Moving & Shaking Tips: Part 2

Now that you have a plan, a budget, and a team - let's give you an idea of what you're doing.

START PROGRAMMATICALLY:

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Go through your house one room at a time.  Start in the least used room of your house and work your way through to the most used room in the house (often the kitchen or bedroom).  Pack EVERY LAST THING in each room.  If there is something you feel you will need before moving day set it aside for a special set of boxes.  It seems very counter intuitive; however, pack heavy items in smaller boxes.  Keep each box within a manageable weight and stack in the corner of the room.

Disassemble the furniture or move aside. Wrap pictures in bubble wrap and lean against a wall.  Your sense of accomplishment will grow as each room becomes an empty shell with a pile of boxes to be moved.  As your sense of accomplishment grows, so will your motivation.


PURGE:
One of the best yet most difficult parts of moving is the opportunity to clean house.  You should purge approximately 1/3 of your belongs (clothing, furniture, dishes, knick-knacks).  This is especially true if you are downsizing.  Tackle this as you tackle each room.

Often times interior design enthusiasts will say "Do not keep anything in your house you do not know to be useful or love."

PICK & PILE:
If you're still having a hard time purging follow this simple method.

For each item you pick up ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you love it?
2. Is it useful?
   
3. No you need it for tax or legal reason? 
4. Can it easily be replaced if necessary?
5. If you were free from guilt, would you still keep it?
6. Have you used it in the last 6 months?  12 months?  24 months?

After answering these questions you should be able to place the item in one of 3 piles/boxes; Pack, Donate, Trash.  If you answered "No" to any of the previous questions carefully consider if it's worth keeping.  Items that you are keeping for solely sentimental reason or because you feel like you "have to" can often times be repurposed to display the true meaning and intent.  Don't keep all your sons trophies shoved in boxes in the back of the closet; peel off each the name plates to frame in a shadow box with ribbons and other memorabilia.  Frame a piece of your grandmother's quilt.    Many items can be donated.

DONATE:
Donate, Donate, Donate!  I can't encourage it enough.  Many programs will even offer free furniture pick-up.  Call 1-800-SATRUCK to schedule an appointment with your Salvation Army.  Many added bonuses - you don't have to move it, it's out of the house, no guilt about throwing away good items, you're doing something good for society/environment, and tax write-off.

SUPPLIES:
Necessary packing supplied include, but are not limited to:

• Trash Bags - self explanitory
• Moving Boxes - our Costco had a wonderful little "starter" package with varying box sizes, bubble wrap, tape, and a marker.
• Bubble Wrap - For pictures and more delicate items
• Newsprint - When purchased from a moving store you can get it blank so the ink doesn't rub off on your dishes
• Packing Tape - I recommend the paper packing tape.  You can rip it easily on your own and it seemed to be more adhesive than the traditional tape that came in our "starter" pack
• Large Dark Marker - To inventory each box as you pack it.  I suggest writing the room name & general contents of each box.  This especially comes in handy if you have others helping you move-in.  Just from looking at the room name they can take the boxes to an appropriate location. When I moved into my townhouse I color coded the boxes with post it notes.  Each color denoted a different floor - then on each post it was the room name.  I may have gone over board but like I said, I'm anal retentive.

Once you've complete packing each room you should only have the items left that you deemed you would need before moving day.  These items you have left can be packed on moving day into a box labeled OPEN ME FIRST.  These items should only be your essentials, therefore they will be the things you need once you get to your new home.

Best of luck!  Let me know if you have additional hints, or tips I can share.