This is the time of year when people transition. We’re coming home from college, getting new jobs or moving to a new apartment. These kinds of transitions make life exciting, except for one catch – packing.

I hate packing. I don’t know exactly why it’s so miserable, but it is. You’d think that because I like to keep things organized, packing would be my jam. But it’s just not.

When I have a big task I’m not ready to tackle, I procrastinate. This tactic that has never served me well. I had to come up with a few strategies that would make my forthcoming packing experience a bit more pleasant than before.

Check out these packing tips to help you master the art of moving:

Blast the music

One way to ensure you get a little packing done is to blast your favorite music. Make a playlist of the songs you’re obsessed with right now and plug in your speakers to turn packing into a full-blown dance party.

Turn it into a drinking game

I’m a big fan of this strategy. Things might not end up exactly where you intended them to go, but what’s more fun than drunk packing?

stress of moving — Photo: ABC via Buzzfeed

Create a reward system for yourself

Use rewards to stay motivated! Treat yourself with a little something for every three boxes or suitcases you pack. Maybe there’s a nice glass of wine with your name on it or the latest episode of Scandal in your Hulu queue. Use something you’re excited about to force yourself to pack.

Use it as your workout

All that movement and lifting heavy stuff totally burns calories. I know I sweat when I’m packing. For every day you spend packing, you won’t have to drag yourself to the gym. It’s a pretty good trade-off, if I do say so myself.

Recruit your friends

Whether you need their help or not, your friends can help you stay on task and keep you accountable. They could potentially be distracting if you all start goofing around, but if you make sure to invite one of your responsible friends, you’ll be good to go.

Use the assembly line method

Now that your friends are with you and are holding you accountable, get them to help you out! Packing will be much speedier with their help. Assign each friend a task like on an assembly line.

Throw and go

I overthink everything, especially packing. But it doesn’t actually require that much preparation. Simply do what I call the ‘throw and go’ method. Start throwing stuff into bags to get the ball rolling. If you have time to rearrange things more carefully later, then go for it. This way, at least you’ll have your stuff in a suitcase.

Pack the easy stuff (clothes and shoes) last

It can be extremely difficult to choose which sentimental items to pack. You don’t want to be packing those items last minute because you’ll make snap decisions and end up throwing out stuff you’ll regret later on. Leave the easy stuff (such as clothes and shoes) for last minute so you won’t have to make big decisions under pressure.

Use suitcases, space bags, backpacks or tote bags (anything but unwieldy boxes)

It’s much more manageable to pack using small boxes or no boxes at all. You’ll be able to fit more items and better maneuver the space in your car.

Now that you have these suggestions, moving doesn’t have to be so miserable. We’ll see you in your new home!

What are your go-to strategies to make moving easier? Share them with us in the comments!

READ NEXT: 17 Hacks to take your work space from drab to fab

procrastination

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week