There is an art to moving. Some pack up and move maybe once in a
lifetime. Others are well versed at the
repeated use of cardboard boxes, packing tape, and the need to “lift with your
legs.” As with many things, there are
steps you can take to make the grand task of moving easier on you and your
family.
First, have a plan. Throwing a mix of things into boxes just
because they seem to fit can make for some head-scratching unpacking. Prioritizing how you pack up and load out can
streamline the process of unloading and unpacking.
Use a lettered priority system,
along with a detailed box labeling system.
Tape a white piece of paper to each box top. Mark a large letter in the corner of the
paper to immediately indicate the priority of the box from “A” to “D.” Write the details of the box contents on the
page for easy hunting. “A’s” are your
top-priority, need-right-away items.
Pack an “A” box for each room.
The kitchen “A” box has one of each basic for everyone that can be
unpacked right away for the first quick and easy meal in your new place. This includes a plate, glass, and set of
silverware for each person, plus paper napkins, paper towels, soap, kitchen
shears, a couple of dish towels, and your essential appliances like the coffee
maker and maybe the toaster. Each
bedroom “A” box has a pillow, set of sheets, a blanket, and towels for each
person in that room. An “A” box for
cleaning supplies helps you locate the supplies you will need right away to get
settled, which includes hand soaps and shower gel for each bathroom.
“B” boxes are the remaining
quantities of the limited items you put in your “A” boxes: kitchenware, small
appliances, more towels, bathroom rugs, shower curtains, pillows, blankets,
comforters, and lamps. “C” boxes are the
next step down in priority, which includes wall art, decorative pieces, extra
linens, and non-everyday kitchen items like bakeware and serving pieces. “D” boxes are things that may stay in storage
in your garage, like keepsakes, tools, and lawn care products.
When you pack out your original
home, you pack from “D” to “A” for your own convenience in what you use from
the least to the most. When you unpack
in your new place, you unpack from “A” to “D.”
When your boxes are clearly labeled and have proper details written on
each box top page, you can find just about anything quickly and easily. When you have unpacked and thrown away the
box top pages, you can break down the cardboard boxes and store at least some
of them flat to be used in the future, and they are not written on. That makes reuse much easier.
Use this tested-and-approved
system of mine for an organized move that gets you out of one place and into a
new spot in a most simplified way. Now
you just need to enlist the help of others who know to “lift with their legs” .
. .
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star March 25th.
