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MOVING ON A DIME!
ORDER IN WHICH TO START PACKING PACKING HELPS Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are the authors of Moving on a Dime. Tawra is also the author of the frugal cookbook Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites. Not Just Beans is a frugal cookbook which has over 540 recipes and 400 tips. To order Moving on a Dime and for more free tips and recipes visit our web site at http://www.notjustbeans.com/ . |
| "The tips on the www.flylady.net site re: preparing to move are very helpful. It makes the task so much less overwhelming. I just checked the FlyLady site and the moving tips moved. Just click on the table of contents (under flylady's feet) and scroll down to Flylady's Moving Tips." ~ Nancy |
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"I've moved several times and
always packed myself. Here are some things I do.
1) Make a list of your immediate needs (such as a set of sheets, towels, shower curtain liner and rings, a can opener - you get the idea). Pack these things together and keep them separate from all the other boxes. On arrival at your new home, you can meet your immediate needs without opening 14 different boxes. 2) When packing a box, keep a list of EVERYTHING you put in that box. Then, give the box a number and put that number on the paper next to the list. You can still write ‘kitchen’ on the box, but if you have 10 ‘kitchen’ boxes and you need something specific right away, you will know which box to go to. This helped me tremendously in my last move as I was moving temporarily for two months and then moving again, so I didn't unpack everything, but was able to easily find what I needed. I kept it all on a spreadsheet and made several copies for myself just in case I lost one list. 3) A mover told me that when you pack dishes, never stack them as they can break too easily. Instead, put them in the box sideways, with the rim of the dish cushioned on the box bottom. I am moving again in ten months (next summer) and am looking forward to more tips from other people." ~ Kate |
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"As a child, we packed and moved
every 2-3 years. I had no idea what an ordeal my Mom went through until
I became an adult and had to execute several moves myself. You're a wise
person to be asking for help in advance! Here are a few tips I've picked
up along the way: *Declutter first. Get rid of as much of the accumulated clutter as you possibly can. Hold a garage sale, donate to a charity, give to friends, whatever you are comfortable with, but make it go away! My own rule is, ‘If I don't use it twice a year, I don't move it.’ Of course, holiday decorations are exempt from the rule, but turkey roasting pans aren't! (I'm pretty ruthless when it comes to decluttering.) *Start with storage. Pack the holiday ornaments as you take them down and seal up the boxes, label them and keep them in an attic or garage, someplace they needn't be disturbed until moving day. You don't want to be stepping over packed boxes for the next 8 months. *Visit your new home, take measurements of every wall, window and door. Go home again and measure all your furniture. Make a floor plan and get at least an idea of what room everything will go into. Posting your floor plans on the doors of the new home will make it easier for the movers to place your furniture correctly, and knowing what fits where will ease your packing job. *When you actually start packing, consult your floor plan and pack items in boxes labeled for that room. Even though your side table with the magazines is in the living room right now, if it will be in the master bedroom in the new house, pack its contents in a master bedroom box. *As you pack, fill out an index card noting what is in each box. It may seem like an extra step worthy of a gigantic headache, but when someone can't live another 24 hours without something that's already been packed, it's much easier to sort through cards than boxes! *Pack an ‘open me first’ box with a couple rolls of toilet paper, paper towels, a bath towel or two, a radio, soap, perhaps a board game or a new book if you have children -- whatever will keep people happy, healthy and comfortable on that first day in the new home." ~ Peggy |
| "The biggest way to simplify moving is to move as few things as possible. Go through your home and discard, donate or sell anything that you don't need, want or love. Many things can be packed ahead of time because they are used infrequently or in another season. Pare down your kitchen, pack away rarely used kitchen tools or that extra set of dishes. Packing of knick-knacks and decorative items can be done months ahead of time. Tackle packing in small stretches. Have an area designated to put packed boxes such as the basement or spare room." ~ Carrie |
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"’Well done’ to Maggie for
being so prepared - 8 whole months in advance. I'm a professional
