Getting Organized
- Start early- Almost everyone has more stuff than they think they do, and almost no one leaves enough time to pack it.
- Room Lists- Start by forming two room lists, one for your current place and one for your future place. This will help you manage what has to go where.
- Room Inventory- Go to each room and write down the types of things that need to be packed: furniture items, length of shelving, closets, etc.
- Time Allotment- Make sure to leave enough time. The most common timeframe reported by people moving is that it takes a month to pack. One study reported that it takes 4-5 hours to pack an average dorm room, so that should give you an idea of what’s involved.
- Calendar- Pull out a calendar and plan by day when each room will be completed.
- Delegation- If you’re moving with family members, agree with them exactly while tasks they will be doing and the date they will be finished.
- Track your progress- at least once per week track where you are against the date on the calendar. Revise your plan if you’re falling behind.
Finding Great Movers
- Only hire the best- If you choose to hire professional movers, do your research and hire good ones. Poor quality movers really can be worse than none at all.
- Referrals- Get referrals from local real estate agents and friends who have moved recently.
- Licensing- Only consider movers that are licensed, bonded and insured.
- Research- Investigate your potential movers through the U.S. Department of Transportation, MovingScam-dot-com and the Better Business Bureau.
- In-home estimates- Evaluate a minimum of 3 movers based on in-home estimates of goods to be moved.
- Price- Price isn't the only factor- extremely low bids indicate a desperate mover.
- "Binding Not-To-Exceed"- Ask for written "Binding Not-To-Exceed" estimates.
- Avoid "rogue movers"- if you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts! Never agree to move your possessions with anyone you don’t trust.
General Packing Tips
- Pack a suitcase- For each member of the family moving, pack a suitcase as if you’re all going on a 3-day vacation, including changes of clothes, medications, eyeglasses, toiletries, etc. Keep the suitcases separated from all the other items to be moved, such as in your car, at your new workplace, etc. so you’ll have everything you need for the first few days without searching through boxes.
- Create “Open Me First” boxes- Pick one or two boxes per room as "Open Me First" boxes. Put in them the things you'll need first at your new location. Then mark the sides of the boxes so you'll know which ones are which.
- One at a time- Wherever possible, work on packing just one room at a time (instead of several all at once) to keep things focused and organized.
- Less is more- Use packing as a way to clean out belongings for donations, a yard sale, and/or the recycling center. Aim to eliminate 1/3 of your belongings. You'll save time and expense.
- Off the floor- Instead of the floor, use a completely cleared-off table top or counter in each room for packing boxes. You'll find you get much more accomplished.
- Tracking small parts- When taking apart items to be moved, such as tables, securely tape screws and other small parts securely to the underside of the item. You'll always know where to look and save time putting things back together.
- Save space- Use towels, pillows and t-shirts you’re packing as extra padding around fragile items. It will save room in your boxes.
- Criss-cross tape- Tape boxes along the seams where the flaps meet together. Then tape perpendicularly at the center of the first tape, forming a cross.
- Stacking- Stack boxes with the heaviest on the bottom, lightest on top to prevent crushing.
- The 30-pound rule- Keep each box below 50 pounds absolute maximum and below 30 pounds wherever possible. Heavier boxes lead to injuries, are much more likely to burst their tape or seams and tend to get dropped.
- Scale- Keep a bathroom scale in the room you're packing so you can keep the boxes below the weight limits.
Packing Electronics
- A picture is worth 1000 words- Use a digital or cell phone camera to take pictures of how complicated wiring (computer cords, speaker wires) is hooked up. Be sure to use plenty of light and careful focus so the pictures will be clear. Print each picture and put it in the top of the box holding the item. This will make hooking up the items in your new place much easier.
- Original is best- Always use the original packaging when available. (I realize that most of us don’t have the original packaging for much of anything, but I thought I would bring it up anyway).
- Double boxing- For especially fragile electronics, pack them first in a box with an excessive amount of biodegradable packing peanuts. Then pack that box in a larger box filled with biodegradable packing peanuts. This two-box system seems like a pain but seems to do a better job isolating items from jarring impacts.
- No loose ends- Wrap each cord carefully with cable organizers, heavy twist ties or heavy rubber bands. Never throw unwrapped cords into boxes- they get tangled and caught on other items.
- Cord labels- Consider getting a label maker and labeling the end of each. Then you'll know exactly which cord you're seeing and where each end connects when you put things back together.
- The two-inch rule- Use at least 2" of biodegradable packing peanuts around each side of fragile items.
Box Inventory and Labeling
- “Fat” is in- Use the thickest, darkest marker you can find for labeling boxes. Pencils, pens, tin or light markers are almost impossible to see even just a few feet away.
- Two sides- Label each box on the two broadest sides, opposite one another. That way if a box gets turned, you can still identify its contents.
- Abbreviate room names- Start box labels with the abbreviated name of the room followed by a box number, such as “BTH2-6” for "second bathroom, 6th box." You can then track each box to make sure everything arrived safely.
