Moving Tips
Packing to Move
Here are some very good tips from Monica Ricci, a professional organizer. I hope that some of them will be helpful to you. Remember packing and moving can be a very stressful event. Here are twelve tips to help make your move simpler and less chaotic.
- Pare way down before you move.This is the most important step of all. Get rid of absolutely everything and anything you can live without. One bonus to doing a pre-move purge is that if you have a weekend garage sale you can earn money to offset the cost of moving and you may even be able to use the money you make to buy furnishings for your new place.
- When packing, use a bold marker and write on each box which room the box should be placed into, NOT which room it came from. Also, write or attach a basic inventory list on the outside of the box (not the top) so you can easily locate specific items quickly, even when boxes are stacked.
- If you are using movers and don't wish them to know the contents of the boxes, number each box and keep a separate inventory list of the numbered boxes and detailed descriptions of their contents.
- Movers charge by weight, so to avoid paying to move a whole lot of brown packing paper, consider using your towels, bed linens, kitchen linens and even your clothing to wrap dishes and other breakables.
- When disassembling furniture or things with hardware, keep Ziploc baggies handy. Put the hardware from each piece into a separate baggie, then write with permanent marker on the outside of the baggie what piece it goes with. You can also tape the baggie to the piece itself for added convenience.
- Sell heavy items that you can replace for the same cost as moving them. Why pay to move an old washing machine or lawn mower when you can sell it and buy a new one when you arrive?
- Remember to backup your computer files in case something should happen in the move and your computer won't reboot.
- If you can, move early in the day. Things always take longer than you expect, and it's no fun to be moving in the dark when you're tired and hungry.
- If you have access to your new place before you actually move in, do your cleaning and cosmetic work such as painting before you bring in your first box.
- Pack a suitcase or box as if you were going on a trip. Put the things you need every day in there such as toiletries, toothbrush, vitamins, etc. That way, even if you don’t get everything unpacked as quickly as you wanted to, you will still be able to function.
- Wrap fine art in brown paper before using bubble wrap, and box it in special picture boxes in the direction it will be hung. Mark ‘TOP’ on the boxes, so they don’t get turned upside down.
- Set up and clear off your beds first! After an exhausting day moving furniture and boxes, you won’t want to assemble the beds and at bedtime, you’ll be glad you did.
The Move Itself
Moving is always an adventure, but hopefully it can be a positive adventure. Here are a few tips to help you out. If you have renter’s insurance, or homeowners (which you should carry) your belongings should be covered in transit. If you are unsure, contact your insurance agent and find out.
- If you are using a professional moving company, check them out thoroughly! Call the Better Business Bureau and see if there have been any complaints. Get on-line and check out this site: www.movingdirect.net. They have a lot of links you can go in and find out if the company you may be choosing has been “blacklisted” in any states. Ask them about who they hire to help unload, if these workers are “bonded” or part of their company. Check out their policy on damaged, or “lost” articles. It is always better to use a registered, licensed company and pay a little more, then to go with a “fly by night” company with less credibility.
- If you are moving yourself, again check out the rental company thoroughly. I have heard about several bad experiences from other students, as well as experiencing them myself. Check to see what the rates are, what type of insurance, availability of trucks, dolly, etc. Some companies in Ft. Wayne give discounts to seminarians if you tell them you are a seminarian. Check their rates against others; don’t just choose them because they offer a discount. Again, check with Better Business Bureau on the company you choose to go with.
- If they want you to pay in cash, show them the door! Use a credit card if possible to pay for the move. Reliable companies will accept credit cards. Experts in the field recommend MasterCard or Visa as the credit card to use if you have them. Remember that any credit card transaction can be disputed, which is another good reason to use a credit card. The bank that issues the credit card makes the final determination in a dispute. This is a plus for you the consumer.
- NEVER pack valuables, like jewelry, antiques (if small enough to transport yourself), sports card collections, coin collections, works of art, etc. to be moved by the professional company, no matter how trustworthy they may appear. Take these items in your car, or have a relative or friend you trust move them for you if possible.
- When packing items that you don’t necessarily want the movers to “clue into,” put general names on the box like “Living Room,” or mark it in a way that is obvious to you, but not the mover. Taking a few precautions in packing may save you some heartache in the end. Refrain from labeling boxes with obvious titles like DVD’s, Grandma’s Dishes, European glassware, etc. that will clue movers into items that are valuable.
Relocating with Children
Although relocating can be one of life’s challenges, it is also an adventure. By guiding your child through this experience with knowledge and patience, the transition can be made a bit easier.
The home you are moving from may be the only one your child has ever known. There’s a sense of familiarity there, not only with the house, but everything around it. The neighborhood friends, parks, and schools will no longer exist for them. That’s why moving can be especially troubling for children. If parents understand what their child’s concerns and needs are, a lot of distress can be avoided.
What are your kids concerned about?
- Preschool children tend to worry about being left behind or separated from their parents.
- Kids aged 6 to 12 can be concerned with how their daily routines will be affected.
- Teenagers are concerned primarily with fitting in and having their social life disrupted.
Ideas for easing their concerns include:
- Communicate with your child about what the new house will be like. Take them on a visit of the new home and neighborhood, but if you can’t, take lots of pictures or videotape it to make them feel more comfortable with their future surroundings.
- Get information on the schools and childcare available in your area. If you can, visit the school with your child and meet some of the teachers.
- Try to get your child involved in the moving process. Have them pack some of their own special belongings and younger children can decorate the box with stickers and/or markers. Be sure to keep this “box of necessities” close at hand during the move.
- Make plans together on how to decorate their room. You may want to leave their surroundings the same, but this could also be a great time for change.
- Ask your child what some of the favorite things in the their life now are and try to make those happen at the new house.
- Most kids will have lots of questions, so answer them in a positive way and be understanding of the fears they are facing. Focus on things for them to look forward to, like a first snow or their own room.
Starting over in a new place is never easy.
- Contacting the Chamber of Commerce for pamphlets or going online is another good way for your family to sit down together and visualize what the new town will be like.
- Leaving friends may be one of the harder things your child has to do. Throw a going away party with their friends and take lots of pictures.
- When you relieve the stress your children are feeling, you reduce your own stress and are able to focus more on the other aspects of your move.