Moving Survival Guide

By User:riverajessica @timeAndDate(1294856939) ! Packing up your life and moving it across country or across town isn't easy, but it can be done with minimal stress through careful organization and planning. An avalanche of boxes doesn't have to be in your future, so long as you take your time and manage as well as you can. Whether you're moving into a small apartment, a new house, moving with kids, pets, or on your own, the whole process of moving can be made simpler and less stressful if you follow some of the tips below.

Planning

Take care of as much as possible before your big move. This means getting confirmation on your movebox'>records, especially if you're moving out of your county. Also make arrangements with the new neighborhood's utilities and services like Internet, phone and cable. If you have access to your new place and want to repaint, the best time to do it is before the move. Wet paint and tarps are the last things you want to deal with when you're moving furniture.

Supplies

Moving supplies can be costly, so it's important not to go into this blind. If you are using a moving company they will provide boxes at a cost, but they shouldn't be your main source of cardboard. Boxes can be bought online, or obtained for free by asking local businesses for their excess boxes after shipping. You should start collecting boxes well in advance of the move, so you can have a good stock once things get started. Try to get more than you think you need: boxes break, and people can seriously under estimate how much they've packed into their closets. You can always give any unused boxes away, or return them to the moving company.

Packing

Before packing starts, make a list of things that you'll need immediately once you arrive at your new location. Also, write out the items in each room and how you plan to pack them. An inventory will help you stay organized when things are flying in and out of boxes later. Before you move, pack an overnight bag of clothing and personal items like toiletries and medicine for each member of the household. This is especially important if you're moving with small children, who will need some familiar and comforting items like clothes and favorite books to feel secure during the move. Then there's the actual packing.

Packing Tips

list; cross those items off completely when they're unpacked or in their place. The most important thing is to get your things off the truck as quickly as possible; the longer you keep the professional movers, or the truck, the more it will cost you. This does not mean leaving everything on the curb, or in the front yard or building lobby. Make it clear to anyone helping you that it doesn't count as "off the truck" until it's in your new dwelling. If you have friends helping, it can be useful to delegate tasks to make sure doorways and elevators remain clear and that no one is overloaded.

Apartment Dwellers

Priorities

Entertaining Kids

Keeping a child or teen entertained and out of the way during a move is tricky. Set smaller children up within your eyeline, in a space that will not be interfered with by movers or anyone else helping you. A play pen or playard may be needed for toddlers. Portable DVD players and some classic kids movies can keep preschoolers through tweens entertained, or you could offer them a box to sort through on their own is they're old enough. Older kids and teens who can help, should, but after a certain point you may find they're more in the way than helpful. Start on their rooms before your own; they can unpack and decorate once their furniture is built and put in place while you sort out the living room.

Pets

After the kitchen and bathroom are dealt with, and tending to any offspring you may have, pets will need to be set up. New smells can cause excitement and fear, so keep something that smells familiar with animals like cats, dogs, rabbits and ferrets; think old blankets, tPet'>How To guide on the subject.

Things to Keep Handy

Not everything should be packed away. You'll need to keep some things on hand, in case you need to repair something or even just take a break. Some items to consider: Avoid making the whole process an exercise in drudgery with some music; a radio or portable mp3 player with tea.