- Label "Open Me First" on boxes where it applies.
- Mark "Fragile" where appropriate.
- Identify contents- Identify the major contents and where they came from, such as "Medicine Cabinet" or "Linen Closet- Towels and Wash Cloths."
- Box Inventory- Keep a clipboard and write down each box's room, box number and contents (graph paper is great for keeping things recorded neatly).
- Verifying delivery- When unloading, check off each box as it gets unloaded at your new place. Then you'll know everything arrived safely.
- Labels out- Ask movers to stack boxes in your new place with the labels facing out so that you can easily spot a specific box.
Letting People Know
- Post Office- File your change of address with the Post Office at least 30 days prior to the date of the move.
- Referrals- Ask everyone you notify for a referral in your new area.
- Records- Get copies of your existing records (transcripts from schools, medical records from doctors, etc.) while you’re notifying the changes of address.
Change of Address- Who To Notify
- Accountant/tax preparer; Alumni associations; Attorneys
- Babysitter/ child care provider; Banks (auto loans, checking accounts, credit cards, home equity, IRA’s, mortgage, safe deposit box, savings account); Broker; Business cards (order new ones if applicable)
- Cell phone provider; Child care/ daycare; Chiropractor; Courts, especially for traffic tickets or local disputes; Credit bureaus; Credit card issuers
- Dentist; Department of Motor Vehicles; Diaper service; Doctor; Dry cleaning pick-up and delivery
- Family members and friends
- Health clubs; House cleaning service; House of worship
- Insurance providers (auto, health, life, other vehicles); IRS (form 8822)
- Lawn care; Luggage tags (replace existing ones)
- Magazine subscriptions
- New business cards; New employer; Newspaper subscriptions
- Old employer; Orthodontist
- Parent-teacher association; Passport; Pet sitter/ dog walker/ pet day care; Pharmacy (BONUS: get year-to-date expense summary for taxes); Physical therapist; Physician (BONUS: get referral for new location); Post office; Professional organizations
- Retirement plan holders; Return address labels (order new ones)
- Schools (BONUS: get copies of transcripts); Snow removal service; Social Security Administration; Swimming pool maintenance (pool cleaning, pool opening or closing); Swimming pool memberships
- Veterinarian BONUS get vet records and recommendations
- Water delivery service
Moving With Kids
- Get a children's book on moving for smaller kids. Consider “The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day.”
- If appropriate, let children pick their room.
- If possible, let kids pick a decoration (poster, light switch, name banner, etc.) for their new room.
- Pack a kid's sized suitcase and let each child pick out a special toy to keep with them and a special outfit to wear on "new home day."
- If the child has a special dish or cup, include it in the kitchen "Open Me First" box so familiar items await them at their new place.
- Consider unpacking the kids' rooms first, or at least their "Open Me First" boxes to help them settle in.
Open Me First Box: The Kitchen
- Aluminum foil or plastic wrap
- Break-proof or disposable flatware, cups, and plates
- Coffee maker and coffee (don’t forget the filters!)
- Dish detergent
- Frying pan and spatula
- Pet food and bowels
- Scissors
- Tea kettle
Open Me First Box: Main Bathroom
- Bath mat
- Bath towels
- First-aid kit (aspirin, band-aids, hydrogen peroxide)
- Shampoo
- Shower curtain and rings
- Soap
- Toilet paper
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Open Me First Box: Tool Room or Drawer
- Duct tape
- Flashlight
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Hammer
- Level
- Phillips-head screwdriver
- Picture hangers
- Tape measure
- Utility knife
Moving Day
- Again, start early- You want to have everything as organized as possible prior to the arrival of the movers.
- Use sitters- Recruit help in watching your small kids and pets on Moving Day. Your attention will be needed for the nuts and bolts of the move.
- Have food ready- Whether you have professional movers or friends and family, having coffee, orange juice, and bagels or donuts available will make it easier for everyone to get started.
- Cell phone numbers- Make sure you have the cell phone number of the driver of the truck entered into your cell phone, and that the driver has yours in case you get separated or have a problem.
- Proper payment- Almost all professional movers will demand payment in full and in cash before they will unpack a single box. Make sure you have payment ready.
- Directions- Have directions and a map ready for anyone will be driving between your old place and your new place.
Unpacking
- Unpacking Plan- Just like with packing, have a plan for unpacking. Otherwise you're likely to end up frustrated with a sea of half-opened boxes with your necessities still "missing in action."
- Prioritize Rooms- Focus on "Open Me First" boxes in the bathrooms and kitchen first.
- Trash and Recyclable Boxes- Keep at least one trash bag (for the real trash) and one large emptied box (to hold used packing paper and biodegradable "peanuts") available in each room BEFORE you start the heavy unpacking.
- Time Limits- Set an objective of unpacking a certain number of boxes each day until all the boxes are all unpacked.
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