1. Reduce the amount of “stuff” to pack.  There aren’t any great reasons for packing bedroom items that you don’t use or need.  Be ruthless in eliminating as many items as possible.  Aim to get rid of  1/3 of your current possessions.  This includes eliminating clothes and shoes that don’t fit, are out of style, or are stained beyond saving; knick knacks or decorations that are collecting dust;  books or magazines that you’ve already read or you won’t have time to read, etc.
2. Pack a suitcase for each person.  Pretend that you’re going on a three-day vacation in a faraway city, and pack a single suitcase to hold all the necessities that you would need: clothes, eyeglasses/contact lenses, bathroom supplies (soap, shampoo, razor, etc.), prescriptions, etc.  Then transport these suitcases separately from the items on the moving truck.  When you arrive at your new place, you won’t be scrambling around for essentials because they’re all packed in the suitcase.
3. Use wardrobe boxes for transporting hanging garments.  Wardrobe boxes are really lifesavers for packing and moving clothes that are hanging in your closet.  These tall boxes have a hanging bar across the top center of the box, allowing you to lift clothes directly off your closet bar and put them straight into the wardrobe box, eliminating wrinkling and hassles.
4. Transport shoes in their original boxes.  Shoes transported in their original boxes are much less likely to get damaged in transit, and keep each pair together.  If you don’t have the boxes anymore, wrap each shoe individually and then wrap the two shoes together so they can’t get separated.  Stuff the interior of your shoes with rolled up socks to both save space and help shoes keep their shape.  There is often room in the bottom of wardrobe boxes for your shoes, which is another space saver.
5. Keep drawers in wardrobes or dressers.  Most professional movers choose to move all but the largest dressers with the drawers and their contents intact.  If you’re moving yourself, you might find it easier to move the drawers outside on moving day, move the dresser to its spot on the moving truck, and then reinserting the drawers.  Wrap heavy twine through wardrobe or dresser handles around the piece of furniture to keep drawers from sliding open or out.
6. Use mattress pads.  Mattresses are notoriously easy to rip and tear during a move, so I strongly recommend using heavy mattress pads or “bags” to keep them safe.
7. Use great care in disassembling the bed.  Be careful to write down exactly which pieces went where when taking the bed frame apart.  Put small pieces in heavy, clear plastic bags and then use packing tape to tape those bags to one of the bars holding the bed together (do NOT tape to anything with a finish on it, or it will get ruined when removing the tape).  This keeps everything together and avoids losing things.
8. Mark your bedroom boxes carefully.  Assign each  bedroom a number, such as BED1, BED2, etc.) and then number the boxes within each room (e.g. BED1-1, BED 1-2).  Label each box with the room name, the box number, and a brief description on the contents.  Apply the room name and box number to at least 2 opposite sides and the top.  Write down the box numbers and contents for each box so you can find them easily when unpacking.

These 8 tips should help make packing your bedrooms easier and stress-free.

For even more tips on relocation, moving, movers, self storage and more, please visit us at http://www.Movers-Edge.com.  One of our popular articles is our Change of Address Guide, with lots of tips and tricks, including how to virtually eliminate “junk mail” and telemarketing calls at your new address.

Why Does it Matter How I Pack The Moving Truck?

There are several reasons why packing the moving correctly will become important:

• Money-  If you pack a moving truck correctly, you might be able to rent a smaller truck than you first imagined.  Since smaller moving trucks often rent out a lower rate, packing the truck correctly can save you money.
• Time- The packing and loading of items is always the process that takes the most time in any move.  If you know how to pack the truck correctly, you won’t be wasting time trying to figure out what goes where, and instead can spend that time efficiently loading furniture and boxes where they need to go.
• Stress-  Spending the entire move worrying whether your items are loaded correctly or if they’re going to fall and break is nerve-wracking and stressful.  Avoid this situation by being confident in the right way to load items.
• Safety-  There are actually two kinds of safety involved in packing and loading a moving truck.  The first kind of safety is that of you and your fellow packers and movers- loading things in an unstable way can lead to falling items and injuries.  Second, and what most people think about, is loading items so that they arrive safely at their destination.

What Are The First Two Things That I Need to Know About Packing a Moving Truck?

