• Moving Hint 1: USE THE ONE ROOM RULE
  
  This will help you keep your Sanity...

• Set up ONE room in your new home as quickly as possible. This way, you'll have a quiet retreat, free of boxes. You and your family will then have a place to go when you need a break from all of the unpacking activities.

• Moving Hint 2: MAKE THE FIRST NIGHT SPECIAL

  Make the first night in your new home as special as possible. It can be take-out Chinese food, or pizza, but you may sweeten the evening with flowers, candles and music. It will really make a big difference and will help you to unwind and de-stress. We all NEED this!

More Helpful Moving Hints

• To avoid surprises, get coordinated in advance, before calling any moving companies: Use this checklist to monitor your progress, and get things organized BEFORE calling the moving companies.
• Make agreements with sellers (ideally at the time of the contract, but definitely long before the closing date) regarding possession of the home and moving date. Having sellers and buyers meet on the front walk, each with a house full of furniture, is not a happy situation. Get these agreements in writing to avoid unnecessary hassles on moving day!
• Start planning early. Once you are reasonably confident that you will be proceeding with the purchase, and before calling any moving companies, start weeding out your current possessions. Toss (or give away, or sell at a yard sale) things that you don't want to move. This goes a long way toward uncluttering your life, too!
• Compare moving plans. Are you going to want to do the entire move yourself? Will you want a professional mover to handle the entire process? Don't wait until the last minute--or you may be doing the whole move on your own. Compare rates and services as well as availability.
• Prepare a list of all those who will need to be contacted at your new home (utilities, schools, etc.)
• Make a list on any important items you will need to buy for the new house. Examples: draperies, blinds, shower curtains, etc. Having these things with you on the day you move in prevents unnecessary surprises.
• Start packing early. Anything that you are sure you will not be using before moving day should get boxed.
• Determine a staging area where any items that are ready to be moved are placed. This saves a lot of the aggravation associated with having boxes scattered throughout your present living quarters and gives you a place to look should you need an item that is already packed.
• Mark every box and carton. Again, it makes it much easier if you need an item before you move, and makes it much simpler after you move. Unpacking will probably be somewhat of a gradual process--this way you know where the most necessary items are located. All this before calling the moving companies.
• Looking for even more detail on the moving process? See Steiner's Complete How-To-Move Handbook on Amazon.com, a complete guide to the entire moving process.

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