Make A Plan Monday: Moving

Have you ever had to move?  It's not exactly an easy task.  It is much easier when you have a plan.

I found the http://pinchalittlesavealot.blogspot.com/ website over the weekend.  It has wonderful free printables that helps plan and organize a move.  Hence the thought to share a post on making a plan when moving.  The picture below is from that website and represents some of the printables in the moving kit, but the website also has many other wonderful printables that can help with household management as well as simply fun holiday printables.

The method used here is color coordinating boxes with rooms, using a different color for each room or area of a home and then when packing boxes marking them simply with the color that corresponds with the room the box should end up in once moved.

Below are some ideas on cutting down when preparing to move and on organization methods while packing/unpacking. (these ideas come from a class I taught on organization/moving organization a few years back)

Ask yourself these questions in determining whether it is worth it to you to keep & move an item with you or to get rid of it by selling, giving or tossing it away.

1. Does it have a purpose?  Will the item continue to be useful after the move?  Is the item really needed?
2. Will it have its own place after move?  Or will it be required to be stored out of site (and thereby out of mind)?
3. Do you love/like/hate the item?  Will it make you happy to see the item again when it is unpacked?
4. Would it be cheaper to replace the item rather than moving/storing it?  If storing:  does the storage space/cost of storage justify the storage of the items?

Once you decide what to take, you will need to plan and organize your packing and moving.  Whichever method of organizing your move you choose, it is wise to keep an inventory of all possessions, small and great.

Possible methods to organize a move:

A-B-C or 1-2-3 method:  Mark boxes with an A, B or C based on how soon you will need the box--A’s get opened and unpacked first, B’s next and C’s last.  Or 1, 2, 3 respectively.  This method works well when there is priority to certain boxes, but not on others; or when certain boxes are meant to stay packed for storage (works well if a move is going to be short term).

Consecutive numbering method:  Number boxes with next number, inventorying its contents as you go.  This method works well if multiple room/area items are put into the same box--to use up box space and distribute weight between boxes or simply to pack as you go items that can be packed from multiple rooms.

Color or Letter method:  Each room has a color or letter.  Boxes that contain items that go with that room will be marked with the corresponding color or letter.  This method works well when wanting to unpack by area or room.

Combining methods:  combining any of the above methods (or other methods) like  Color + ABC/123 or # + ABC.  This method works well when want to unpack by room/area but also by priority or simply unpack numbered boxes by priority (see below inventory table for an example).

Inventories: Unless you like being driven mad with trying to find something or wondering if you have something, you will want to inventory your items--whether you are moving or not this is a good idea.  When packing a box, even if you write what is in the box on the box, it is still an excellent idea to write the contents on an actual household inventory list--you can alphabetize it or simply organize the inventory by box # or whatever, however it is done it is very helpful!

An example of a box inventory:  if doing by room color, simply color in the box with the number or next to it with the corresponding room color.

Box #/ABC	contents
1-A	frying pan, plates, bowls, cups, forks, knives, spoons
2-C	school year books, sport trophies
3-B	office files

Just one other kind of related suggestion:  Keep a camera with you--don't pack it away.  Why?  You will want to take pictures of the home you are leaving after your stuff is out of it, as well as the one you are moving into before your stuff is put into it--this is so that any damages can be noted by picture, but also so you have some good pictures of what the home looks like before/after you move.  Whether renting or buying I think taking pictures is a good idea so you have picture reference of it all.

Happy moving!  Remember make a plan, execute the plan and then enjoy the results the plan--an organized less stressful move.