Moving can be very stressful. Being organized will not only help speed up packing, it will also help when it comes time to unpack. This guide is about tips for organizing your move.
Solutions: Tips for Organizing Your Move
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Just before you move, pack a suitcase for you and your family as if you were going on vacation. That way, you can live out of your suitcases for a few days, and not have to have everything unpacked to bathe, dress, etc.
Also a good idea is to set up your bed first thing, sheets and all. That way, you have a comfortable place to crash at the end of your long day.
I use masking tape to label items, writing on it with crayon instead of permanent marker. I have two small children who leave stray crayons everywhere, and a permanent marker is a potential disaster if they get a hold of one. Masking tape is inexpensive compared to purchased labels or label makers. Crayons write smoothly on masking tape, do not smudge or need to dry, and the available color palette is huge.
Each member of the family can have their own color (green for Dad, pink for sister, purple for brother), or similar items can be marked with the same color (all craft supplies labeled with blue writing, kitchen items labeled in orange). This is especially key when packing or organizing for children sharing a room. All of one child's drawers can be labeled with her favorite color and the name of the item that goes there. The tape can be easily peeled when something changes without damaging most surfaces and because these are common household items, making a new label is easy. When packing or organizing I have a few colors of crayons in my pocket and a roll of masking tape around my wrist like a bangle.
When I moved a few years ago, I stumbled upon a system that kept me sane before, during and after the move. When packing a box, put a large pad of lined paper next to it. As I wrapped and put things in the box, I wrote down precisely what I had packed. When the box was full, I put the piece of paper on the very top of the items before I sealed the box.
I also packed absolute necessities separately, particularly kitchen items, so I'd have easy access to them right up until they went on the truck. This box was labeled "necessities," of course. When unloading the truck, I was immediately able to tell where each box went and what was in it. I do suggest packing the more important, but not absolutely necessary, items into each box last so they're easier to get to once you're moved it but not unpacked.
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Questions
Here are questions related to Tips for Organizing Your Move.
My husband's work requires us to move every 4 to 6 months. The entire house and my car is in storage. I am looking for ways to be more organized, so when it's time to move again, I know where things are for the nights we have to stay in hotels. We are usually on the road 3 days before we get to the provided rental home.
Just pack your bags as you would normally do, including toiletries, etc. Then when you get to your new home, launder everything, pack it right back up, and set the packed luggage aside, ready to go again. Then when it is time to move again, just grab the bags and go! Since you will be wearing the same outfits, just in a new city. You can also wear the same jewelry, shoes, etc.
By dollyslaffn09/18/2009
Organizing for Frequent Moves