The first two things you need to know about packing and loading a moving truck correctly are pretty basic:

• The Plan- You need to have a plan in advance on how you’re going to load the truck.  That’s because you’ll want items to come out of your currently place in a way that will make them easy to load in the proper order.  Don’t try to “wing it” on Moving Day.
• The Truck- You need to have the correct size of truck to be able to hold all your possessions with just a small amount of extra room to be able to maneuver inside the truck.  Having too much room in the truck is a typical mistake- that extra room can cause items to shift and fall during transit.

What Do I Need to Pack a Moving Truck Correctly?

You don’t need a lot of supplies to load the truck correctly.  Having rope, heavy twine, furniture pads (you can usually rent them from the same place you rented the truck), mattress pads, a hand truck, a tape measure, and your plan should cover you.

What Are The First Things You Should Load On The Moving Truck?

Your largest and heaviest items should be secured against the cab wall (that’s the wall the separates the driver from the rest of the truck) should be placed in the truck first, secured by rope.  Use furniture pads between any two items that might be touching.  Secure any lighter items by using heavier items on their opposite sides.

Long items go on next, mostly up on their longest sides or edges.  Loading large-sized mattresses (always use mattress pads to prevent ripping and tearing) go up against the side walls next, secured by rope.  Other long items to secure include sofas, table tops, long pictures and mirrors.

The rest of the furniture should now go on the truck, arranged neatly and orderly, and up against the sides of the truck where possible.  Again, moving pads are your friends here.

Heavy boxes are next on the list, arranged to form rows on the floor of the truck.  Be careful to leave room to walk, and don’t stack the heavy boxes high enough to damage the ones on the bottoms.  Also, never stack heavy boxes on top lighter ones.

Follow those with your lighter boxes, and finally awkward items that didn’t fall into the other categories, secured with heavy twine and moving blankets.

Following this order should make your move more orderly and keep damage and stress to a minimum.

For more great FREE moving tips and articles on movers, relocation, self storage, moving truck rental and more, please visit Movers-Edge.com.  There are plenty of great resources there, including our Change of Address guide, 101 Best Moving Tips and The Ultimate Moving Checklist.

Good luck with your move!



A good example of packing and the phenomenon of “this is harder than it looks” is trying to get pots and pans from the kitchen ready for the big move.  This article provides the basics of getting yours ready quickly, safely and easily.

Here are the basic pots and pans packing tips:

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 1: Get the right materials together.

Fortunately, the first step isn’t difficult.  Here’s what you’ll need:

• Medium-sized, sturdy moving boxes
• Packing paper, kraft paper, or in a pinch, newspaper
• Packing tape
• Dark colored, wide-tipped marker
• Biodegradable packing peanuts (optional)

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 2: Prepare your moving boxes.

Take each box and tape the bottom both lengthwise and crosswise along its seam, forming a cross.  And while this may seem like a ridiculous reminder, be certain that you have the bottom of the box fully taped and secured before you start putting things in- you’d be surprised by the number of people, under the stress of the move, who forget to do this!

Next you’ll want to prepare the inside of the box.  Take the paper and form very loose “balls”- making them too tight will reduce their ability to absorb impact and will also exhaust your paper supply very quickly.  You want to be sure that you have at least 1 – 2 inches of paper plus biodegradable packing peanuts to create a cushioning layer at the bottom of each box.

Pots and Pans Packing Tip 3:  Loading the pots and lids.

The first thing to keep in mind when loading the pots and lids into the boxes is that pots get nested together in groups of 3, and the lids for the same 3 pots get nested together as well.  Then you’ll place the group of 3 pots and the group of 3 lids together in the same box.  This way, when you’re unpacking, you won’t have to tear through all the kitchen boxes to get a single pot and lid that match.

When nesting the pots together, it’s usually easiest to start with the largest pot, wrapping it in about 3 sheets of paper and taping the corners of the paper to one another inside the pot.  Once the first pot is secure, load the second pot into the first, wrapping and taping it the same way.  The third and final pot of the group should follow the same procedure.

If you have biodegradable packing peanuts, put a single layer between each pot.

