Packing up a mountain of moving boxes can be a stressful, time-consuming chore. Whether it’s a city studio apartment or a family home in the suburbs, the hours it takes to sort, box, tape and mark all those boxes really seems to add up fast. Not to worry, there are ways to make the process easier and help save on space, time and effort. Below are a few hacks that could have you packing like a pro in no time for your upcoming move.

First, you may need to do a bit of organizing. Often, with moving, it’s advised to pack up each room individually. That way, you can place the boxes directly in the room they’re going into and unpack it without running all over the new house. Be mindful of where the contents are going as well as how soon they’ll be needed at the new place. This is particularly helpful in getting those essential areas of the house, such as the bathroom and kitchen, up and running ASAP.

One hack to help with this part is to opt for packing tape in a variety of colors. By using blue tape to close up bedroom boxes, yellow for the kitchen and so on, you can skip having to write and read each location. Simply look at the color and go on autopilot. Whichever organization method you chose, it’s important to use plenty of tape. Experts recommend placing three strips on the bottom and one on top to ensure the box – and everything inside it – is secure. Plus, tightly closed boxes are easier to move and load which makes the process go by faster.

If your closet is full to the brim, one way to cut back on the space needed to move the clothes is to vacuum seal the articles in storage bags. While typically used for storing out-of-season apparel, this space-saving tip also works great for bulky items and bedding you’re not planning to use for packing or those first few nights. You may also want to consider de-cluttering by donating any unwanted clothing. Doing so means you won’t need as many boxes and other packing materials.

Speaking of packing materials, a final tip is to overestimate how much you’ll need instead of having to make any last-minute trips to get more. It’s easy to misjudge just how much stuff there is in the house and the time it will take to pack. Be sure you have everything on-hand well before moving day by getting started on packing early with a healthy supply of boxes and a thought-out strategy.

For additional packing hacks, please see the accompanying resource.

Guide created by Wildcat Movers