How to Move Out

Whether you are moving out of your parents' house for the first time, leaving a love relationship or just going to a new city, you find that so many details are involved in the process. From packing to saying goodbye, the lists of things to do can make you crazy. Try a few of these tips to take off some of the pressure when you move out.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Give yourself as much lead-time as possible. If you know you are going to college in the fall, then start thinking about the move at the beginning of the year. If you know that a relationship is going sour, picture yourself moving out and living alone long before you announce your intention to move. Go through the emotional upheaval before the actual moving day and you can alleviate a lot of stress.
2. Pack one drawer at a time, one closet at a time and one room at a time. Relegate time in the weeks, or months, before the actual move, to go through drawers and closets, packing and discarding as you go. Start with the memorabilia objects and save your most used stuff for closer to the actual move.
3. Save money by grabbing free boxes whenever and wherever you see them. Some boxes, especially those with tops, are better than other boxes. Go to a print shop and ask them to save their paper boxes for you. Pick boxes up at the grocery store during the late hours when the staff does a lot of shelving.
4. Make a list of all the parties that need address changes and notices of your move. Set aside a time to make all those calls and send out the postcards. Check with utilities and landlords about how much notice they need to make for a smooth transition. Saving these tasks until last minute can end up costing you money in lost deposits and rush orders.
5. Hold a party or get-together with friends and family so you can say good-bye all at once to everyone. You can have one big cry instead of many little ones. If you are just moving around the corner, then wait to throw the party until after you move so that friends and family can come to your new place all at once.

Tips & Warnings

• Sell extra stuff you don't want move. You can sell these items on eBay, Craigslist, a neighborhood garage sale, local consignment store or flea market for extra cash.
• If you want to donate extra items, give them to a national charity like Goodwill or local charity like a women's shelter. Get a receipt for tax filing purposes from any registered nonprofit organizations. You can also post the items for free giveaway on Freecycle or Craigslist.