When labeling the box, try following these additional guidelines:

• Mark the room on the box first, with “KITCH” for “kitchen” and a number for each box (professional packers would take care of this for you).
• Label the box on at least 2 sides (all 4 is best) and the top so you can always quickly identify what’s inside when moving and unpacking.  This saves lots of time during the move.
• List the contents on the sides as well to avoid confusion later.
• Mark “Fragile” on boxes containing glass or delicate items.
• Use a dark, broad-tipped marker for labeling the boxes.
• Use block print in letters large enough to read from 6 feet away.
• Keep one single kitchen box as an “Open Me First” box containing the things you’ll want to use within 24 hours of arriving at your destination.  Be sure to mark it with “Open Me First” in big red letters.

If you follow this simple three-step system, you should be in great shape for your pots and pans during your move!

For more FREE tips on moving, relocation, self storage, movers and more, please visit our home page at http://www.Movers-Edge.com.  One of our most popular articles there is our FREE Change of Address Guide, filled with tips and tricks to make your transition easier.

It’s not much of a surprise as to why you might be feeling a little blue during the holiday season.  Dozens of holiday songs and movies, played endlessly from Thanksgiving on, literally sing the praises of being “home” for the season.  Think about it for a moment: “Home for the Holidays” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” are just two examples.  And when you’re In a new place or about to move to a new place, it may not feel much like home.

Some Sources of Holiday Blues

There are a few things that can lead to having more Holiday Blues.  Understanding the causes can help you find solutions.  Here are some of the most common:

• Being unfamiliar in new place
• Feeling alone, potentially separated from family and friends
• Losing traditions that made you feel more festive during the Holidays
• Feeling disorganized and stressed both by the new place and the Holidays themselves

Here are a few steps you can take to try to feel less down and more festive during the season:

Holiday Blues Buster 1: Allow Yourself Some Holiday Time

Many people are simply overwhelmed with packing, moving and unpacking responsibilities as the Holidays arrive.  There can be a huge temptation to simply cancel the Holiday celebration altogether.  This is generally a bad idea if the Holidays have been important to you traditionally.  Leave at least 20 minutes a day to focus on the traditions that have been most important to you.

Holiday Blues Buster 2: Break Out Some Holiday Decorations

If there are certain decorations or treasures that make the Holidays special to you, be sure to pack them in a specially marked box to stand out from the rest so you can find them easily.  If that’s not possible, set aside some time to look through your boxes to find them and put some out.  If neither of those options work, you might want to visit the local Dollar Store and get a few inexpensive decorations to put out until you can find the rest of yours.

Holiday Blues Buster 3: Visit Local Holiday Events

By getting out and participating in local holiday events, you accomplish a few things all at once:

• You get out of the house
• You get a chance to meet new people
• You take your mind off the changes and the new place

As an added bonus, since many Holiday celebrations are repeated annually, you will be building new traditions that you will be able to come back to.

Holiday Blues Buster 4:  Play Some Favorite Holiday Music

Having some favorite Holiday music playing the background, even when you’re doing other things, can make you feel more festive.  Be sure to pick CD’s that are your favorites so that they’re familiar and comforting.

Holiday Blues Buster 5:  Keep In Communication With Family and Friends

Take advantage of email, webcams and the phone to check in with family and friends “early and often” throughout the Holiday Season.  Ask lots of questions to keep the conversation going, request copies of emailed pictures of their celebrations and send them yours.  One trick is to send out cards very early in the season, since this tends to help bring cards back into you.

Moving during the Holidays has its own unique challenges, but following these steps can make them feel more festive and help eliminate Holiday Blues.

Be sure to visit our visit our website for FREE tips on moving, change of address, relocation, moving truck rental and more.   One of our most popular articles is our FREE Change of Address Article, containing lots of tips and tricks to make things easier.

NOTE: It may be too late to dispute the charges once the movers have arrived at your destination, in that most moving companies insist on being paid in full before they move a single box or piece of furniture into your new place.  Be sure to get an estimate in writing beforehand and mention each of these fees specifically.

