One Hundred Dollars a Month

Plan on moving this year?  Moving can be ultra stressful–on everyone, but I swear, organization is the KEY to surviving a move.

Here’s a few tips to keep in mind if you are making a move this year:

1. Have each member of the family pack a suitcase of essentials and comfort items.  That way, the first night in the new house is a positive one.  You may not get to unpacking every bit of every room, but at least little Suzy will have her blanket and teddy bear to ease the transition.  Plus, how nice will it be when you hop in the shower after a long move to easily grab clean jammies and a toothbrush?
2. Save money on bubble wrap.  Pack the dishes with the linen closet.  Wrap breakables using pillowcases and towels.  You’ll save money and kill two birds with one stone.
3. Label boxes.  Don’t just label what’s in them, but also, what room you want them taken to.  Movers or friends/family will be so much more helpful when they don’t have to stop and ask you where you want “this box.”
4. Show up pre-move and clean the house to your standards.  It’s soooooo much easier to clean and empty house.  Get in there ahead of time and give it a scrub.  Have the carpets cleaned now too.  That way, it will be “move in ready.”
5. Place toiletries in plastic ziploc bags OR open the lids and put a piece of plastic wrap on the top, then screw the lid back on.  It will minimize spills and messes.
6. Don’t pack up all of your drawers.  Just slide the drawer out and use it as a box, then when you place the dresser back in your new home, all you have to do is slide the already unpacked drawer back into place.
7. Put ALL screws, curtain mounts, electronic cords in LABELED plastic ziplock bags.  You may think you will remember what they go to, but in the chaos, it might just become a mystery screw or cord.
8. Take a picture of the back of your television so that you can remember how to put it back together in the new house.  Remembering where all those cords go is just a hassle otherwise.
9. Make use of suitcases, laundry baskets, etc.  You can really cut down on boxes by using the containers you already have.  Just make sure to tie a label onto each of them.
10. Pack a lunch the night before.  Unless you are ordering pizza or something, having to stop to make a meal in a kitchen that is probably chaos, is a big fat pain in the behind.  Pack sandwiches and snacks–that will keep the kiddos in a better mood anyway.
11. To pack your hanging clothes, just grab a garbage bag.  Keep the clothes on the hangers, and bag them from the bottom up.  Pull the drawstring around the top of the hangers, and off you go.
12. Number your boxes.  That way, you’ll know if you are missing a box right away.
13. Minimize your grocery shopping one to two weeks prior to the move.  If you can, use up what you have in the freezer.
14. Unplug and clean your fridge {if you are taking it with you in the move} the day before you move.
15. Contact utility companies and let them know your move-out date and your move-in date.
16. Keep valuable items, like pictures and passports in YOUR car on the day of the move.  That way, they don’t potentially get lost in the shuffle.
17. Remember to keep a roll of toilet paper out, so that you can immediately put it in place in the new house.  Friends and family that are helping you will thank you.
18. If you won’t have beds set up in time, remember to keep sleeping bags, air mattresses, etc. handy.
19. Throw a shower curtain in your overnight bag.  You will want to take a shower after a day of moving, and digging through the bathroom boxes may not be too appealing.
20. Bottled waters.  Remember cups will be packed away, so remember to get a case of bottled waters for the day.  Make sure to get enough for the people that are helping you move {the ones you like, anyway, ha!}.

Any more tips you’d like to add?

~Mavis