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You have just bought a new Montclair home, and you are excited about moving in. Moving household goods has always been a challenge, whether you do it all on your own, or leave it totally in the hands of professional movers. No matter which way you go, moving costs build up as time is accumulated, so you want to save as much time as possible. Since professional movers charge you by the hour, and truck rentals are by the day, time is money, so here are some tips to save you both:
1. Measure Everything: Before you decide to take beds, sofas, tables, dining room tables and chairs, etc., measure exactly the sizes of each room that they will be going into, and then the chosen pieces you want to take.  Take the time to draw out a floor plan to assure yourself that there is room for each item, and there will be no crowding involved once they are placed in your new location.Â
2. Have A Family Plan To Pare Down Everything: The longer you have been in your home, the more everyone has accumulated. Many things are no longer useful, or are outdated, outgrown, or generally not worth keeping. More importantly, the question becomes whether or not you want to pay movers to take the time, and pay the money to move these items into your new home. To save family harmony during a stressful time, have each family member choose their most valuable items to keep, and then together make plans to donate the rest to charity, or, as an inducement, sell them at a garage sale, and use the money for some family fun.Â
3. Consider A Variety of Moving Containers: With a little advance planning, you can have a large amount of your moving done before the professional movers arrive. If you are able to move items into your new home before your actual moving date, you are well ahead. If not, start packing 1-2 weeks ahead of time, and use some creative thinking about what does or does not have to be placed in moving boxes. Professional moving boxes are expensive. Check out purchasing used or recycled boxes. Consider buying the very popular plastic storage boxes which will allow you to move many items in the very containers that you will ultimately store them in. Soft items like towels and sheets, children's stuffed animals, bedspreads, etc., can certainly be moved a short distance in very strong plastic bags. With a little imagination, you will save some serious moving costs.
4. Color Code Your Boxes: This may seem obvious, but since the home is often new to the family, friends and movers who will be helping you move, they can often only guess as to which boxes go where. So, while writing the destination on each box at the top and side is helpful, color coding them is even more so, and a much quicker format. Before packing anything, decide on a color code for each room in your home. Then, as you begin your packing, each individual room should have its own large colored square or circle placed on each box, which allows an immediate trip to the right room as soon as it arrives at the front door.Â
These are just a few suggestions. Once you get started, you will discover your own tricks to make moving day a bit more pleasant.Â
Posted by Bruce Wagg on
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