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Clutter

So, start with organizing and categorizing each item in to one of the following groups.

• Trash
• Give away
• Yard Sale
• Storage
• Daily use

When packing, always mark clearly on each box what's packed inside and what room it came from. Then later, you can assign it a destination room in your new home.

Great Opportunities:

• Weed-out items we no longer wish to keep or store
• Store the items that are out, but no longer in everyday use.

Organizing your packing will make the moving process much faster. You won't have boxes spread all over the house in every single room and closet. You'll have more empty spaces then full ones. It's never too early to begin packing for a move.

Things To Remember

• Items are not equivalent to memories of the person who gave them to you.
• Pruning items with an emotional attachment can be very difficult. Consider carefully if you need the item to have the memory or emotionally attachment.
• If you’re not sure, consider storing items on a trial basis, or giving them to another family member for safekeeping.
• If you really feel the need to keep an item, don’t fight it.
• Get rid of old clothing even if it is the size you used to be and hope to return to. Instead, think about rewarding yourself with a new item.
• Don’t force yourself to keep sets if you only use part of the set. If you cannot break up a set, at least store the portions you don't use.
• Keeping things just because you might need them someday may seem like a good reason for stuffing your closets. Remind yourself that what you really need is space and organization.

Moving puts a strain on your family’s emotions, and with it comes finance concerns. This drains energy and can create stress, if it's not planned well.

Don’t put it off – Start sooner – Not last minute – Start with a plan!

A natural human tendency is to put off what you don’t want to deal with or are not good at, just like taxes; nobody likes it, but everybody has to do it and the same can be said for moving. A busy mind tends to keep focused on the task at hand: planning and packing can create some exhilarating expectations of the future. Waiting until the last minute creates undo stress and tends to produce an experience that is emotionally draining and physically more exhausting than it should be. You start to focus on the questions and not the answers: Will things go well?   Will you be able to successfully meet the challenges in front of you?   Moving always takes time and effort. It takes effort to deal with a new community, friends, and schools. Remember, everyone in the family will be affected by the move and keeping busy is the best possible scenario to overcome the stress.

• Have a plan.
• Get help from Friends and Family
• Keep realistic goals
• Don’t worry about the small stuff.
• (Oh, everything is the small stuff)
• When emotions run high, try to get busy and keep focused – light a scented candle – play your favorite music.
• Remember, just because you are moving, doesn't mean that old relationships cannot continue.
• Let people know that they are appreciated and that they matter to you.
• Be open to new circumstances.

TIP: Make small steps – but make progress - Having four out of ten cabinets empty in the kitchen will help you to feel that you have been productive and don’t have as much to do in the future. This lessens the overall intensity of the big job.
Moving puts a strain on your family’s emotions, and with it comes finance concerns. This drains energy and can create stress, if it's not planned well.