My Functional Yet Space-Saving Home Office Furniture

With a little savvy planning, moving doesn't have to be a chaotic event. Here are seven packing tips for a stress-free relocation:

1. Sort Your Stuff.  It's a fact: "stuff" accumulates quickly and you probably have more than you realize. Before you begin packing, take a good look at all your stuff and decide what to sell, what to give away, and what to keep. A good rule of thumb is if you haven't used it in a year, sell it or give it away.
2. Numbers & Memo Pads.  A memo pad will be your best friend on the other end of the move. As you pack each box, number it and jot down the box's contents in your memo pad so you can quickly locate things in the new house.
3. Color Code.  Choose a different color duct tape for each room of the house. Seal the top of each box with the color of the room it goes into. On the inside cover of your memo pad, label a small piece of each color tape so you remember which color goes to which room. When you get to the new house, mark each room with a piece of tape so the movers will know where to put each box.
4. Protect Fragile Items.  You've got to pack all those towels and sheets anyway, so use them to wrap fragile china and collectibles. Glasses and cups can be tucked into socks, and dishes can be cushioned with paper plates or washcloths.
5. Hanging Clothes.  There's no need to take all those hanging clothes off their hangers. Simply zip-tie a group of a dozen or so hangers together and slip a trash bag up over the clothing, tying the bag closed around the hangers. Many moving trucks have bars to hang the clothing on, so it will be easy to unload directly into your closets on the other end of the move.
6. Nuts and Bolts.  Shelving and some furniture needs to be disassembled in order to move it, and you don't want to lose those important little pieces to put it back together. As you disassemble each piece, put the nuts and bolts into a baggie and use a permanent marker to label the bag. Rather than taping bags to the furniture, where they could get snagged on something and lost, set aside one backpack to hold the bags of parts and other moving essentials you'll need at the new house.
7. Last In, First Out.  Since you've been numbering your boxes as you pack you'll know that the higher the number on the box, the more you use its contents. Unpack your high-numbered boxes first to quickly set up the most important parts of your new home.

These seven packing tips will make the unpacking part of your move easier so you can quickly get settled and back to your daily routine. For more information, or if you would like professional assistance, contact Bekins Van Lines Inc. or a similar company.