This past week has been a busy one for me. My partner and I moved states, and with it came all of the stress and hassle of moving: renting a U-haul, packing up all of our belongings, dealing with bills and forwarding addresses, saying goodbye to friends, and starting life anew in an unfamiliar place. But amidst all of the details, what was one of my biggest worries? Getting my beloved makeup collection to my new home safely, of course!We have all have too much money and emotional attachment invested in our makeup collections, no matter how small or large they may be, so just haphazardly throwing our treasures into a box will absolutely not cut it. I am happy to report that all of my goodies made it to my new apartment without a dent, scratch, crack, or crumble! Here are my tips on how to pack up your collection and get it U-haul ready without worrying about items getting broken or misplaced in the process!
Start packing ahead of time
The surest way to lose something or do a poor packing job is starting at the last minute. Pack up your collection a few days before you move. I know it is difficult to pack your goodies away, but starting a few days before you move will enable your to thoughtfully and carefully pack your collection.
Sort out your daily essentials
Before you start packing, pick out what you will need for the next few days until you are able to unpack at your new place. Keep out only your most reached for and versatile products, and try to keep it simple. I kept out my UD Naked palette, some brushes and brush cleaner, my everyday face routine, and pared it down to one bronzer, one blush, one mascara, one eyeliner, one gloss, and 3 lipsticks.This lot lasted me around 5 days.
Select a sturdy container
Pick a box or container that can handle a little rough-handling. A soft cloth duffel bag is not going to offer the protection you need. I opted for a large thick plastic drawer that I taped shut with packing tape, though a cardboard box or hard case suitcase would work fine. I dropped this baby full of my makeup in the driveway while carrying out to the moving truck, and nothing broke- I am so glad I opted for a tough container!
Keep your collection organized
To make unpacking easier, keep your collection as organized as possible. I emptied out all of my makeup drawers before I started packing and made sure everything was organized. Pack like with like to make sure you don't misplace items.
Avoid newspaper!
You know how when you handle newspaper your fingers are left ink stained? We definitely do not want that to happen to our precious makeup packaging! In this case, small boxes, tissue paper, and bubble wrap are your friends. I found my old Birchboxes to be really handy in keeping my collection organized and protected.
Bubble wrap your most treasured and breakable products
While I didn't wrap up all of my items individually, my most precious, expensive, and fragile products were given first class seats for my move! I bubble wrapped each piece individually before tucking them away into their respective containers.
Put liquid products in plastic bags
Before you pack up liquid products, be sure to store them in a zip-lock bag to protect against leaks. If the liquid product is in a glass container, be sure to wrap it in tissue paper or bubble wrap before your put it in the plastic bag.
Wash and protect brushes
Don't pack away dirty brushes! You will only be unwrapping a chore once you get into your new home. If you don't have a brush roll, you will need another way to protect your brushes. I placed mine in a plastic bag and then tucked them away into a bubble wrap envelope.
Seal your container up tight
Fill in any extra space in your container with scarves, tissue paper, or bubble wrap to ensure items do not slide around during transport. After everything is well insulated, seal your container up tight with packing tape!
If you have any tips of your own, post them in the comments!
