Moving Madness Diary: Week Four To-do's

The moving madness continues! The last week has been busy on the job-search front, as well as getting back into the swing of things nannying. Having accomplished everything in the last moving-related blog post, this week has seen some further progress. With only about a month until moving day, I was able to actually begin packing and cleaned out some further spaces. Let's keep moving!

Gather your supplies

Having reserved your UHAUL, movers and/or cleaning service, it's time to buy some moving supplies. I have some boxes left over from the last time I moved, so I will be re-using the ones I have. If you don't have boxes already, investigate each room and guess how many boxes you think you may need. Buy this many boxes to start with, along with plenty of tape and Sharpies. While I am using the same tape for all my boxes, you may consider buying tape in multiple colors, if you have a larger space you are moving. Assign each room a different color and tape the boxes from that room with the specified color. This will save time moving into your new place, as you will know what goes where without having to read a handwritten label or open the box. Having color-coded the boxes, write a quick summary of the contents of each box on the lid, along with the date. If you need to find something that is already packed, it's then easier to figure out what box it is in.

Clean the Forgotten Spaces

Continue the cleaning this week with spaces that are usually forgotten, or gather a lot of clutter. This week I tackled my makeup and body care collection, the linen closet, and the bathroom. I tend to save makeup and beauty products long after they should be thrown away, so moving has offered the perfect opportunity to assess what I have. While you may not be a product hoarder like me, focus on a group of items that need to be pared down. Throw away what you don't need anymore. Keep out the items from that collection that you foresee yourself using in the next three weeks. I have kept out my makeup bag with some favorites and packed or purged everything else. In the bathroom, I focused on throwing out expired or unused medication and old hair products. The only things left under the sink or in the medicine cabinet are those that will continue to be used until moving day. Pretend you are going on a trip and only leave out the products you would need for the 3-week duration. 

Start Packing...

With your supplies in hand, start packing everything you don't foresee yourself using before moving day. This should include the toiletries and bathroom products from the to-do above. After tackling the bathroom, I began packing my books and DVDs. While I have left out a few to use until moving day, the majority of the collection can be packed now. Be realistic with yourself about what you will actually use. If you feel unsure about packing something, leave the box untaped and see how it goes. If it hasn't been used by the end of week 4, tape that box! Try to pack one box a day, at minimum. Beginning the packing slowly will ease you into the process and prevent you from being overwhelmed as moving day looms closer.

Stay tuned for my progress during Week Three and further tips. Have a good week and happy moving!