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Let's Get Moving

Having just gone through the process of moving house, I thought moving would be a good subject to touch upon.  We had an unusually long time period to prepare for our move - 5 months!  Most closings take place in 6-8 weeks.  Our buyers weren't in a rush, and neither were we - so we agreed to put off closing until springtime.  Since we had managed to fill our (former) 3500+ sf house, including the basement and the attic, with stuff -- it was good to have time to sort through everything. Here are the steps I would recommend in preparing for your move: 1.  Go through the entire house and decide which items you want to sell, which you want to recycle and which you want to keep.  It may be a good idea to use color coded stickers to help you remember which items are destined for which location. 2.  For the items you want to sell, I had good results with Craigs List.  I spent some time on Ebay and Craigslist researching pricing for the items before I listed them.  Be prepared to lose money on most items - resale value for furniture (aside from valuable antiques) isn't great. 3.  Check out the Northampton DPW website for a list of recycling events for items you want to get rid of - while avoiding the landfill if possible. 4.  If you have an overwhelming number of items to rid yourself of, it may be a good idea to contact a local auction house to see what they might be willing to take, and for what commission.  We worked with Kimballs Auction House. 5.  For clothing in good condition, the local consignment stores in town are a great resource.  For clothing that may have less retail value, Goodwill, Salvation Army and The Hartsprings Foundation are all great.  Hartsprings does street side pick up in many Northampton neighborhoods. 6.  Once you have found a home for all of the items you want to get rid of, it's time to start packing.  We got quotes from 3-4 local movers.  I would say that price isn't the only component to consider, I would recommend going with the company which has the best reviews. 7.  Advice on packing.... One Room At A Time!  Try to set a realistic time schedule for your self.  Perhaps one room per day? 8.  LABEL YOUR BOXES CLEARLY!  Make sure your movers put proper boxes in the proper rooms when they reach the new location - this way you avoid having to RE-move the boxes once you get there. 9.  Do a lot of deep breathing, try to get enough sleep, don't take it out on your partner when you get irritated : ) Enjoy your new home!