Move with a Plan
With summer comes picnics, trips to the lake, walks on the beach... But for many it is a time to move. If you are one of the many Americans who will be making a move this summer, with a bit of forethought, the process can be not so stressful. Here are some helpful hints to help you pack and unpack in an organized manner and make the transition into your new home less stressful.
1. Pack in an organized manner. As you begin to box things up keep like items together. It can be tempting to stuff whatever in that box when you have room left, but if you are packing up the bedroom closet, don't add things that go in the dining room. It will be just that much harder to unpack and get things where they belong on the other end.
2. Mark the Boxes. Mark each box clearly as to what room it belongs in. That way no matter who takes it off the truck and carries it in they will know exactly where you want it. Also mark what is in the box. You don't need to list every item, but list on the box any essential items that you will need quickly in your new place - then they will be much easier to find later.
3. Unpack Essentials First - You should have a few boxes of essentials marked to be unpacked first. Things like toiletries, pet supplies, a tool box of the basics, a change of clothes, sheets and towels and for me the coffee maker and coffee! If you put these boxes on the truck last it will be easy to find them right away.
4. Clean and Prep Your New Home - once the boxes arrive it is so tempting to want to dive in and just start unpacking everything. But it a good idea to take a bit of time to clean and get organized before you do this. It is much easier to wipe down shelves or install closet organizers before you fill everything up.
5. Have a Plan - before you start tearing into the boxes, think about where things will best go. In the kitchen picture yourself cooking and where you would most likely reach for what items. For example, keep dishes and glass-wear close the dishwasher, coffee cups over the coffee pot, spices near the stove, etc. Deciding where things best make sense before you just dive in will eliminate you needing to re-arrange later.
6. Work Room by Room - if you tackle one room at a time you will get it through it quickly and as you complete each room you will feel such an accomplishment. It is usually good to start in the kitchen and baths, since these are rooms and items that you use most frequently. As you pack mark which boxes have the most essential items and unpack those first. Things that you know you won't need right away can always be left until later - like your mixer or the turkey roasting pan.
7. Get Your Beds Set-up - one of the first things you will want to do is get the beds set up and sheets put on them. That way when you run out of steam you can just crash into bed and not need to do one more thing before calling it a day. The rest of your stuff will be still be there in the morning, but at least you can get a good nights sleep so you are ready to tackle it tomorrow.
8. Placing Furniture - it is always a good idea to have a plan as to where you want the furniture to go so that when it comes off the truck it can be set in place and you don't have to move it again later. Making a list of furniture items and a map of where they go is helpful. Often you can assign one person to just stand at the door and direct traffic so to say, telling folks where to put things.
9. Break Down Boxes and Fold Paper - as you empty a box, break it down so that it can be re-cycled. Broken down boxes take up less room and then you will know that it is empty and you are finished with it. As you finish with your packing paper, flatten it out and fold it. This too will take up much less room than if you just crumple it. Plus if you flatten it out and fold it you will be sure that nothing was left crumpled up in it that could get tossed out in the garbage.
Moving is a big job, but with some planning you can make it come off without a hitch, and you will be settled in your place before you know it.
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