If you’re planning a move for yourself, your kids, or your grandkids, here are a few ideas from Bellhops for making the move run smoother.

1. The #1 key to a terrific move is to declutter before you pack. The last thing you want to do is get into the last-minute crunch of packing and start tossing everything you own into random boxes only to have to unpack them later. If you start early, you can declutter as you pack – with some boxes headed to the new place, and other boxes headed to Goodwill or the recycle bin.
2. Get the details of the move out of your head and onto a list. Moving involves a ton of important details including utility disconnects and hook-ups. Writing things down as they come up frees your mind to think of even more things to do! A list also gives you a place to organize and prioritize, and to ease SOME of the feeling that this move is overwhelming! Your list has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Seeing that reminds you that this too shall pass.
3. Check around for boxes before you buy “fresh” ones. Ask friends who have recently moved for used boxes. And check at retailers where the boxes vary in size and don’t have food waste in them.
4. Pack fragile items in towels, blankets, and pillows before you pack them in boxes. This saves on using newspaper, white paper, or bubble wrap. And you don’t end up with boxes filled just with towels, blankets, and pillows.
5. Pack one box as your “first night” box. This includes bathroom stuff and critical re-chargers! Make sure to include cleaning supplies for the new place. I’d also include your favorite mug, tea, snacks – things that will make you feel at home. Mark the box well and pack it in your car, not in the van or truck, for easy retrieval.
6. Pack paper plates between ceramic plates before you bundle and tape them in paper. This saves a lot of paper waste wrapping individual plates. And when you unpack, just re-stack the paper plates. They’re still usable!
7. Before you unplug everything on your computer or TV, take a picture of how the cords re-attach. We always think we’re going to remember where everything goes, but a picture is a great cross-reference.
8. Don’t pack the clothes in your drawers, just seal them with plastic wrap or better yet in garbage bags that you can re-use later. Now the dresser is light enough to move, and you save on boxes and time spent unpacking! You can also pack groups of hanging clothes in garbage bags for easy packing and unpacking.
9. Label your boxes by room. If you’ve got a lot of boxes, it also helps to note what’s inside to help you prioritize unpacking. Bellhops also suggests using a simple 1-5 numbering system to indicate the relative weight of the box to help you decide which boxes should be packed low in the truck, and which will survive better if they’re on top.
10. Start early, and ask for help if you need it! I’m always amazed at how much work a move is, how long it takes to get everything boxed up, and how much stuff we own. It’s rigorous on your mind as well as on your body, so please take care of both!

Click here to see more of the list and a little video from Bellhops. I like how they pack the hanging clothes in garbage bags in a way that doesn’t ruin the garbage bags!

I’ll close today with a picture of Maine thawing out – believe it or not 🙂

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