How to make moving stress-free
Moving has a tendency to get a little hectic, what with an often compressed time frame, lots of stuff to keep track of, and usually, quite a few other things on your mind at the same time. It’s important to remember that, eventually, you’ll be finished with even the most complex of moves – your stuff will get from point A to point B, you’ll unpack all your boxes and you’ll be able to start building memories in your new home. But keeping your mind on the end goal is a lot easier if the steps to get you there are well organized and stress-free.
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To keep your move from feeling overwhelming instead of exciting, make sure you have a plan for how to stay organized at all three key stages of your move – packing, moving all your boxes from the old location to the new one, and unpacking.
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While you’re packing
Label boxes with Post-it® Super Sticky Full Adhesive Notes and mark which room you want them to go to in your new apartment or house. You can also, rather than labeling each note, create a simple color-coding system by choosing a color for each of the destination rooms and creating a key to remember which one is which. (To create a key, just stick one note of each color in a notebook or on a sheet of paper, and label it with the name of the appropriate room.)
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While you’re moving
As you’re loading the truck, keep a tally of how many boxes belong to each room. When you’re done, make sure to mark the final total on a separate sheet of paper or in your moving notebook. That way, when you get to your destination and unload, you can make sure the correct number of boxes comes off the truck – and, if there’s one missing, you’ll be able to tell where it came from (and what might be in it).
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While you’re unpacking
Use your color-coded notes to unload boxes into the rooms where they need to be unpacked. Once you start unpacking, save at least one box with the right color note on it for items that may need to be put into storage or kept in a closet, and repack those items as necessary. Then, when you put the box away, you’ll know what room its contents belong to.
Remember, in the midst of all the chaos, to take a moment to re-examine the things that have become part of your life, appreciate the memories of the place you’re moving from and savor the excitement of creating a new home.
