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General Moving TipsMoving can be one of the most stressful time of one's life; however, with some advance planning and preparation you can help to reduce the amount of stress you experience during this time. One of the best things you can do to reduce your stress during this time and make the process run smoothly is to begin planning your move several weeks before your actual move day Your first step should be to create a list of everything that needs to be done. You might begin by listing all of the people you need to contact regarding your move. Decide whether you will hire a moving company, rent a moving truck or move your belongings on your own. Call to obtain estimates. Begin gathering supplies such as packing tape, boxes and bubble wrap. Ideally, you should plan to obtain at least one dozen more boxes than what you think you will need for items you may forget as well as for those last minute items that may not be packed until the night before or the day you actually move. Create a central packing system that contains all of the items related to your move including your estimates for your movers or truck rental, details about your new location and any other information that you may need. You may also wish to keep your packing supplies in this same location. An extra box works quite well for this purpose. Begin packing as much as you can as early as possible. Those items which you do not need on a daily basis can be packed several weeks ahead of time so that you will not have as much to do in the days leading up to your actual moving day. It is also a good idea to create a system which will make packing as organized as possible. As you pack boxes it is generally a good idea to place a list on the outside of the box indicating the belongings. This will help you to quickly identify everything that is inside the box at a glance without having to search through box after box looking for what you need. When you label the boxes make sure that you are specific. You may also find it helpful to color coordinate your packing so that things are organized as well. For example, designate each room with a color and then use color coded tabs for each box so that you can quickly see which box belongs in each room. This system will also make it easier for your movers to know where to place boxes when you arrive at your new location. By planning ahead you can take much of the stress out of the experience of moving, whether it is across town or across country. |
