Tips to make your moving day easier.

Not painless, just easier!

Organizing, weeding out stuff, packing it & moving it are some of my least favorite things. So I’ve put together some tips gleaned from my many moving disasters and some successes. Learn form me, Grasshopper!

• Before you move: PURGE! Get rid of old clothes that you think you may diet down and fit again in this century. Do you really need four sets of everyday dishes? Old ratty t-shirts and shorts to do yard work in? (Oh, wait…I don’t DO yard work!) I am famous for moving these things, then throwing them out when I get to my new place, muttering to myself as to why the heck I paid to move this stuff.

• If you have hired movers, be present for the pickup and delivery.  Check the movers inventory sheets, ensuring all items are accounted for. Give the movers an inventory list with serial numbers, make, and model of your key possessions.  Make a floor plan of your new home and label the rooms to help the movers match boxes that say “Bedroom 1”, “Den”, etc. with each room.

• It’s also nice to have cold bottled water in a cooler available for the moving crew. A little kindness goes a long way on a hot day!

• The last thing you want is a child getting injured because they are in the way.  This is a good day to let kids stay with a friend or relative. Pack their belongings ahead of time with them so they feel part of the process, but having them underfoot when the movers are carrying your sofa through the door is a recipe for disaster. Make it a priority to get your child settled into their room first. This helps them feel more comfortable with their surroundings and begin to adapt.

• Pets get really stressed out with a move. I’ve moved with my pets and kept them in a spare room, but really the best thing for them is board them for a day or two. They go from one home to another with a lot less stress. My cats were boarded at the vets this last move and they did much better coming into a new place where I was relatively settled after two days rather than throwing them into chaos.

Remember the Pets don't like to move , either!

• Let  the neighbors know your dates and ask them if they would make arrangements for giving you street space.  It is a courtesy and you will need parking for the moving trucks and friends and family vehicles.  Of course, if you have friends like mine they will conveniently be out of town on your moving day and won’t be able to help, so that solves their parking issues!

• Either hand-carry or send valuables via registered and insured mail services.

• Do a last minute walk through to ensure you have not left anything behind.  Lock the doors and windows, turn off thermostat/lights and make sure the faucets and toilet are shut off (if applicable).

We likez da new place!

Well, that’s it in a nutshell, or should I say moving box… stressful, frustrating and more expensive than you thought; moving is not fun.

I made a checklist you can download here to help you keep on track.

But grit your teeth, get uber organized and “Git ‘er done”.  Once you’re finished it is a great relief to be in your new place.   Go out and explore your new neighborhood. Treat yourself to some chocolate. And you will forget all about it. Until your next move.

Aloha,

Biz

UPDATE 7/24/11

I moved to a new place on June 30th. Did everything like I said in my article. Except for one little teeny thing. Remember that part about Labeling the Boxes? You need to be specific, especially on those last minute boxes that you will be throwing stuff in as the moving van is ready to pull out of the driveway. I labeled a box “Kitchen”. Thinking it was just extra kitch stuff, I left the box unopened at the new place for a couple of weeks. Ever know what a Rubbermaid Container full of cheese smells like after it has been sitting in 89 degree heat in Hawaii, closed up for weeks? I do now! So be VERY specific…and fear the Box O’ Cheese!