- Moving
on a Dime: Save Money, Save Time, Save Your Sanity
- BY JILL COOPER
& TAWRA KELLAM
Have you ever
been so stressed out moving that you wondered if the easiest
way to pack was to get a gallon of gasoline and a box of matches?
Moving can
be a stressful time for everyone involved, but don’t make
it more stressful than it needs to be. Just getting started is
the hardest part. Here are few tips to point you in the right
direction.
ORDER IN
WHICH TO START PACKING
Start with
things you don’t use every day.
~Memories -
Grandma’s dishes, quilts, old books, Bibles, childhood toys
and photos
~Garage items
- Christmas and Holiday decorations, camping equipment and things
in storage
~Things stored
in closets that aren’t used often and out of season clothes
~Knick-knacks,
pictures, mirrors and wall hangings
~Seasonal dishes,
canning equipment, roasting pans, good china, good silverware,
large serving platters
~Unnecessary
CD’s, DVD’s and video tapes.
~Sewing room
and craft items.
~Home office
- Pack as much as possible except bills that need to be paid.
Leave office boxes open and tape them closed at the last minute
before moving just in case you need something out of them.
~Children’s
toys and games - Pack most of the toys they don’t play with
regularly.
~One week before
moving, pack all unnecessary kitchen items, clothes and linens
(except what you need for one week).
Tips to
pain free packing:
Don't leave
empty spaces. Here are some examples of how you might use all
available space:
~I fill my
china cabinet with light weight soft things like stuffed animals,
balls of yarn, quilts, artificial flowers and greenery.
~If you will
be moving your refrigerator or washer or dryer, fill it with
pillows, wicker baskets or plastic items from the kitchen.
~Fill clothes
hampers with bathroom items. If you have a lamp that needs special
protection, wrap it carefully in towels and place it in a clothes
hamper.
~Fill up even
small items like plastic pitchers with kitchen utensils or kitchen
knick-knacks.
~I clean out
a large outside trash can and use it to pack my hoses, small
pots and gardening tools. If I’m not sure if I should keep
something, I allow myself to take it if I can fit it in that
one trash can. My son-in-law says it is one step closer to the
curb that way.
~Don't pack
glass, porcelain or ceramic containers with loose items in them
that could break them. Canning jars filled with marbles or baby
food jars filled with nuts and bolts are recipes for disaster.
~Pack heavy
things such as books in small boxes.
~Don't pack
things like photos, videotapes, cd's, candles, plants or pets
(especially pets!!!) where heat or cold can get to them. Don't
think any of those things will be safe and protected in a car
or truck overnight. If it gets cold, they will freeze. Also plants
left in a hot car will not be safe because the heat will kill
them. When transporting plants in a car, protect them from direct
sunlight with a covering of newspaper because the sun will fry
houseplants.
~Pack kids’
rooms last. They need the security of having their room the same
for as long as possible. Be sure to put their favorite items
in the car such a blanket, stuffed animal or books.
_______________________________________
Authors:
Jill Cooper
and Tawra Kellam are the authors of Moving on a Dime: Save Money,
Save Time, Save Your Sanity. To order Moving on a Dime and for
more free money saving tips visit our web site at http://www.notjustbeans.com
Copyright 2003 Jill Cooper
& Tawra Kellam. All Rights Reserved.
_______________________________________
ARTICLE POSTED SEPTEMBER 15,
2003 |
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