By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
Even if you aren't normally a procrastinator, the sheer scale of movingcan leave you overwhelmed. Many people then make this worse by leaving thingsto the last minute, resulting in increased stress and panic. You may not evenknow where to start.
So, here are our tips.
Moving is the best time to consider whether you need that ancient(and likely not functional) gaming console, old chairs, etc. Decide what youare not going to move and get it out the door sooner ratherthan later. This includes things you may have decided to replace, such as thatwobbly table.
It's fine to be ruthless, especially if you have items you haven'tneeded in forever but haven't got rid of because, for example, they're a painto recycle (such as old CRT TVs). Because you're looking through everything atonce, you can minimize the number of trips to the dump or recycling center or Goodwill.
Do you have enough moving boxes? Do you need any specialty boxes,which can be harder to find? Try to work out how many boxes you are going toneed so you can get them all in one go. As many people don't have the space tostore old moving boxes, it's worth asking around to find out if anyone can giveyou theirs.
Don't forget about the less obvious things. Do you have permanentmarkers to label boxes, so you and the professional movers know what roomthey're going in? Do you have enough tape? The answer to the latter is almostalways no. Get more tape than you think you are going to need. Start savingnewspaper to wrap things in well before your move.
You can also check with your local moving company to purchaseboxes and other packing supplies.
The biggest reason you get overwhelmed is because it is such ahuge task. Even breaking it down by room is not good enough. Get it all the waydown to simple tasks such as packing your fridge magnets, sorting your oldDVDs, and wrapping your valuables.
Then you can do a chunk at a time. If possible, try to multitaskso it's not so boring. Wrap while watching TV. Listen to a podcast or anaudiobook. Don't assume you need entire uninterrupted days, or you might wellprocrastinate until it's too late.
Make a list of these chunks so nothing gets forgotten, then checkthem off. You might even consider rewarding yourself for getting them done. Maybeget some candy and let yourself eat a piece every time you complete an item.
Some people prefer to have the moving company to do all thepacking. Even if you can't, though, it can pay to let the professional movershandle things which are particularly fragile or difficult. If you havesomething which won't fit into a standard box, it can be a lot easier to letthem do it, or at least to get their advice on what kind of packing suppliesyou need.
Don't be afraid to ask for assistance and advice. A good movingcompany is there to help make sure that your move goes smoothly.
If you're procrastinating about packing, the best thing to do isto break it down into manageable chunks, but you should also make sure that youget rid of the things you don't need, organize yourself and your supplies, andget help with the difficult and/or fragile items.
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