organizer from Auckland New Zealand. I work with people
staging/preparing their homes for sale (which is part of the moving
process too), and have also moved my own and sister's families several
times in past years. 1. Prepare your children now for the move. If they've lived in the same home or neighborhood most of their lives, the move can be a shock to their sense of security and comfort. Watch for signs of depression in youngsters and talk about their grief (and yours) at saying, ‘Goodbye,’ to their old home openly and immediately. Hard when you're caught up in the millions of tasks involved in moving the family, but saves medical bills later if a child does succumb to depression (this was our family experience, and I've since heard similar stories from others). 2. Start purging now (or at the end of the season). Label a series of boxes - give away to friends, charity, throw-away and moving. Allocate just one part of the house for these (the garage, a spare room). You don't want to live with boxes for 8 months, but you do want to start the habit now. 3. Pack as you go. As you use something for the last time in the season, decide whether it will do for next year - if not, put it now in one of the give-away boxes. At the end of each holiday such as Halloween and Christmas, purge your decorations, box up the keepers, tape, label and stack in the designated space. 4. Start collecting mailing labels - in fact, start a moving folder NOW. Start collecting the labels of incoming mail and store them in a file now, so that when you come to send out ‘update my address’ notices, you'll have a complete list (it's amazing how many mailing lists you're on that you want to keep). As well as to do lists, start collecting news- clippings or brochures or notes that you see on your new town. That way, you'll feel like you're not moving to a totally strange place and can get the kids enthused about their new home. 5. And did I mention purge as you go? Every time you put something away ‘just in case’ ask, do I want to pay $XX per pound/box to ship this in June? 6. If you are planning to sell your old house, go through your home with a finetooth comb and list all the maintenance, repairs and de-cluttering jobs that have to be done to get your house ready for market. I recommend the book ‘Dress Your House for Success’ by Martha Webb. Trim large trees and bushes, and plant your garden now (or in spring) for best looks at the time you plan to sell. If you need lovely pillows, throws or bedding (big helps in staging a house), begin looking out for sale items or ask for them for upcoming birthday or holiday gifts." ~ Catherine |
| "I suggest that Maggie begin by gathering boxes and slowly going through her cupboards/closets/drawers etc. At this time pack up the things that she definitely will not use before the move (i.e. next summer's items, possibly Easter Decorations if she is moving before then, etc.). As she goes through everything, she should eliminate the items that she doesn't need anymore. Box them up and donate them, or start a spot to collect for a garage sale and hold one a few weeks before moving. I moved 6 times in 3 years - up the Province and back down - and we moved things we didn't need. It cost us in insurance, mover's fees, needing a bigger truck when we did it ourselves. I will never do that again - and recommend she starts decluttering now, while there is lots of time. As the move gets closer, she can pack and declutter more and more." ~ Anonymous |
| "One thing I have found is that you don't want to move clutter. I have been subscribing to flylady.net and it is I amazing. If you have several months before the move, it would really pay to check out this website. The newsletter is free. The advice is always given with good humor. There are some products for sale (two calendars, two feather dusters, a kitchen timer, and some other minor items), but it's not a ‘cover’ for marketing products; I have not purchased anything myself and have benefited greatly. It is full of faith in God. She gives tons of ideas for being more organized and having LESS STUFF. This would really benefit anyone who is moving, especially knowing this far in advance. She has lots of tips to get the whole family involved." ~ Sandy in the South Bay |
| "The first thing Maggie should do is declutter her home -- everything from the kitchen to her clothes. Then she will know that everything she is taking is important to her. Some web sites to check out are http://www.flylady.net for decluttering, and www.organizedhome for organization and packing tips." ~ Terri |
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"Start right now to save your old
newspapers, cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, Styrofoam peanuts etc. -- any
materials you can use to pack things. You know you are going to need a
lot of everything so don't throw these materials away. Maybe friends and
neighbors can save theirs for you, too. If necessary, cardboard boxes
can be flattened for storage, then re-taped when you start filling them
up.
