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Article Submission: 25 Tips and Tricks for An Organized Move
Article Submission: 25 Tips and Tricks for An Organized Move
08th January 2007
Author: Maria Gracia
25 Tips and Tricks for an Organized Moveby Maria GraciaWorried because you're moving soon? This really doesn'thave to be a stressful, chaotic time. Here are some tips tohelp you achieve a successful, organized move.1. USE A MOVING CHECKLIST.Make yourself a moving checklist outlining everything thatneeds to be done before, and after, your move.2. LEAVE IT BEHIND.Avoid moving anything you don't really need. It isexpensive, time-consuming, and physically unnecessary tomove things you won't be using. If you don't use it now,you most likely won't use it later.3. GET RID OF CLUTTER.Dispose of broken tools, old toys, old clothing and otheritems that you no longer need, before you move. Give usableitems to charity or hold a garage sale.4. DON'T SKIMP ON YOUR MOVING SERVICE.Choose an experienced moving firm with an establishedreputation for good service and reliability. Choosingsomeone that is unreliable or inexperienced will waste moretime and money than you can imagine.5. ENLIST ANY HELP YOU CAN GET.You will get a lot more done, with some family members andfriends helping you pack and/or unpack. If your childrenare old enough, they should be helping too.6. BOX IT.Get boxes in assorted sizes. Be sure they're clean, in goodcondition and have covers so they can be closed and sealedwith tape. Start collecting them from your local merchants,or purchase them from your moving company. Liquor boxes areexcellent. They are sturdy and contain dividers making themideal for packing glasses, goblets, vases, etc.--but makesure these boxes have lids. By the way, an easy way tostore boxes so they do not take up storage space is to openboth ends and flatten them out. Cartons can be resealedwith tape as you use them.7. USE THE A-B-C SYSTEM.Everything you pack does not have to be unpacked the firstday in your new home. If it contains essential items, markit PRIORITY A. If the contents are important, but notcrucial, mark the box PRIORITY B. If the box contains outof season items, holiday items and other things you won'tneed right away, mark the box PRIORITY C. Then, unpack inA, B, C order.8. WRAP IT.You will need plenty of wrapping paper and heavy- dutytape. Anything wrapped in newsprint will most likely besoiled from the ink and will require cleaning afterunpacking. Movers use unprinted newsprint. For items youprefer to keep clean, you can purchase this packing paperfrom your mover. Kraft paper, tissue paper and shock-resistant corrugated paper make excellent wrappingmaterials and may be purchased at most major departmentstores, craft stores or your mover. These papers also makeexcellent cushioning and lining material.9. MARK IT.Felt pens are ideal for marking boxes with information suchas its contents, destination room, fragile or this side up.10. LABEL IT.As you're packing, place removable, colored, circlestickers on your boxes to easily distinguish kitchen items,from bedroom items, from bathroom items, etc. Use adifferent color for each room. If necessary, make a masterlist so you'll know what is in each box. If you can go toyour new home ahead of time, you may wish to stick acorresponding colored sticker on the door, or door frame,of the room that the box will be delivered to.11. LIGHTEN UP.Cartons can be handled easier if they do not exceed 50lbs., fully packed. Keep this in mind when you're packing.12. ROOM BY ROOM.Pack on a room-by-room basis, keeping the contents of eachroom in separate boxes. This will eliminate confusion andsave time when you're unpacking.13. PACK EARLY.Even if you only pack two boxes a day, in thirty days youwill have packed sixty boxes. Start in areas where thegoods are not in frequent use such as the cellar, attic,
garage, etc.14. ORDER ADDRESS LABELS.Order address labels before you move into your new home.They will be great to have on hand when you need toindicate a change of address on anything. Leave a fewbehind with the people who move into your old home orapartment so they can forward anything that gets deliveredto them for you. Give them a few bucks to cover any postagecosts.15. MAKE A SURVIVAL KIT.Make a survival kit for your first night in your new home.This should include items that will get you through thenight if it's too late to unpack or the movers didn't showup. Helpful items to include might be: non-perishable food,can opener, paper plates, plastic utensils, bottled water,a flashlight, a few towels, sheets, toiletries, a blanket,toilet paper, pen/paper, a few small games or magazines anda change of clothes for everyone.16. HAVE SOMEONE WATCH THE KIDS.If you have children, especially young children, it mightbe a good idea to have someone babysit them while you aredoing anything that involves your move, such as packing,unpacking, etc. Your kids won't be interrupting yourprogress and you'll accomplish more.17. USE THE ONE ROOM RULE.Set up ONE room in your new home as quickly as possible.This way, you'll have a quiet retreat, free of boxes. Youand your family will then have a place to go when you needa break from all of the unpacking activities.18. MAKE IT PET SAFE.If you have pets, be sure you have a plan for when themovers arrive. Perhaps keep your cats in the bathroom withthe litter box, or put your dogs in a fenced in yard. Also,take care to do what you can so your pets feel comfortablein your new home. Bring their favorite toys, give themattention, and don't leave them alone for long periods oftime for the first few days.19. MAKE THE FIRST NIGHT SPECIAL.Make the first night in your new home as special aspossible. It can be take-out Chinese food, or pizza, butyou may sweeten the evening with flowers, candles andmusic. It will really make a big difference and will helpyou to unwind and de-stress.20. DEVISE A PLAN.Before you begin unpacking randomly, sit down with yourfamily. Discuss a plan, including where things will go, whois responsible for what, etc. It will help things runsmoothly.21. HAVE A TOOL KIT ON HAND.One of the most important things to have on hand whenyou're setting up your new home is a basic toolbox thatincludes basic tools and hardware, such as a hammer,screwdrivers, nails, hooks, etc.22. FUNCTION BEFORE FORM.It is best to first arrange your furniture, and then unpackaccessories and personal items.23. GET READY FOR BED.As soon as the bedroom furniture is delivered, set it upand put the sheets on the bed. You'll be grateful thateverything is ready for sleeping later on tonight whenyou're really tired.24. LET EVERYONE KNOW.Inform everyone that you've moved with simple postcards, ore-mail for those family members who can receive it.25. GET ACQUAINTED.Once you arrive at your new home, schedule some getacquainted days on your calendar. This is a great time tofigure out where the supermarket, bank, post office, etc.are and will give you a chance to get familiar with yourarea. If there is a tourist bureau in town, stop by and seewhat events and opportunities your town will be offering.Want to get organized? Get your FREE Get Organized Now!Idea-Pak, filled with tips and ideas to help you organizeyour home, your office and your life, at the Get OrganizedNow! Web site.from : www.getorganizednow.comEditors and publishers are free to reprint this article aslong as it's reprinted in its entirety and the signatureline remains intact.
Tags: storage space, time and money, boxes, charity, garage sale, clutter, family members, tips and tricks, cartons, moving company, liquor, vases, lids, moving service |
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