Best Step 1 - Check Your Credit Now

Best Step 2 - Diminish the Debt

Best Step 3 - Stash the Cash!

Best Step 4 - Minimize the Move

You've Checked your credit, Diminished your debt and Stashed some cash! Good for you!

That move into a new home is practically around the corner!  To make that move a bit easier, this is a great time to "pare down".

Soon, you are going to have to pack up everything you own.  Before you do, it is a great opportunity to make the move a little less stressful--and even a bit less expensive.

This is a great time to take stock of what you own and decide ahead of time if it's going with you to your new home.  Waiting until it is actually tim

So, start early to Clear up the Clutter and Minimize your Move.  Break the job up into small chunks so it's more manageable. And start making some decisions now.  If you don't want to take it with you, Sell it, Gift it, Recycle or Freecycle it, or Donate it.e to move will increase the stress over smaller decisions and force you into making a quick decision that may not actually be the best one.

Sell it: Tag sales, Craig's List, Ebay, community newspapers and bulletin boards are all possibilities. Set any earned money from these sales aside for items you'll need to organize your new home.

Gift it: Friends, family or neighbors may be happy to receive some things from you. If not, try listing usable items that still have good life to them on Freecycle--a great way to get rid of things you no longer want. And people will come to your house to get them!

Donate it: Salvation Army, Good Will, your local shelter, or a local church rummage sale. Save some more money by getting receipts from charitable organizations so you can take the proper deduction on your taxes. (Even if you don't usually itemize on your taxes, you may want to start doing so once you own a home. There are wonderful tax benefits for owning a home.)

Your move into a new home is coming soon, and you are set for success!  Only one more "Best First Step" before you actually begin the actual Home Buying process.

Coming Soon:  More "Best First Steps" to Getting Ready to Buy a Home