Right now, gather up and pack up the summer items you won't need/use anymore until you're in your new place. Put these things in sturdy boxes, tape and label them well, and stack in a garage, basement or storage shed until the moving van comes. (And, if you have any picnic coolers, you can pack some items in them.) As each holiday -- Halloween, school homecoming, Thanksgiving, Christmas or other occasion -- comes and goes, repeat the process. It's amazing how many decorations and items we have that are only used once a year. Packing them up afterwards will give you more room and less clutter in your home. If you won't be doing a given activity, such as formal entertaining or playing softball, between now and Moving Day, pack up items connected to that activity, i.e., your fine china or catcher's mitt. It's best to have one area -- a basement or attic, etc. -- as your ‘holding area,’ used for storage of items you're going to move but don't need anymore in your present house." ~ LB |
| "Whenever I moved, I would wrap my dinner dishes and glassware in white (gift type) tissue paper, and secure it with tape. This would save me the trouble of having to wash the newsprint off of them from the newspaper I used as cushion around the inside of the box before placing the dishes in. I have also taped the boxes closed with duct tape. The fibers in the duct tape secured many boxes filled with books as well as dishes. I have found that cellophane tape does adhere as well if there is dust on the box ends." ~ Christine |
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"Maggie doesn't know how lucky she
is to have so much time to prepare for her move to a new home! This has
happened to me once in my life, and I still appreciate it 16 years
later.
Start by packing the things that you don't need for the next 8 or 9 months. Assess each and every thing to determine if you really do still need it - a great way to clean out the clutter! As the time moves on, extend this to special bits and pieces, then the seasonal stuff (summer clothes, Thanksgiving dishes, etc). Eventually, leave yourself with literally a towel, one plate, one mug, and a set of flatware per member of the family. This would only be in the last week or so. Anything that can be dismantled and packed away (such as lamps or small tables, etc), should be done at least 2 weeks before the big move. Wrap everything in newspaper or other padding. Towels, blankets and sheets make good packing material too. When packing plates, pack them on their sides, not flat - this will help to prevent breakage. Pack smaller items into bigger ones - tiny ornaments into bigger vases for example. DO NOT PACK BOOKS INTO BIG BOXES - they are heavier than you think, and it is better to pack a few into each of many small boxes, than many into each of a few boxes. Mark every box on all four sides and
the top with a consecutive number in bold marker pen. Have a notebook
and pen with you (that does not leave your site on the day of the move -
keep it on your person if you have to) and write the number of each box
into this book with a basic description of the contents of the box. Do
not just write ‘basement shelves’; rather write ‘children's
swimming gear.’ Phone ahead a couple of days beforehand and the day before to make sure that the utilities will be connected, and that you will have access to the keys immediately upon arrival. Lastly, take a basket with your tea/coffee, milk, sugar, snacks (depending on your family and their needs/preferences) and kettle in the car with you so that when you do hit your new home you don't have to run around looking for a pick-me-up." ~ Caryl |
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"My family and I just relocated
from Wyoming to Washington state with only two weeks notice and my
number one tip for Maggie is to purge her possessions. She needs to use
it up, sell it or give it away (keeping a record of donations for tax
purposes is a good idea). I would recommend starting immediately by
collecting boxes for packing up items that are not used frequently. Make
a decision as to whether each item is worth moving - keeping in the mind
the cost per pound of moving it and the labor involved in packing and
unpacking it. It's okay to keep sentimental favorites; just make a
thoughtful decision. Generally if you haven't used it in the last year,
ditch it. Believe me, by the time you are done packing and unpacking
