Preparing to Move

Moving is one of the biggest days in the life of a family. It's a time filled with activity and stress. Everything in your life has to be organized, the kids need to find new schools, there is a matter of setting up utilities at the new home, and someone has to hire the movers. This post will attempt to clarify a few things and help to streamline your moving process.DownsizeMoving is a great time to downsize your possessions. So many of us tend to accumulate more things than we really need. They sit around unused and then we have to pick them all up and move them on moving day. I like to apply the six-month rule to downsizing. If you haven't used or considered an item in the past six months, it's time to throw it out. Of course, this might not apply to your grandfather's pocket watch, but it might apply to the melon-baller you used once and don't foresee when you'll ever need to use it again. When you've gathered all of your items, either hold a garage sale and make a few extra dollars, or donate the items to a charity such as http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/Pack EarlyIt's never too early to start packing. If you have a summer move, start sorting through your winter clothes and pack them away. If you don't plan on having a formal dinner party until you want to christen your new home, pack away all of the formal dinnerware. If you do a little bit every day after work or on the weekends, you'll find that moving day is far more organized and efficient. You might even consider breaking down your beds and paring down the patio furniture to the bare minimum. Whatever is not essential to your daily life must be subject to packing away.Hire a Moving CompanyHiring a moving company is an essential first step. As soon as you have a moving date, start interviewing moving companies. Try to avoid fly-by-night ?gypsy? movers who don't own their own trucks and who might not even show up on time – if at all – on your moving day. Be sure that you can review a contract and that you feel comfortable with the company. Find out whether their movers are insured and if they have a good reputation in the community.Moving ChecklistUse our moving day checklist, which is available from our home page. Print that out and post it on the fridge. As you check off items, you can gauge your progress as moving day approaches.