Pack your personal stuff first

You don’t want to complete the packing process only to realize that you packed all your underwear, your toothbrush, and other necessities that you’ll want to keep handy for the trip. Think about how long the trip will take and the length of time it will take you to unpack. Pack an extra suitcase for that time period to ensure that on moving day you’re not reopening boxes looking for the shoes you packed because you forgot to leave out a spare pair.  After that, pack the rest into clearly marked boxes.

Prioritize your boxes

Pack some boxes with items you use often or those that you’ll want to use soon after you arrive. Label these with a big “1” on the side so you can find them easily. In these moving boxes, include items like towels, a set of sheets and pillows, some pots, pans, plates, and silverware, and the clock that usually sits on your nightstand. Having these things available when you first move in will make your empty house seem more like home, and you won’t have to sleep in a sleeping bag after eating pizza off napkins on your living room floor.

Label everything

Even though you try to keep things organized, a random bathroom item always ends up in the moving boxes with kitchen gear. In addition to the obvious packing supplies, keep a permanent marker handy as you’re packing boxes and make a list of everything you put in the box. Try to keep items from the same rooms together, and label each box with the name of the room in which it belongs. Don’t forget to put your name, address and phone number inside the top of the box (just in case it gets lost or broken open).

Declutter

Keep in mind that the more you put in the boxes, the more you’ll have to take out. Take this opportunity to get rid of all that extra junk you never use. Trash it, pack it or put a price tag on it and store those items in a separate room.  When finished you should have a nice little garage sale all ready to go.  Items gently used, and washed, can be donated to the homeless or a local charity.

Use appropriately sized boxes

Even though it seems like you’ll have extra work to do when you see dozens of small boxes stacked together compared with fewer larger boxes, packing items in small boxes will make your life easier. It’s difficult to carry larger boxes, and they can get heavy and unwieldy.

There are companies online that will ship you sets of moving boxes, complete with packing materials, for inexpensive prices; this way they show up at your door and you don’t have to waste precious time hunting them down and dragging them home.  Don’t forget to pack your dresser drawers, hampers (wrap with plastic wrap and secure), extra suitcases and decorative trunks; don’t pay for wasted space on the truck!

Alice McCoy’s father was a long-haul trucker and ever since childhood she’s been fascinated with that life. Although she stays at home with her kids now, she is still involved by keeping an eye out for trucking jobs and writes about topics like trucking insurance – she says she knows that sounds boring but swears it isn’t as bad as it sounds!

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10. Evian® Facial Spray

Who would have thought that natural mineral water in an aerosol can could command a retail price of $5.99 for a 1.7oz can?  People buy it, and they love it.  It seems to find popularity in a number of places.  I most recently caught a re-run of the Ben Stiller film Zoolander, and spotted it being used during his modeling “walk-off” and know that the product is used by makeup artists when on the road.  It is also often used by airline passengers to combat the dry re-circulated air, at least those that can afford this luxurious method of sprayed water.

http://www.minimus.biz/Evian-Facial-Spray-C02-0328501-8200.aspx

9.  LA Fresh® Minty Mitt

When Oral-B discontinued the “Brush-Up” packet, it was a sad day for those who loved the innovative method by which one could stick their finger in a little pre-pasted disposable applicator pouch and rub one’s teeth just as if they had their own portable toothbrush and toothpaste.  Apparently, the sales weren’t up to expectations and it was discontinued leaving loyal fans in the lurch.  Luckily, the folks at LA Fresh, who have a full line of different wipes (including deodorant wipes, which just missed the cut on this list), answered the call and developed their own version of the finger mitt.

http://www.minimus.biz/LA-Fresh-Dental-Finger-Mitt-C01-0316801-1100.aspx

8. No Rinse® Shampoo

I always thought that you needed water to shampoo your hair.  Apparently, this is not the case.  Developed for use in hospitals, the No-Rinse shampoo has found a popular home with campers and backpackers who are often without the luxury of bathing water.

