What is the most efficient way to pack up a room, without boxes?

Bags

Without boxes? Why are you not going to avail yourself of the convenience and protection of boxes? Unless you want to install shelves in your van why are you not going to use boxes? Bags are fine but unless you’re stuffing nothing but clothes into them they are not going to protect your things like boxes will.

Oh, it’s a camper. There’s cupboards, and I do have a couple boxes.

This involves living out of a camper, and if I recall correctly, you will be on the road for a year? There are two days before your lease is up? Help me to understand…what is the concern about using boxes? They stack well, are easy to handle as long as they aren’t too large, and protect belongings. I get boxes for free and very easily from grocery, liquor and home office supply stores. Boxes can be marked with what their contents hold.

If you are looking for something smaller to hold contents, try shoe boxes or plastic containers about the same size. I gave away my dresser almost two years ago, and I use them to store socks and undergarments on a closet shelf temporarily.

In your situation, it’s all about prioritizing what you’ll want to use on a regular basis and what just needs to be kept for later use.

Roll all clothes, blankets, towels as tight as you can and bundle them. Pack things inside each other like socks and belts inside shoes. Re-pack anything round into stackable square containers or ziplock baggies. Ask friends to store things for you that you may not need while you are a Nomad and be prepared to permanently part with what you must.

Can you get hold of any of these? (Sorry, but Ebay was the quickest place for me to find what I was looking for!) link

These large zipper plastic bags hold a lot of stuff! They are great for storage. I am guessing you don’t want to use boxes because you can’t “stuff” a box into a corner, etc. So, put your breakables/valuables into a box and use the storage in the van for those things and bags for the rest. You can get these large plastic bags at a lot of ethnic shops (Chinese, Mexican…and surplus shops or I think you call them Dollar Stores in the US?) They aren’t expensive. Use each one for different things…one for blouses, one for sweaters, one for trousers, etc. Then use others for papers and smaller ones for whatever else. They come in all sizes.

Another option? Get space bags to scrunch your clothing into a small space. You can find space bags that you roll to get rid of the air (rather than use a vaccum).

Then, grab some packing tape and make a label and use a Magic Marker and mark the packing tape and then slap it on the side of each bag so you know what is in there.

(Do you have a lot of stuff, Fluffy? What sort of stuff are you packing to take?)

Is there a problem with space? In that case, I have one word: Tardis.

Otherwise get someone who is good at packing to help you load up the van. While I am sure there are many women who would be good at this, I think it’ll be easier to find a good packer among people with the Y chromosome.

I don’t have a driver’s licence, nor boxes, so I need someone who can sit it the car with me to drive to the store to get them. I don’t really have anyone I can ask for help at this moment in time.

Deciding what I can permanently part with is a bitch. I’ve already gotten rid of SO much.

Yeah… I need a tardis. And someone to drive me to the store for boxes.

Wait…you own a van, yet have no driver’s license? This trip has been in the planning process for months now, and I don’t recall you mentioning that someone else (with a driver’s license) is going with you. Is this correct? If so, a bigger concern is where to store yourself until you get that driver’s license. If someone else is going with you, then please let us know, because warning bells are going off on this end.

If that aspect is all sorted out, and the only concern at this point is how to either give away or pack the remainder of belongings that are left, here is an option. Invite friends/family over to through what you still have. Let them take it, either for keeps or on loan. Trust me…I’ve done both in the past two years and haven’t regretted it yet, despite how much it may have felt uncomfortable at first. If anything, the result was liberating. And isn’t that part of what this adventure of yours is about?

I have my driving test on the 6th, then I am going to longdance for the equinox, then I am leaving.