Surprise Fee 1: Accessorial Charges

What It Means

Some moving companies tend to group a number of different fees together into one category rather than going to the trouble of listing each one out, which makes it difficult to dispute.  These services could include a number of different things, including packing and unpacking, taking apart or re-assembling furniture, making an additional stop at a storage unit for pick up or delivery, keeping the movers waiting, etc.

How to Avoid It

Plan your move ahead of time, eliminate unnecessary services, and be ready for the movers when they arrive.

Surprise Fee 2: Advanced Charges or Fees

What It Means

These are fees for which the movers have paid a third party, or “advanced” funds for.  A classic example would be if the movers had to bring in additional help to move a grand piano, or professional workman to disassemble a mantle.  Because the movers had to pay someone on your behalf, you have to reimburse the movers.

How to Avoid It

Take care of additional services in advance before the moving company arrives, and pay third parties directly.  If nothing else, it should save time and confusion on Moving Day and eliminate any mark-ups the moving company is charging.

Surprise Fee 3: Appliance Service Fees

What It Means

If you need to have your movers either disconnect appliances from your old place or reconnect appliances at your new place, some movers may charge you for this

How to Avoid It

There are two primary solutions for these fees- either negotiate them being eliminated from the charges or arrange for someone who knows what they’re doing to take care of it for you.

Surprise Fee 4: Auxiliary Service

What It Means:

This is usually “moving speak” for the fact that the movers can’t easily get their moving truck near your old place, either because of parking issues or because there isn’t enough clearance for a large moving truck.  It may require the moving company to use a smaller truck and then transfer the items to a second, larger truck.

How to Avoid It:

If the potential issue is parking, you need to make arrangements well in advance of your Moving Day to get neighbors to be willing to move their cars that morning.  If your home, however, is located with a long, narrow driveway, for example, you may have to negotiate this one.

Surprise Fee 5: Elevator Carry/ Flight Charge

What It Means

Not surprisingly, these fees apply to those moving either to or from a location with multiple floors.  The difficulty of moving belongings up and down stairs or fitting them into elevators can result in these fees being assessed.

How to Avoid It

You need to establish with your mover in advance what exactly these charges may be, and if steps you can take (like reserving the elevator in an apartment building) can get them reduced or eliminated.

Surprise Fee 6: Expedited Service

What It Means

Despite its name, your move may not be so much expedited as it might be just provided with a guaranteed delivery date.  Just including that date in the contract might result in this fee.

How to Avoid It

The only real option you have for this one is being flexible with your arrival date and packing enough essentials to take with you to avoid needing your belongings sooner.

Surprise Fee 7: Linehaul Charges

What It Means

Linehaul charges are fairly typical on long distance moves, and are calculated based on the total weight of the items you’re moving and the distance you’re traveling.

How to Avoid It:

Unfortunately, this might be the one fee where you have little room to negotiate.  Your only options are to budget in advance and be prepared.

Knowing about these 7 potential surprise fees should put you in good shape to reduce your moving costs to an absolute minimum.

Good luck with your move!

This is what brings up the topic of moving insurance, one of the most misunderstood topics in moving.

Insurance vs. Valuation

First of all, what most of us refer to as “moving insurance” isn’t technically “insurance” at all.  Instead, it’s what’s called “valuation” coverage, and works a bit differently.  Insurance is generally regulated by the states, while valuation coverage promises to reimburse owners for items that were lost or damaged in the move.

Types of Valuation Available

Since lost or damaged items are only covered to the amount of their valuation, it’s important to recognize that the amount of valuation can vary widely.

The major categories are:

• Declared value: This type of valuation coverage is based on the weight of the items being shipped.  Most moves within the same state are covered at $30 per 100 pounds, and moves across state lines are covered at $60 per 100 pounds, and comes automatically when using a licensed and bonded moving company.  However, you can request higher dollar amounts of coverage per 100 pounds at a higher premium.

• Assessed Value/ Lump Sum Value: Rather than valuing items by their weight, this type of coverage is based on the total dollar amount of the worth of the goods, based on $1,000 of the depreciated value of the goods.  One thing that should stand out right away is the fact that unless you are declaring the full replacement value of the goods (which is actually the last type of coverage, Full Value Protection), you are guaranteed to get less than the full value of any possessions lost or damaged during the moving process.

