Household Moving: Stress Dealing

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

Q: Is there one thing you kept in mind to help see you through the stressful times? What was it and how did it help you?

Tara: Moving is stressful, no doubt. Something will go wrong, so just expect it from the beginning. No matter how much you plan, pray and prepare for a glitch-free move, it just isn’t going to happen. Anticipate at least one mini-disaster. Then, when it happens, you won’t feel so discouraged, and you can cross it off your list!

When Ron and I moved, we quit our jobs, sold our house, said goodbye to our hometown, tearfully hugged the loved ones and set out on the open road for Las Vegas, a city we’d visited once and knew only from the Travel Channel. We were temporarily jobless, homeless, friendless and had only the clothes on our backs and our most meaningful material possessions in the trunk of our Honda Civic. Yet, somehow, it was the best time of our lives!

Donna: It seemed like the more hassles (albeit minor hassles, but still hassles) I encountered, the more determined I became to make my move and start a new beginning. Moving brings momentum to your life and can lead you to all kinds of invigorating changes. The thought of a fresh start kept me sane during all the stress that led up to it.

For more information about keeping your wits about you – or knowing where you packed them – see Chapter 16: An Ocean of Emotion.

Order your e-book or softbound edition of 29 Days to a Smooth Move here.

Household Moving: Time & Pets

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

Q: Was there one certain problem that threw you? What was it and how did you solve it?

Tara: I totally underestimated the time it would take to pack our house.

Although we packed almost everything ahead of time, we made the huge mistake of saving some of the most complicated items for the bitter end. On Moving Day Eve, we persevered through the night and worked harder than we ever had as a team, not letting tape dispenser injuries or our charged emotions get the better of us.

Donna: Pets present their own problems, and how I was going to move my three cats across the country was a big concern. Like most pet owners, I think of Bart, Baby and That Crazy Frisbee as family members. First I worried about how I was going to get them to San Diego. (And, by the way, they are extremely well adjusted cats.) and then I worried how they would react once they got there. I probably didn’t choose the cheapest solution, but I made sure they were taken care of and arrived safe in San Diego.

Go to Chapter 20: Moving the Whole “Kitten” Kaboodle (Or Poochie Patoodle!) for more information about moving pets.

Order your e-book or softbound edition of 29 Days to a Smooth Move here.

Household Moving: Deep Breathing Helps

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

Q: What was the most intimidating part in moving?

Donna: For me, the most intimidating part was doing it all myself. Yes, I had supportive friends (like Tara) to help talk it up, pack it in and move it out, but there were plenty of times, usually late at night, where I had to dig deep and find the energy to keep on keeping on. In times of fear, I took a deep breath, gave myself a pep talk and reaffirmed why I decided to move and, yes, I could do it.

And, if nothing else, I repeated one saying that has seen me through much of life: This too shall pass!

For more information about sorting your stuff out for a more organized move-out, go to Chapter 9: Sort It Out Before You Pack It Up in 29 Days to a Smooth Move.

Order your e-book or softbound edition of the book here.

Household Moving: Saying Goodbye

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

Tara: Saying goodbye was the most emotional part of our moving experience. The daunting task of adequately bidding farewell to the only city we had ever lived in and to the friends and families that we loved so much was more difficult than packing, scheduling movers or selling our home. But, goodbyes are a necessary part of moving and, more often than not, you’ll end up wet-faced. Chalk it up to part of the moving experience!

For more about learning how to say goodbye, go to Chapter 17: Saying Goodbye—It’s a Family Affair in 29 Days to a Smooth Move.

Order your e-book or softbound edition of the book here.

Household Moving: More Expert Advice

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

Q: Why do you consider yourselves experts in moving?

Donna: Less than two years before I moved across the country, I first relocated from a 200-acre farm to a downtown apartment in Erie.

During both moves, I learned the benefits of having many, many, many boxes, several black markers and industrial-size rolls of bubble wrap. I also learned about the invigoration that comes with throwing things away, the importance of accepting help and the excitement of a fresh start.

But there’s more to moving than changing a physical location—there are also some heavy-duty emotional aspects. It’s important to get your grandmother’s Waterford Crystal moved in one piece, but it’s also vital to do some emotional work along with the physical work. Both Tara and I had our ups and downs with moving and will share our problems—and solutions—to help you with a smooth and easy emotional move!