http://www.minimus.biz/No-Rinse-Shampoo-C03-0120101-8200.aspx

7. Boogie Wipes®

As a parent of a couple of young ones, I am attune to the variety of new products that come out for the multi-billion dollar world of babies and toddlers.  While it lacks any particular technological innovation, I have to hand it to the folks at the Boogie Wipes company for coming up with a terrific brand name and packaging.  It provides a fun method for the removal of “crusties” formed on the exterior of the little one’s perpetually runny noses.

http://www.minimus.biz/Boogie-Wipes-Great-Grape-Scent-J01-0162002-1000.aspx

6. Charmin® Toilet Paper & Toilet Seat Covers

International travelers have long complained that there are certain parts of the world where the public restrooms (and even private restrooms) are not at the same sanitation levels that they are used to.  They sing the praises of both the Charmin to Go Bathroom Tissue and the Charmin to Go Toilet Seat Covers.  They are also often included in trips to the beach, roadtrips that require stopping at the public rest stop, or any type of outing where conditions cannot be predicted.  While considered almost “classics” in the world of travel-sizes, I have to defer to the excitement that customers feel when they uncover the availability of these two items.

http://www.minimus.biz/Charmin-To-Go-Bathroom-Tissue-J01-0223102-8200.aspx

http://www.minimus.biz/Charmin-To-Go-Toilet-Seat-Covers-J01-0223101-8200.aspx

5.  Mini Duct Tape

We often invite all of our employees to brainstorm ideas about products they think we should carry.  When we heard the recommendation that we carry travel-sized duct tape, we thought the new employee hadn’t been with us long enough to “get it.”  We supported his idea, and brought it in as a new product.  People loved it.  Not only did we find that it was quite popular with campers, but was a great emergency product to have in the car, was great for international travel and luggage/box repair, and has even been sold to a division of the military that has it as a standard issue product to have on their person (for repairs, not for interrogation).

http://www.minimus.biz/Gearaid-Mini-Roll-Duct-Tape-J01-0730901-8200.aspx

4. Dry Hands

There are a lot of sports that require the adept handling of a ball, bat, club, or other item where the slightest slip can cause one’s intentions to dissipate into frustration.  I love the concept of the Dry Hands packet, as it is made specifically for such sports enthusiasts (and professionals use it as well).  It “will repel perspiration and rain” with a “non-sticky gripping solution for hot, humid, or rainy conditions.”

http://www.minimus.biz/Dry-Hands-J01-0131001-1100.aspx

3. The Bug Button

When we first began to carry the Bug Button, I didn’t believe that it could work.  It is a pin-on button that is non-toxic (uses citronella) and “protects against all insect bites,” and “lasts up to 60 hours.”  I looked forward to no longer having to lather myself in sticky, smelly chemicals when headed to the mountains.  A group of 8 friends were headed up for a picnic in the forest and I brought 8 of the buttons along for a field test.  They all thought I was crazy, but by the end of the day, when no one reported a bug bite, they, and I, were all believers.

http://www.minimus.biz/Bug-Button-P04-0129901-9000.aspx

2. Save Your World

I think the concept of the Save Your World company should be emulated by others.  They have set it up such that one of the travel sized products, bar soap, body wash, shampoo, or conditioner, equals a donation to save one acre of rainforest.  Thus, not only does one get the benefit of using an all-organic product line for personal care, including natural packaging, but there is the simultaneous charitable element.

http://www.minimus.biz/search.aspx?keyword=rainforest

1. Poo-Pourri®

It has to be a gimmick, right?  A spray that you spray in the toilet, before you mke your foul-smelling contribution to the bowl, that is supposed to mask the scent from filling the air.  Catchy name.  Great packaging.  But, does it really work?  I took home some samples.  While I felt silly trying it for the first time, I was astounded that it actually worked.  I shared this new find with my wife, who instantly loved the product (hold your jokes), and also liked the fact that they developed a stylish atomizer that was perfect for use in a purse while at a party or friend’s house.  This product truly stands out as something innovative, fun, and a sure-fire conversation piece.

http://www.minimus.biz/search.aspx?keyword=pourri

by Paul Shrater – Co-Founder, Minimus.biz

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