Does Moving to a New Home Have to Be an Ordeal?

The secret to a successful move is organization and planning. The following are some suggestions of the ways that this can be done.

Begin sorting and getting rid of items you no longer need or want by giving them to goodwill. This includes clothes or shoes you have not worn for a long time. Sort through all of your papers and shred anything of a personal nature that you no longer require. Give books you have already read, or ones you don't think you will read, to friends or your local library or charity.

Next make a list of the items of furniture you have and decide what you want to put into each room. If there is a list, there will be less confusion on moving day. To make things even easier for those who are helping you move, put a sticker on each item of furniture stating what room it will be in. Also, having a diagram of each room showing where you want things to be placed will help too because you can't be everywhere.

Then begin to pack. The following are some helpful hints when packing:

- Don't pack boxes heavier than you can comfortably lift.
- Make sure boxes are strong enough for the heavier items.
- It is easier for stacking if boxes can be closed or have lids.
- Wrap dishes and glassware, etc. in clean linen rather than newspaper and then they won't need to be washed when they arrive at their new home.
- Write 'fragile' on the boxes that will need to receive extra care.
- With a marker indicate which room each box will go into.
- With a marker indicate the main items packed in each box.
- Keep things together that will be needed right away and indicate this on the box.
- Many things can be packed even weeks ahead so that only last minute things need to be worried about closer to your moving date.
- Clothes can be left on hangers and placed into a sheet where they can easily be taken to your new home, without losing hangers, and hung up with little fuss.

Other things that will make moving day less stressful also will be to book your moving truck well in advance. Also, if friends and family are helping, make arrangements with them in enough time so that they can arrange their schedules.

When friends and family are helping, a bit of enticement will be a good supply of food and beverages. One couple I know offered pizza and beverages and then after everything was moved, martinis. They had quite a few helpers on their moving day. Sometimes those who have come to help will assist with putting things away. You may or may not want to accept their help with this. When I've moved, I always prefer doing this task otherwise you may be looking for things for quite a while.

A new home is always a new beginning and an exciting time.