• Full Value Protection: While you might expect that any type of valuation protection would pay to replace any items that were lost, damaged or destroyed during a move, that isn’t the case.  Only Full Value Protection will provide that level of protection for possessions involved in your move.  It comes as no surprise that this is the most expensive type of valuation coverage because it represents the highest amount of potential liability for the moving company.

Choosing the Right Type of Valuation Coverage

The decision on what type of valuation coverage to purchase for your move comes down to what type of coverage you can afford and how important it is to be able to replace a damaged item from your move.  The base valuation coverage under Declared Value is typically provided as part of your overall moving expenses, making it the least expensive, but it is very unlikely to provide the type of coverage you would want if items like computers, big screen TV’s or either items are damaged during your move.  Full Value Protection usually provides the highest level of compensation but is the most expensive to buy.

Before you make your final choice, you should also check with your insurance agent about programs that they may offer, either as separate “riders” for existing policies you already have or as standalone policies.  This might save you a fair bit of money on your move.

Just follow this easy guide and you’re likely to find the exact type of coverage for your needs.

Good luck with your move!

Moving to a new place requires making lots of decisions.  You need to choose whether you’re moving yourself or hiring a professional moving company, which business to choose for movers or moving truck rental, which items to pack which ones to let go, and many more.  One of those choices is going to be which self storage or mini storage company to use if you need a place to store items that won’t fit easily in your new home.

That means that you’ll need to know what to look for in your storage unit facility.  Here are some of the biggest factors to use in your self storage decision-making:

·         Location:  The old joke in real estate about the top 3 factors in selecting a home being “location, location and location” often holds true in storage unit facilities as well.  You’re going to look for a facility that is close to your new place and is easily accessible from major roads to make things convenient for you.  The crime rate of the neighborhood should also be a major factor.

·         Unit size: You want to have a storage unit that is large enough to hold all your surplus possessions, plus room to be able to get in around those possessions, plus possibly some room for “growth” in case you need to add more items after your move (a common occurrence).  The reason for allowing these “pluses” is that you don’t want to have to break your lease or rent a second unit with additional fees simply because you weren’t planning ahead when you made your original choice. The smallest size units are usually 5′ by 5′, which will hold a small number of boxes or small bedroom furniture.  The largest units are typically 10′ by 40′, which is large enough to hold most of the contents of a 4-bedroom house.

·         Climate control:  More and more storage facilities have begun offering climate control for their units, meaning they are typically inside a larger building.  The primary advantages of climate control are that they preserve delicate items from heat, cold and humidity much better than non- climate controlled units, and are much more comfortable work in around in inclement weather.  These units typically charge a significant premium.

·         24-hour direct access: This is typically a factor of pure convenience, and while nice to have, probably shouldn’t be your primary criterion unless you envision needing to access your unit in off-hours or on holidays.  Also, if you plan on keeping your items in storage for a longer period of time and not needing to access them often, you’re less likely to need this feature.

·         Monitored security cameras: This additional security feature is especially nice if some of the items you are storing are very valuable (as a general note, I don’t recommend storing valuables in a storage unit).  Please note that the cameras don’t do nearly as much good if they aren’t monitored, so verify that they are.

·         Security guards on premise: Similar to the monitored security cameras mentioned above, it’s an extra bonus to have security guards on premise if they actually spend their time patrolling the areas around all the units.  However, if you pick the right facility, this will be hopefully unnecessary!

·         Sprinkler system: A fire raging through a series of storage units is certainly a nightmare you want to avoid.  Sprinkler systems are great if this unlikely occurrence does happen; however, you’ll want to encase your belongings in case they go off.  Water damage often causes as much if not more damage to property than fire.

·         Insurance available: It’s always a good idea to make certain that you have adequate insurance coverage for all your belongings, including those in your storage unit.  And having insurance available from your storage facility is certainly very convenient.  However, all insurance is not created equal, and you’ll want to be sure you fully understand exactly what is covered, whether the coverage is for replacement value or another amount, and whether your existing homeowner’s coverage applies to your storage unit items.

·         Payment methods accepted:  If you’re going to have your storage unit for any length of time, you’ll want to find out what types of payment are accepted for monthly billing, and whether those options meet your needs.