For more information about sorting your stuff out for a more organized move-out, go to Chapter 9: Sort It Out Before You Pack It Up in 29 Days to a Smooth Move.

Order your e-book or softbound edition of the book here.

Household Moving: Expert Advice

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

Q: Why do you consider yourselves experts in moving?

Tara: Ron and I made the decision to move across the country on May 2, 2001. We put our house on the market June 1, gave our employers two weeks’ notice on June 15, logged off our computers for the last time on June 29 and drove out of Erie six days later.

In just 63 days, we managed to sell our home and a car, return every item we’d ever borrowed, pack six rooms, an attic, garage and basement, plan a cross-country trip, attend half a dozen gatherings in our honor and secure an apartment in Las Vegas. We lived to tell about it, and following the tips and techniques in this book, you will live through your adventure as well!

For more information about sorting your stuff out for a more organized move-out, go to Chapter 9: Sort It Out Before You Pack It Up in 29 Days to a Smooth Move.

Order your e-book or softbound edition of the book here.

Household Moving: Organization Is Key

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

Donna: Above all, the key to a smooth move is organization. Being organized will bring

• focus in the midst of chaos
• calmness in the center of panic and
• hope in times of despair.

Didn’t know moving would bring on more emotional drama than a daytime soap opera, did you?

Most of all, organization will help tame the procrastination beast. If you’re like most folks, you have a tendency to put off until tomorrow (or next week or next month) what could be done today. Heck, I’m like that, and I managed to move over 2,000 miles from Erie to San Diego and keep my wits about me.

Our book leads you to that light at the end of the tunnel. Follow our advice, and you will get your move done in good time and in good shape.

For more information about sorting your stuff out for a more organized move-out, go to Chapter 9: Sort It Out Before You Pack It Up in 29 Days to a Smooth Move.

Order your e-book or softbound edition here.

Household Moving: Important Points

Tara Maras & Donna Kozik, authors of 29 Days to a Smooth Move: A Complete Household Moving Manual give tips and hints for getting moving across town or across the country with ease.

To give you an idea of where we’re coming from (and gone to!) here’s some general moving information you need to know now—and where you can find the specifics.

Q: What’s the most important thing to keep in mind when conducting a “big move?”

Tara: First of all, don’t be fooled. Any move where you can’t stack your china in the back seat of the car and drive it safely to your new home in a matter of minutes and without breaking a sweat is a big move!

Whether across country or across town, moving is a huge deal. So it’s important to treat it as such from the get go.

When my husband, Ron, and I made the decision to move from Erie, Pa. to Las Vegas, Nev., we got serious before we got packing.

On the night we committed to the move, we had an “off-site” planning meeting at the local Borders Bookstore. Armed with a map, three-ring binder, calendar and two white mochas, we charted our course for the next two months. It was the beginning of our new beginning—and a great way to kickoff our adventure. I highly recommend an initial “off site” meeting to map out your plans.

Read more about ways initial planning can reduce your moving stress in the first chapter of 29 Days to A Smooth Move entitled: Get a Grip on Your Time.

Order your e-book or softbound edition here.

On the move? Pack smart with our tips.

Make the most of the space in your moving boxes with these tips:

* Use paperbacks to pad the sides of boxes with empty corners and spaces.
* Pack CDs vertically in boxes instead of stacking them flat.
* Prevent breakage by wrapping lids separately.
* Use an extra large box for lampshades and cushion them with soft pillows.
* Use rope to secure furniture doors and drawers since tape will damage wood.
* Pack dishes upright in double wall corrugated dish boxes with cell packs or dividers.
* Pack electronics in original boxes or wrap pieces in plastic bags and pack in heavy-duty boxes.
* Tape an “X” of masking tape across mirrors and pictures with glass before wrapping them in bubble wrap—it will keep the wrap from smudging the glass.
* Protect mirrors and pictures with corrugated corners.
* Wrap exposed furniture legs in bubble wrap or newsprint, wrap in furniture pads and tie securely.

More moving tips in your how-to moving manual: 29 Days To A Smooth Move. Visit www.29DaysToASmoothMove.com for more free hints and ordering information.