What's your best tip? Every single time I move it takes 6 months or more to get unpacked and settled in, and some boxes are full of things that should have been left behind anyway. How do you do it?

We use the opportunity to get rid of lots of stuff! We are ruthless so we can move light, it's cheaper and easier, too.

Then we work at not accumulating more stuff. Good luck in your move!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch

p.s. I've moved 19 times in the last 30 years, and only once did I regret getting rid of something, and I was able to replace it.

LOL That's my game plan. Moving a 3bedroom house WITH cake stuff and 2 kids in a sports car and a suburban. Furniture needs replaced anyway, so now's a good time, right?? He says I need a trailer also, but if I can go without it's more money for replacing things. Doesn't make sense to me to spend $300 to move $100 worth of stuff. Now to ferret out the good stuff versus "but I LOVE that" stuff that is never used. UGH!

My biggest problem is how to pack while still living here. I usually move within a distance that we can do it over a couple of days, but 1300 miles needs to be done in one trip.

Purge, purge, purge. Get rid of all the extra stuff that you really don't need, and ask yourself "Do I really want to pack this up and take it with me?" A local thrift store is a good place to get rid of a lot of the items you don't want to keep. Unless you want to have a garage sale, but it might be too cold to have one in your area. Pack up everything you won't be using anytime soon. Leave out only the essentials. Also label the boxes so you know what's in there in case you do need to get something out of them. It'll be easier to find things that way. Moving is a pain and there's really no easy way to do it. Just make it as organized as possible so it makes unpacking a whole lot easier. Good luck!

Zmama,

I feel your pain; I hate the packing and unpacking that relocating requires

Told my DH that we're selling the house furnished when he retires and we relocate!

Good luck

We move every 2-3 years except this move is only 10 months in between - I totally agree with all the purging stuff - especially the kids stuff - It is the perfect time to "blame" the movers for losing stuff!! Then when we get to the destination we do nothing until all of our boxes are unpacked and put away! If the stuff has not been used since our last move it is as good as gone! Usually I can guilt my husband into getting rid of stuff. We have a weight limit to adhere too so the extra stuff must go!!!