Moving is on a lot of people’s to-do lists as the economy improves, jobs change, schools let out and older people look to downsize. Make it a little simpler with some planning advice.
Lifehacker.com has a “start-to-finish guide for moving to a new place.” By Adam Dachis, this post is for do-it-yourselfers who want to — or must — take on the challenge of moving without professional help. Unless you’re relocating from a dorm room, it’s usually a really big job. But Dachis breaks it down into simple parts: preparation, packing, labeling, and moving in. Along the way, there are myriad issues, such as how to find cheap packing material, how to know if your stuff will fit in the new place, and how to talk a few, but not too many, friends into helping. tinyurl.com/starttofinishguide
Older people who need to move may face some overwhelming obstacles – including their reluctance to leave a familiar home, the challenges of downsizing, physical limitations, and expenses. The advice site Manilla.com (as in “manila folder”) has this post by Tara Chila, who recommends several steps that should ease the way. Among them is to seek out movers experienced with older customers. Chila suggests contacting something called the National Association of Senior Move Managers, or NASMM. Move managers can assist with holding yard sales and can make referrals to appropriate experienced movers. tinyurl.com/assistedlivingmoving
Here’s the website of the National Association of Senior Move Managers: www.nasmm.org
“Never again!” That’s what Adam Bluestein says many people promise themselves after a move. But life isn’t necessarily going to agree. So, what to do next time? Bluestein’s post at RealSimple.com lays out guidelines for deciding if the job at hand is too much for you and a pal to handle with a rental truck, or if the work needs to go to a full-service mover. He answers a lot of questions. For example: How many boxes will it take? An expert here says count on 100 cartons for a sparsely furnished three-bedroom home. tinyurl.com/somewhatstressless
The Moving Tips page at HowStuffWorks.com has links to dozens of articles. A list of things you need to do two months before moving includes getting movers’ estimates and making sure that their businesses are bonded and that you’ve checked them out with the Better Business Bureau. Sift your belongings for the junk you don’t need: “It can be hard to let things go, though, so you may need to go through each closet or storage space twice.” Under the heading “Let’s Hope Nothing Breaks: Do You Know How to Prepare for Professional Movers?” you can take a quick quiz to see how move-savvy you are. tinyurl.com/howstuffmoving
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