Moving Tips

Lets start with a few "rules" to make your get your moving experience started.

1) If you are using a moving company, or renting a moving van/truck, be sure to get your reservation in early. Waiting for the last minute on something so important is not wise.

2) If you are enlisting the help of friends and family, make sure you are completely ready to go when they arrive. If you are still packing up when they arrive to load, don't expect them to be happy or even stay to help. Show them that you appreciate their help and respect their time by being ready!

3) Have cash, trash bags, beverages, toilet paper (don't laugh!), soap and paper towels readily available. You'll be surprised at how much you need these items if they are absent.

4) Stay hydrated! It is very easy to overheat and become dehydrated while moving. It is also very dangerous.

5) Use the proper equipment. If tools are needed for tear down / set up of furniture, have them on hand. A hand truck is always a great idea for moving the larger and heavier items. (Hint: If you rarely move renting one is fine, however, if you move often, purchasing one is a great investment.)

This section will deal with the move itself, including packing, cleaning and unpacking. An obvious thing to note is the less packing you have to do, the better. In other words, sort items and downsize, remove clutter, give gently used items you no longer use or need to a charity and throw away the trash. Only keep items that you love or use regularly. Why move it, if you don't use it?

1) Make sure you have the proper supplies. You will need some or all of the following: Moving boxes, packing tape, Sharpies or Magic Markers, scissors, bubble wrap or packing peanuts, masking tape, newspapers or packing paper and garbage bags.
Note: Boxes used for holding reams of office paper make excellent moving boxes. They are sturdy, have removable tops and cannot be loaded too heavily.

2) Start packing! Start packing early; there is no reason to wait until a couple of days (or the day!) before the move. The earlier you start, the easier and more organized it will be. Pack items that are out of season, or not being used at the time(really why wait on packing a punch bowl if you're not going to be entertaining). When you pack a box, identify the items in the box, as well as the room it belongs to. For instance, the box that has the serving platters and punch bowl will read "Kitchen - serving platters, punch bowl". It is not necessary to keep a complete list of the items in each box, but enough to jog your memory. When you finish packing, taping and noting the box, put it aside in an area you've delegated for box storage, or keep in the room it belongs in. Either way is fine and you'll know which way works best for you.

3) As you progress in your packing, you will begin emptying cupboards, cabinets, drawers, pantrys, etc. A simple way to tell at-a-glance if something has been completely emptied and cleaned it to place a piece of masking tape on the face of the drawer or door. If you see a piece of tape there, you don't have to go back and look again and again to check and see if it really is empty. Use packing supplies liberally where needed. Many precious or fragile items have been broken in moves, by being packed poorly.

4) Use what you have for packing. Dresser drawers, luggage, storage boxes and laundry baskets all make excellent devices for moving things like clothes, linens, toys, etc.

5) Clean as you go. Of course you won't be able to do the everything, but there is no reason why you can't wipe down empty cabinets or blinds as you go. The more you can get done early, the less to do at crunch time.
Note: If you have children or pets to clean up after, this is something that can wait until the end. There is no reason to touch up paint the walls twice.

6) The day before moving day, you want to make sure you are completely packed and ready to go, minus any items that you will really need on moving day (toothbrush anyone?). Disassemble any furniture that requires it - you can even sleep on mattresses on the floor (and the kids will love it).

7) Keep in mind that you potentially have two homes to clean. You will want to clean the home you are leaving as much as possible before hand, because chances are that you are going to want to clean the home you are going to before you do much unpacking. Some people may even choose to hire cleaners to do one or both of the homes to make it easier on themselves.

8) There are certain items you'll need to have easy access to the first day at your new home. You'll need a working phone, cleaning supplies, toilet paper and paper towels, basic kitchen items (like paper plates, glasses and soap, and whatever you do, do not forget the coffee pot!), a couple of changes of clothing for everyone and pack a box for everyone's toiletries.

9) Moving Day! Someone will need to direct where to put things. This may seem simple enough, but things and boxes can get lost easily in a move. Nothing should be unpacked in the bedrooms until the furniture is in place. As boxes are unpacked, the items should be put away and the boxes broken down as you go. It really is easier that way. Stay out of the way of those moving and assembling furniture. Do not put off unpacking boxes indefinately; they may never get unpacked if that happens.
Important: The person who rules the kitchen should unpack and organize the kitchen. If said person would like assistance, then she or he will ask for it!

There are many services, organizations and people who should be notified of your move. Quite frequently some are missed. Here is a list of some of the most obvious. This list is not exhaustive and it may include some items that don't pertain to you, so you may have to adjust it to fit your situation.

1) Utilities - including phone, cell phone, gas, electric, water, internet service provider, cable, and home security or alarm.

2) Financial Institutions - including banks, credit card companies, investment organizations, insurance companies, etc.

3) Schools

4) House of Worship

5) Present and Past Employers

6) Post Office

7) Service Providers - including family doctors, dentists, vets, attorneys, etc.

8) Periodicals - including newspaper, magazines, journals, newsletters, etc.

9) DMV

10) Personal Contacts - including family, friends, Christmas card list, etc. Many realtors and moving companies provide "Just Moved" postcards, so ask!

11) Organizations - any personal, professional or charitable organizations you belong to or do business with.

Moving can be a stressful time for all, but particularly for kids and pets. Here are some suggestions for making the transition easier.

Moving with Kids
~ Tell your kids as soon as possible that they will be moving. It gives them time to adjust and prepare.

~ Communicate with them, let them talk about it and ask questions. If you're moving to a new area, allow them to research the area online or in a library (of course monitor what they are seeing). It helps them to process.

~ Attitude is everything. They will follow your lead in this. If you're upbeat, enthusiastic and positive about the move, they'll probably adapt much easier and even possibly get excited. If you're anxious, apprehensive and negative about the move, they will be too.

~ Age matters. A very young child will always be underfoot during a move. It is best if you can have someone watch or entertain them during loading and unloading. An older child can help with the move by packing and unpacking, and by loading and unloading light items. A teen can and should help.

Moving with Pets
~ While moving is stressful on people, it is often traumatic on pets. Particularly on indoor pets, since the home is their whole world. They simply don't understand what is going on.

~ Be patient with them. The extra household activity may make them nervous and naughty. Remember, their behavior is a big part of how they communicate with us.

~ If you're moving away from the area, make sure you've picked up any medical records from the vet.

~ Make sure they have identification information in case they get lost.

~ Give your pet time to adjust to their new home and (if applicable) neighborhood.

~ On moving day, keep pets contained so they don't run away or get lost during all the commotion. Or better yet, have someone pet sit for you.

Other suggestions include:
~ While moving, wear an apron with big pockets to hold miscellaneous items, such as cell phone, pens or markers, a notebook, and other small items you may need as you go through the day.

~ Properly dispose of combustible or flammable liquids, such as lighter fluid, gas, and liquor, before you make the move to avoid disaster.

~ Be sure to change your Voter Registration!

~ You'll want to make a new contact list with addresses and phone numbers for emergency services, such as hospital, police, fire, poison control, etc.

~ Use a file to keep all moving related paperwork together to prevent loss important information, receipts, estimates, etc.

~ Make sure you have an adequate supply of any prescriptions that your family and pets are taking.