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.
I hate to even mention this, but when you label boxes, don't label with alluring titles such as 'liquor', 'antiques', 'coin collection', etc. I don't think any one would, but some people do and a few of them don't find all their boxes at the end of the move. I should have labeled them 'kitchen' instead of'cookbooks1, 2, 3 and 4'.
Labeling each box is too much work for me. Besides I like the surprise of opening a box and discovering what's inside. I can be a 'child at Christmas time.' For me when I movez;
1. Use colored markers, I mark a differnt color for each room a box will go in. 2. Also have colored dots which are for "Express," these are items which are needed immediately and usually packed last OR some are packed first with the idea of being unpacked first. This is in addition to the colored markers so any rooom can have a dot (express) AND a marker deisignating what room they go into. 3. At the new place, I tape a diagram of the room near the door which shows hwere to be each piece of furniture. If later I want to rearrange, fine but moving is enough of a hassle and why not use those muscled movers while I have them. *wink* After all it's difficult to be in both places unless it's a long distance move.
my sources: As a former military wife and the sister of a professional mover, I picked up a few things about moving.
Good advice. When my husband and I bought our first home our move was a nightmare. We actually had to move 2 times in 2 weeks because we couldn't coordinate the move in with the selling of my old home. My husband actually had to go purchase towels for showers and toilet paper the night of our move in. It was so late and we were too exhausted to dig through anymore boxes.
When I was a teenager and my family moved I had to pack up all my stuff but being a teenager I was dramatic and I wanted all my stuff NOW! So I put a special colored sticker on all my boxes and every time a mover came along with my sticker I grabbed my box and squirreled it away in my new room; found ALL my boxes that way!
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