water fountains, statuary, gel fireplaces, etc. Remove any pieces that are able to be disassembled. Cushions, rugs, and pillows can go in a wardrobe box. Anything breakable will need to be wrapped with rags, towels, or bubble wrap, and boxed and labeled as fragile. Do not forget your flower pots, bird baths, bird feeders, solar lights, and anything else outside. If you have large plants that will need to be moved make sure you let the movers know ahead of time.
Odds and Ends
If you are taking your trash cans with you, clean them first. Then they can actually be used to pack some garage items. Brooms, rakes, shovels, and similar items can be gathered and bundled together. As a rule, make sure your movers know of any heavy or large items, including a large grill, over-sized patio furniture, riding lawn mower, trampoline, jungle gym, dog house or kennel, storage shed, hot tub, ATV, kayak, or water fountain.
Most people do not realize how much they have in their garage until they start packing. This space is typically filled with a ton of odds and ends, with everything from lawnmowers to sporting equipment to countless boxes of opened nails and screws. There may also be items such as gas, oil, antifreeze, and fertilizer, some of which your mower may not handle for you. It is important to make sure you know what your mover will and will not handle.
Going through everything is the first step. If you can recruit a friend to help you, it might make the project seem less exhausting. What items do you actually need? if you are saving hardware, but you are not sure what it goes to, chances are good you probably do not need it. Do you have broken powered items that you have been meaning to fix? If you are not actually going to fix them maybe you can give them to someone who will. If you are making a cross-country move, or if you are downsizing into an apartment, you may want to have a garage sale. There is no point moving anything you do not use or need just to take up space in your new place.
Packing Tools
Tools are expensive and heavy. So, you need heavy duty boxes and some zip lock bags. Filling a large box with tools will be far too heavy, so stick with small to medium-sized ones. Group items that are close to the same size together. If you have open containers of hardware, put them in individual plastic bags so they do not spill all over the box. If you are packing any knives, gardening sheers, or any other tools with a sharp blade, be sure to protect the sharp edge, with old rags or bubble wrap, and mark the box accordingly.
Power and Lawn Tools
Electric power tools are fairly easy to pack. Any parts that can be removed should be. If you do not have protective covers for lawn mower blades, chainsaws, grills, etc., you may want to buy some or look around the house to see what you can use to wrap around them.
Gas powered items need to be drained. This includes everything from your lawnmower to your snow blower. Now you understand why no one likes this job. You will also need to dispose of any unusual charcoal and remove the propane tank from your grill. Make sure you use a hose to purge the line. Find out where this can be recycled in your area because it cannot go in the moving van.
Patio Furniture
Clean furniture and decorative pieces like water fountains, statuary, gel fireplaces, etc. Remove any pieces that are able to be disassembled. Cushions, rugs, and pillows can go in a wardrobe box. Anything breakable will need to be wrapped with rags, towels, or bubble wrap, and boxed and labeled as fragile. Do not forget your flower pots, bird baths, bird feeders, solar lights, and anything else outside. If you have large plants that will need to be moved make sure you let the movers know ahead of time.
Odds and Ends
If you are taking your trash cans with you, clean them first. Then they can actually be used to pack some garage items. Brooms, rakes, shovels, and similar items can be gathered and bundled together. As a rule, make sure your movers know of any heavy or large items, including a large grill, over-sized patio furniture, riding lawn mower, trampoline, jungle gym, dog house or kennel, storage shed, hot tub, ATV, kayak, or water fountain.
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