There is no shortage of
moving advice. There are books devoted to the subject, ideas on the Internet
and most moving companies offer tips. But there's nothing like benefiting from
the wisdom of those who have gone before you. That's right, people who have
made moves and are still coherent enough to talk about it.
The following 10 tips
were culled from everyday people who gave their best advice in chat rooms and
Internet forums.
1.
Start
early. By far the top
advice offered. Packing takes longer and is more difficult than most think. By
starting to pack early, perhaps doing a room a day, there will not be the
frantic rush at the end. You will also be more organized. When you run out of
time or are burned out by doing everything at the end, you will throw the
unpacked stuff in a box, tape it up and send it on its way.
2.
Think
thin. Go through your
belongings and decide what you really need and want to keep. Get rid of
anything that you haven’t used in a year or so, unless it has sentimental
value. Movers charge by weight, so the lighter the load the more money you
save. Plan to go through everything at least twice, with a week or more break
between. You should find a lot to cull on your first pass. After getting used
to the idea, do it again a couple weeks later.
3.
Label
everything. Don't just label
each box with the room in which it belongs. Write down the contents. You will
be glad you did when you try finding the hair dryer or a specific kitchen
utensil. Bonus hint: Don't overuse the "miscellaneous" label.
Otherwise you'll get to your new home and have a dozen boxes of miscellaneous
and almost no idea what's in them.
4.
One
at a time. Stay organized and
pack one room fully and then move on to the next. If you don't, you'll end up
with boxes full of miscellaneous items from several rooms.
5.
Gang
box. Put smaller items
in small boxes and put small boxes into a bigger box. Small boxes are more
easily lost or damaged.
6.
Take
it with you. Any personal
financial information and important papers should be taken with you or shipped
to you by family or a friend after your move-in. Identity theft is one reason,
but so is the difficulty in replacing important documents, recreating bank
statements or losing passports.
7.
Value
valuables. Most moving
companies would rather you not ship your highly valuable items, such as
jewelry, artwork and collections. Many times expanded moving insurance through
the carrier or a third party will be needed.
8.
Essential
fact. Always have a box
for essentials that you will want or need when everything is delivered to your
new home. Remember: Last on, first off. So make sure the well-marked essentials
box is the last one loaded onto the truck. Some recommendations: Towels, soap,
toilet paper, sheets, coffee maker, drinking cups, eating utensils, pens and
notepad.
9.
Inventory. Make a list of every item/box that goes on
the moving van and take it with you. Have a family member mark the boxes and
items as they come off the truck. This is especially important if your
belongings will be transferred from the truck to storage before being
delivered. If a box is missing, lost or left behind it could be months before
it's realized. The mover must do the inventory for an interstate move. Note any
damage at the time of delivery.
10.
Think
outside the box. For items you
think will be stored in the attic, garage or closet at your next home, consider
getting inexpensive plastic storage bins. The home improvement and general
merchandise stores usually carry them. This will save you on buying extra boxes
and unpacking them when you get to your new home. Also, for stuffed animals,
towels and other soft items, consider using large trash bags, they are much
cheaper than moving boxes.
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