·         Pricing: This is the most obvious consideration, but I left it as the last one on the list for a specific reason.  The cheapest price may not be associated with your best storage facility.  If you end up unable to sleep at night because of the poor quality of your storage facility, you haven’t achieved much of a bargain, so please look carefully.

And there you have the top considerations for selecting the right storage facility.  

For more free moving tips on movers, relocation, self storage, moving truck rental and more, please visit us at http://www.Movers-Edge.com.  One of our most popular articles is our Address Change Guide, which offers a wise variety of tips and tricks on how to file your change of address.

Good luck with your move! 

Fortunately, there are some relatively easy steps you can take during packing for a move that can make this process much easier.

What are Open Me First Boxes (OMFB’s)?

One of the best tips you can follow is to create “Open Me First Boxes,” or OMFB’s.  An OMFB is simply a box that is designed to be opened immediately after moving in.  That’s because there are certain items that hold more importance to daily life than others. 

Why make Open Me Fist Boxes?

The ability to find those critical items in OMFB’S quickly and easily accomplishes a few goals:

* Saves hours of time.  Searching through several boxes can consume a surprising amount of time.
* Reduces frustration.  Anyone who has ever searched in vain for the coffee maker or bathroom tissue the day after a move knows just how frustrating that can be.
* Simplifies unpacking.  By unpacking the critical items in the OMFB’s first, the rest of the unpacking I’d made much easier and can be done on a schedule that works best for you.

How do I make Open Me First Boxes?

There are really two different kinds of OMFB’s, and making both of them is easy:

* Traditional boxes. These are just like any other kind of moving boxes, but are labeled on all 4 sides and the top with a name or code for the room and a great big letter “O” so you can find them easily.

* Suitcases.  For each member of the family, pick out one suitcase for their personal items, just as you were packing for a 2-night vacation in a hotel.  Wrap several strands of red ribbon around the handles to identify them quickly.

How many Open Me First Boxes should I have?

Generally you should have a maximum of two per room, and only one wherever possible.  Otherwise you end up with too many and you lose the advantages of the system.

You should also limit the number of boxes based on the rooms of the house.  For example, a storage room or basement may or may not need an OMFB based on how much time your ordinarily spend there.  The same holds true for certain closets or storage areas.

What should I put in them?

The short answer is that you should only put in them what you’ll need the first few days after moving.  You want to focus on things that are absolutely necessary to meet the basic needs of civilized life.  Here are some suggestions, organized by room (please feel free to adjust these based on your family’s needs and lifestyle:

The Kitchen

   1.      Aluminum foil or plastic wrap
   2.      Break-proof or disposable flatware, cups, and plates
   3.      Coffee maker and coffee (don’t forget the filters!)
   4.      Dish detergent
   5.      Frying pan and spatula
   6.      Pet food and bowels
   7.      Scissors
   8.      Tea kettle

Main Bathroom

   1.      Bath mat
   2.      Bath towels
   3.      First-aid kit (aspirin, band-aids, hydrogen peroxide)
   4.      Shampoo
   5.      Shower curtain and rings
   6.      Soap
   7.      Toilet paper
   8.      Toothbrushes and toothpaste
   9.      Feminine hygiene needs

Tool Room or Drawer

   1.      Duct tape
   2.      Flashlight
   3.      Flat-head screwdriver
   4.      Hammer
   5.      Level
   6.      Phillips-head screwdriver
   7.      Picture hangers
   8.      Tape measure
   9.      Utility knife

Follow these general guidelines on Open Me First Boxes and you should be in good shape with your packing.  Good luck with your move!

For more great moving tips on movers, relocation, self storage and more, please click this link to be taken to Movers-Edge.com.  One of our most popular articles is our FREE Change of Address Guide.  Please visit us today!

Moving involves a lot of work.  There are utilities to disconnect at your old place and set up at your new one, changes of address to send, forms to complete and file, and packing.

Packing usually involves the most work and takes the most time in the entire moving process.  This article describes how to hold a packing party to help get more packing done.

Background: What is a packing party?

A packing party is a social event where friends come together to wish someone well in their new home while helping with some of the basic packing chores.

