There's one important rule when it comes to how to pack so unpacking is efficient: last out, first in. There are a few other packing tips to keep in mind, and we'll get to those, as well.

Moving: Controlling What You Can Control

If you pack items efficiently for moving, it's easy to get organized in your new digs quickly. If you weren't all that organized in your old dwelling, don't worry! Follow this method for packing boxes efficiently, and not only will your move go more smoothly, but you'll be set up in your new home in no time.

Speaking of time—leave yourself plenty! Six weeks should be enough to pack even the largest house, but if you work full time, have kids or anything else that tends to eat up a lot of your "spare" time (what's that?), give yourself even more time. Taking time to pack efficiently means you'll be able to unpack even more efficiently.

How to Pack Non-Essentials for Moving

Since you're going to get a head-start on packing for your move, start packing boxes with all the non-essentials first. Go room by room and pack knick-knacks, photographs and things you don't use every day. Clear off the walls, the bookshelves (other than the books you're currently reading), media cabinets, etc. Other examples include:

• Out-of-season clothing
• Toys the kids don't play with a lot
• Anything you don't use every day

This is a great time to sort through everything in your home, too, and ask yourself these questions:

• Does it serve a purpose?
• Do I love it? Does it bring me joy?
• Will it match the environment I envision for my new home?

Moving is an exciting time, when you can reinvent your style. Have a garage sale, donate items to Goodwill or use Freecycle to get rid of anything that won't be making the move with you because they don't fit one of the above criteria.

Labeling: It's the Key to Efficiency

When you begin packing for a move, keep items that belong in one room in one box (or several boxes) together. You may also sort based on the type of item. Photos in frames in one box, DVDs in another. (And how many of those DVDs do you want to sell since you just upgraded to Blu-Ray?)

Use different colored markers to label boxes for each room, and mark the contents and the room right on the box. Using colors makes it easy to spot boxes for a specific room even if they don't stay together during the move. Keep a separate inventory or packing list of exactly what's in each box in case a box is lost during the move and you have to make an insurance claim.

Download our handy writable packing list for a streamlined unpacking process.

Packing Boxes: Last Out, First In

As moving day approaches, begin packing everything you use more frequently. Some examples of items you want to pack toward the end include:

• Dishes
• Cleaning products, including a broom, window cleaner and paper towels to make one last sweep around the house on moving day and to clean the new place
• Seasonal clothing
• Food

Moving Day Bare Essentials

Finally, you'll get to your bare essentials box, which contains toiletry items, a day's worth of clothing, and pajamas. (Think overnight bag.) This should be the last thing on the truck, or bring it in the car with you and label it "moving essentials." It's okay to break the rules on this box and include things from different rooms.

Follow these packing tips and you'll be surprised by how efficiently you can unpack in your new space.