How to Household-Move and Keep Your Sanity

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By Sherry Thomas
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Moving Day

In the last thirty years, I've moved a lot. I've moved while pregnant, with children, and with children while pregnant. I guess you could say I'm A Mover.

During most of those moves, I've been fortunate to have moving companies relocate our family. Even with the luxury of experts, there were a few task that I needed to complete myself.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Boxes
Markers
Tape
4X8 Cards

Step 1

Pack it Yourself

Pack important items yourself. Reputable movers do a good job with fragile items, but there are some items that aren't worth the risk. Pack your jewelry in carry-on luggage, if you're traveling by public transportation. Pack crystal, china, and wine glasses. It's worth it.
Step 2

Write the contents of boxes on 4x5 cards, and tape the cards to the outside of those boxes. Movers will put your boxes inside their company packing boxes. Give a duplicate card to movers to tape on the outside.
Step 3

Don't Mix Rooms

Monitor movers' activities. You don't want your kitchen items packed with living room items. It's frustrating searching for the coffee table book that has been packed with pots and pans.
Step 4

We're beat.

Put towels, sheets and pillow cases, pillows in bedroom drawers. Do the same for toiletries. During your first night in your new place, you won't have to search in boxes for soap. You'll be able to make up your bed, take a shower, wash your hair, brush your teeth, and turn in. This has been the most helpful tip for me. After traveling and directing movers where to place boxes, you're beat.
Step 5

Write the name of large furniture items on paper. In each room, place the paper where you want the furniture. For example, if you want your queen-size bed by the window, put the paper on the floor by the window.
Step 6

Inform movers when they first arrive of your furniture paper set-up.