Top 10 Ways to Organize and Pack for a DIY Move

When we hear the word move (meant to imply the transfer of one's goods and self to another domicile, as opposed to "bust a") we tend to break out in cold sweats and peer around our home nervously, like a trapped rat, wondering how we will ever manage to get to the bottom of all those closets without being buried alive by an avalanche of our own accumulated junk...not to mention all those piles of things we've built up over the years, whether in drawers or cabinets or out in plain view: papers of questionable origin and significance, nearly dead batteries, pieces and parts to stuff we "might need" or "might find"...someday.

The mere thought of sorting and packing the various and sundry items which surround us on a daily basis, and worse yet, actually bringing them all to a fresh, uncluttered new house, sends chills up even the most organized of spines. Fear not, brave souls-there are a few simple things you can do to make your move less overwhelming and more....well, less overwhelming.

10. Get a head-start. This is especially important if you're a procrastinator (I wouldn't know anything about that, but, you know, just in case you're that type...). Do not begin packing Friday night for a Saturday move. Trust me, the last-minute stress is not worth the satisfaction you gain by reassuring yourself for the two months prior to the move that you have "plenty of time". Begin planning your packing strategy as soon as you are certain you're going to move.

9. Collect more boxes than you think you'll need-chances are you will need them, and it's better to have too many than not enough. Ask friends, family, and work colleagues to contribute their extras. Call places you wouldn't normally think of, such as electronics stores, book shops, liquor stores, and pharmacies. Post on Freecycle; if someone has just moved to the area they may have boxes from a moving company. If you get boxes from a grocery store, don't take them from the produce department. After a few days, they develop a, shall we say, funk...even if they look clean. Don't ask how I learned this.

8. Use a permanent marker to write the contents on each box, in as much detail as possible. I don't recommend a system of coding boxes and then writing the details on a separate sheet of paper, because if you're like some people (ahem), you risk losing the piece of paper, which you were sure you stuck in that one pocket, and then you're back at square one (opening all the boxes when you get there to see what room they belong in).

7. Pack each room in increments. For the first week or two, pack up things you know for sure you won't need before the move. Do this throughout each room, so that you are sorting and packing in layers, rather than having entire rooms defunct for a long period of time. Wait until the last couple days to pack clothes, toiletries and simple, non-perishable food items that you will need immediately upon arrival. Use suitcases to pack these items, rather than boxes, because they will more easily fit into your vehicle.

6. Designate, and clear out if necessary, one specific area for packed, taped and marked boxes to be stacked. This eliminates "tripping over the boxes scattered around each room" syndrome (and its close cousin, "I stubbed my toe on that &*$'ing box!"). Don't start packing a box unless you can finish it and stow it in your "finished" area during that packing session.

5. Don't make your boxes too heavy. Resist the urge to put all the books together. Instead, place a layer of books on the bottom and then a comforter or other light item on top. Your back will thank you, and so will your spouse when she or he doesn't have to clean up the contents of an exploded box.

4. Keep a small safe or file box in your office area or near the filing cabinet. As you come across vital records - birth certificates, social security cards, important papers - put them in the file box, which will travel with you in the car to avoid any chance of getting lost. Throw out old bills and irrelevant paperwork. Even though you think you might need them for some mysterious, urgent reason someday, trust me, no one will ever ask you to produce a copy of your February 1992 electric bill.

3. Use your towels and bedding to pack fragile items. This helps you avoid the mountain of paper being strewn around your new home as you unpack.

2. Put the boxes directly in the rooms they belong to when you arrive at the new house. Do not just shove them inside the front door because you are in a hurry. You will regret this later and it will cost you time rather than saving it.

1.TOSS TOSS TOSS! Be ruthless. Have no mercy. Take no prisoners. If you don't use something every day, or don't LOVE the item, do not drag it with you to a new place. If you have a garage, put all the trash there. Leave all unwanted large items inside the house and call a donation center to come after the rest of your stuff is out. The more junk you bring along, the quicker your beautiful, uncluttered new home will become messy and unpleasant.

Use these tips for an organized move with as little stress as possible. Happy moving!