14 Tips to Make Moving Day Less Painful Carole Pagan CommonSenseLiving.com © 2005

It’s that time of year again for a lot of us. Here are some tips to make your moving day less painful, both mentally and physically.

1. Lighten the load. Dispose of as much as possible before you start to pack. Donate to charity, have a yard sale or throw out.

2. Use the same size boxes. They will be easier to stack both while you are packing, and in the truck. No more spending time trying to figure out how to get all those different sized boxes stacked so they won’t fall over.

3. Use smaller boxes. Then you won’t have big heavy boxes that will wear you out fast. You, and your moving team will be able to keep going without struggling.

4. Use a good quality tape and tape gun. The couple extra bucks will save you tons of frustration.

5. A couple of wardrobe boxes are always a good idea. They keep your clothes clean and ready to hang. Plus, you can throw boots, shoes, and purses in the bottom.

6. Before wrapping your figures in newspaper, put them in a plastic shopping bag. It will keep them clean. A paper towel will work with smaller items.

7. Always write the room the box goes into on the outside of the box so your movers or helpers can deposit the boxes without you having to play traffic cop all day.

8. Write a description of what’s in the box so you can find things easily. If you are using recycled boxes (always a good idea), tape a sheet of paper on the outside to make a nice clean readable label.

9. When packing clothes, sheets, towels and such, put a plastic garbage bag in the box first, then place the items in the plastic bag. This works for pots and pans too. Then you won’t have to rewash them when you unpack. Throw a fabric softener sheet into the bag of clothes and linens before you close it up to keep them smelling nice.

10. Pack the items you will need the first night in separate boxes and label them so you can get to these things right away without having to go through 20 boxes trying to find things when you’re already exhausted.

11. Make sure the beds get set up, and other heavy items are in place. Other things can be moved around later.

12. Old fashioned as it may be – let the guys worry about the furniture. Take the girls and let them help you get the cabinets and drawers washed out and your kitchen set up. Then, once the truck is empty - everyone can easily sit down, relax, and have some pizza and beer and conversation.

13. If you packed well, the clothes can go right in the drawers. The sheets and towels can go right into the linen closet. Hanging clothes can go right into the closets. Depending on how ambitious you are, the entertainment center can be set up and books put in bookcases.

14. Take a break - the rest can wait for a little while…… Rome wasn't built in a day.

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