The Steps

Here are the basic steps for holding a successful packing party:

1. Create the guest list.

2. Set the date.

3. Arrange for the food.

4. Send the invitations.

5. Plan the packing.

6. Prepare for the guests.

7. Manage the party

The Details

Packing Party Step 1: Create the guest list.

There are a few criteria you’ll want to use in putting together your guest list:

·         Your potential guests should know you well enough to care about your move.

·         You need to be able to trust your potential guests with helping you pack.

·         You should invite people you can rely on to actually show up.

·         Don’t invite anyone who is going to be resentful about packing or who can’t enjoy the party.

Okay, now assuming there’s anyone left on your list, move onto Step 2!

Packing Party Step 2: Set the date.

You want to schedule your packing party about 2 weeks prior to your moving day.  That should give you enough time to prepare for the event while leaving enough time remaining to make up for any packing that doesn’t get done.

Packing Party Step 3: Arrange for the food.

While I don’t completely understand it, there is no denying the fact that food has miraculous powers to attract and motivate people.  And now is one of those times to reward those who come to help you.  If you’re a great cook, break out your signature dishes.  If you can’t cook, try recruiting a friend who can help make the meal.  If both of those fail, pizza and beer are usually good alternatives.

Remember, those coming to help deserve the good stuff!

Packing Party Step 4: Send the invitations.

I usually recommend a three wave system:

·         Start with an email letting people know that written invitations are coming, but asking them to reserve the date. Be sure to mention the food and request a reply.

·         The written invitation comes next.  Yes, it’s more trouble than email, but it makes a much bigger impression and serves a mark of respect for your guests.

·         Lastly, follow up with a phone call.

Packing Party Step 5: Plan the packing.

There are a few guidelines for planning how guests can best help pack:

·         To start, pick areas of your home you use less often, such as the garage or storage room.

·         Bookshelves are examples of easy packing tasks to delegate.

·         Pick which rooms you do NOT want packed, and make sure you have signs for those doors.

·         If you want boxes labeled a certain way, have a sample box created for each room where guests will be packing.

·         Don’t plan to have the actual packing last longer than an hour so that guests get to enjoy the party aspect of the event.

Packing Party Step 6: Prepare for the guests.

Here are some ideas for getting ready for your guests’ arrival:

·         Be certain to have plenty of packing supplies on hand: boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, wide-tipped markers, scissors, and packing paper (blank newsprint).

·         Have “stations” of food and drinks ready.

·         Try to arrange for a music player for each packing room.

·         Have assignments ready to go as guests enter.

Packing Party Step 7: Manage the party

Your most important tasks are to welcome guests, answer questions, and create as much fun as possible around the event.  Make sure you’re doing a little packing as well. Take plenty of pictures to send after the event.

Follow these steps and you should be off to a Farewell Packing Party success!

For more great, FREE moving articles, tips and advice, please visit our website, http://www.Movers-Edge.com.  Three of our most popular articles are:

·         Moving checklist: The Ultimate Moving Checklist

·         Moving tips: 101 Best Moving Tips

·         Getting Organized for Moving

·         Finding Great Movers and Moving Companies

Good luck with your move!

Moving is stressful.  In fact, the Employee Relations Council ranked moving as life’s third most-stressful event (death and divorce were numbers one and two).  So why is moving so stressful, and what’s the best way to cope?

Sources of Moving Stress

While there are many reasons for moving stress, here are some of the biggest:

·         Fear of the unknown

·         Loss of control

·         Loss of community

·         Overwhelm

·         Time pressures

The remainder of this article focuses on specific steps you can take to address these issues and reduce your overall stress level.

Moving Stress Source 1: Fear of the unknown.

You need to learn a lot about your new place, your new neighbors, your new schedule, etc.  You may also be facing a change in jobs or family situations.  All of these factors mean that many comfortable routines you were able to follow without thinking now involve lots of questions.  Primitive centers of the brain respond to unknowns with fears.

Stress Buster 1

First, realize that this fear of the unknown is normal, and that most everyone goes through some version of it. 

Second, there are several steps you can take to minimize the unknowns:

·         Ask lots of questions of your realtor, apartment manager, moving company and everyone else associated with your transition.