everything you will wonder why you wanted any of this stuff! I've found it helps to think creatively when it comes to acquiring boxes, which can be expensive if you have to buy them. You can stack quite a lot of collapsed boxes in a corner of the garage or basement for future packing. Buy a couple of rolls of packing tape, a couple of big markers and recycle other peoples’ cast off boxes. Over the years we have learned that liquor boxes are very good for packing books - of which we have a lot - they are sturdy since they are designed to hold bottles and small since those bottles also get heavy. Other good sources for boxes are restaurants, our local fast food establishment even had a dumpster set aside for recycling cardboard so the boxes were very clean and they were happy to have us take all we could use. Let your friends know you need boxes of all sizes. Friends in offices, at schools and even one home business provided us with a lot of good quality boxes in a variety of sizes. Pack carefully, remembering that a full, tightly packed box will result in less breakage as things will not shift around. You might check your local newspaper printing office and see if they will sell or give away their leftover newsprint - fabulous packing material without messy hands. Be sure to mark each box carefully with location the box came from or will be placed in - kitchen or living room, and a general description of the contents - dishes or lamps - and perhaps a few of the specific items in the box - mixing bowls, baking spices, utensils. This will prove invaluable as you unpack. I have found that marking the top of the box and at least one side is necessary, two sides of the box will make it even easier to sort boxes should you end up with stacks of boxes to go through. Packing like items together and according to the room you want them to end up in will help tremendously but don't be too discouraged if towards the end of your adventure if you find yourself throwing a bunch of odd and unrelated items together and labeling the boxes miscellaneous, computer miscellaneous and important miscellaneous it's just part of the experience. We have a box of miscellaneous stereo, television and computer wires we have been moving for 22 years now. It's like an old friend that makes me smile every time I shove in a few more cords and think of all the places we've been together, all the friends I've made and new experiences that yet await me." ~ Susan |
| "Moving can be fun, because it gives you the opportunity to thin out things that no longer are useful or no longer give you joy. It can also provide the reason to sort and organize any family treasures that you want to preserve for future generations. Keep your future home in mind, and begin to separate the things you will need for the first 2 weeks from the surplus. Pack up everything else, and label by the room it will be going to." ~ Anne |
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"1. Pack up and tape up boxes of
items you won't need or can do without from now until after the move.
2. Make it a rule that no box that is taped shut for the move can be opened for any reason, save a true emergency. 3. Before you tape shut a box, make a complete inventory of everything in that box, copy the list onto a master list and make two copies. One is for the top of the box (taped securely on all four sides), another for the side of the box and the last for your master notebook. This way, as the boxes are piled, you will always be able to see (from the top or the side) what is in that box. 4. Try to pack like items for a particular room into a box. Don't co-mingle, if possible, items from different rooms as it will make your unpacking that much more difficult. 5. Using different colors of construction paper, attach a color to each room. Ex.: red for the kitchen, blue for the family room, green for your bedroom, etc. Doesn't have to be a big piece, but one that someone can readily identify. That way, even the youngest child can help take light boxes to the appropriate room. Especially handy if someone who cannot read is helping unpack the trucks. Post the master list of colors and destinations the door (entry point to the house) right before you start to unpack at your new home. 6. Pitch as much as possible as you pack, knowing full well that Mother Nature hates a vacuum and will refill that space/need very quickly. I have never heard someone say, "Oh, I can't stand it because my house doesn't have enough clutter!" 7. Find donation places now for things you want to get rid of later. Find out now what their policies, rules, regulations, etc., are before you need to use them. 8. Start now to accumulate the boxes you will need and the packing materials. When you get a box or two, pack those up and seal them." |
| "This is for Maggie in Canada, who needs ideas on packing for moving. "My suggestion for her is to go to www.flylady.net and browse around there for awhile. If she clicks on FlyLady's index, she should find FlyLady's ideas on how to pack for a major move. In general, I highly recommend the site for those who are *housework* challenged. FlyLady's program is different than any other housekeeping site/book I've seen in my 56 years, and it really works." ~ Joyce |
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Editor's Note: Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond. |
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