·         Take detailed notes from your conversations regarding your move and record them in a single notebook to keep information organized and easy to access.

·         Plan time to explore your new neighborhood.

Moving Stress Source 2: Loss of control

Let’s face it: seeing all your possessions go into boxes or furniture pads can be pretty upsetting.  It requires you to turn over a lot of control, or perceived control, over to others.

Stress Buster 2

Unfortunately, part of the stress reduction process for loss of control is acceptance.  Trying to “control” every last detail of a move is a recipe for stress overload.  Instead, try to focus on a few basics that will have the biggest impact on your move’s success:

·         Verify your mover’s credentials with the Better Business Bureau, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Protect Your Move” website, MovingScam and Epinions.

·         Focus on making sure all your boxes are fully cushioned, labeled and inventoried.

·         Recruit only reliable people to help out.

Moving Stress Source 3: Loss of community

Moving can mean saying goodbye, at least temporarily, to neighbors, friends and family.  It can feel quite lonely at times, and that can add to your anxiety.

Stress Buster 3

There are a few tricks for taking some of the loss of community out our move:

·         Plan a “Farewell Packing Party” in which offer great food, reminiscing and lots of picture taking in exchange for help with a few boxes.

·         Create and follow a plan for keeping in contact, including dates by which you’ll make phone calls or send email updates.

·         Make sure you leave everyone with plenty of ways to contact you, including street address, phone numbers and email addresses.

·         Take lots of pictures before the big day.

·         When practical, schedule an “Open House” at your new place before you leave, including sending invitations and directions.

Moving Stress Source 4: Overwhelm

One of the most common sources of stress during moving is just general sense of being overwhelmed.  This has more to do with the number of tasks you need to accomplish than the nature of the tasks themselves.  It’s marked by feelings of not knowing where to begin or jumping from task to task without completing any of them.

Stress Buster 4

Here is the best plan I know for defeating the sense of overwhelm:

·         Start with a complete moving checklist (there are several good ones available for free download).

·         Break the project down into smaller and smaller chunks until you have tasks assigned for each day from now until the move.

·         Focus on the tasks for each day instead of stressing over the entire list.

·         Place a big, red check mark next to each task accomplished, and give yourself credit for everything you’ve accomplished so far.

Moving Stress Source 5: Time pressures

Once you’re moving day is set, there is some understandable time pressure involved with your move.  And you don’t want to feel rushed at the very end of the process.

Stress Buster 5

First, it’s important to realize that some of the stress you’re feeling is legitimate, and perhaps a little motivating to be ready on moving day.  To keep yourself on track, I recommend this plan:

·         Read and follow the steps in Stress Buster 4 above regarding “Overwhelm.”  This should put you in good shape for knowing what tasks need to be accomplished and how to lay them out day-by-day.

·         Cram in the beginning, not the end- if you are laying out your tasks on a calendar, schedule large blocks of time in the beginning to get the biggest “pains” out of the way well in advance.

·         Keep one or two “emergency” blocks of time in your schedule toward the end for handling the unexpected.

·         Delegate some of your tasks to family members or willing friends so you don’t have to do it all yourself.

·         Do something every day on your task list.

While some level of moving stress is to be expected, these guidelines should eliminate a great deal of it.

Please visit our website for more, FREE moving tips, moving advice and articles on your upcoming relocation.  Two of our most popular articles are:

·         Moving checklist: The Ultimate Moving Checklist, filled with a carefully planned, 4-week guide on all the details you need to take care of for your move.

·         Moving tips: 101 Best Moving Tips, gathered and ranked from scores of moving handbooks, websites and articles.

You may also want to visit our blogroll of top moving blogs:

·         Movers-Edge Blog on Xanga

·         How to Move HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Movers-Edge Blog on WordPress

·         Move To Blog on WordPress

·         Moving Advice HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Moving Checklist HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Moving HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Moving Tip of the Day Blog on WordPress

·         Moving Tips HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Moving To HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Relocating HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Relocation HQ Blog on WordPress

·         Moving Tips Blog on Multiply

·         Movers-Edge Blog on Blogger

·         Moving Advice HQ Blog on Blogger

·         Moving Checklist HQ Blog on Blogger

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