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Packing for a move is a herculean task, regardless of whether you plan to do the move yourself or hire one of the many interstate moving companies.  Hiring interstate moving companies takes some of the weight off your shoulders, as you get to leave transporting to someone else.  But you still have to be smart about how you pack.  Doing so will save you time, money and stress.

1.) Do not move things you no longer need.  Hold a garage sale or donate those items to an organization you know needs them.  As you pack, have a box or place set aside where you can collect those items.  Interstate moving companies will charge you for the time and resources it takes to move your belongings, so it benefits you to lighten your load.

2.) Start packing as soon as you know you are moving, even if you have not yet decided which of the interstate moving companies you plan to hire.  Packing always takes longer than you think. 

3.)  Tackle one room at a time, so you can stay on track.

4.)  Start with non essential items and things that are out of season.

5.)  Label every box with the contents and the room in which it belongs.  This will save time during unloading and makes the teams from interstate moving companies more efficient.

6.)  Think ahead regarding what you will need immediately when you move in.  Mark those boxes "open first" and with the contents.  This will save you time and money, so you do not have to run to the store for toiletries and cleaning supplies, for example.

7.)  Set aside suitcases that you and your family will live out of right before moving day and right after.  Have these ready a week before moving day.

8.)  Collect all personal files and other documentation and put them somewhere safe and in a place where they will not be accidentally moved.

9.)  Label furniture, artwork and appliances that are not to be moved.  The teams from interstate moving companies move fast and you cannot always catch everything as it is loaded onto the truck. 

10.)  Know and follow the rules of what you are allowed to pack (interstate moving companies give this list to all their customers).  For example, do not pack flammable liquids. 

11.)  Number all your boxes and make an inventory list as they are loaded and unloaded, so you can easily determine if something is missing. 

12.)  Ask what the insurance policy of the company you hire covers.  Obtain an additional policy, if necessary, to cover expensive items. 

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1-800-PACK-RAT as seen on Garage Mahal on the DIY network - hosted by Bill Goldberg in the "Pub Garage" episode.

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The more organized you are when you are undertaking storage and moving, the better the outcome. But that is much easier said than done. Moving can throw even the most organized household into chaos. Getting organized before you take on storage and moving is a commitment, but is well worth the effort in the long run. Here are some tips to help you on the road to an organized move:

1. Start planning as soon as you find out you have to move. The more time you have, the more organized you can be. Come up with a storage and moving to do list that you can follow and amend from now until moving day. Put everything you can think of on that list, no matter how trivial it seems now. When things get busy and hectic as you dismantle your house and get closer to your moving day, your very detailed storage and moving to do list will assure that you will not forget anything.

2. Get estimates from at least 3 different moving companies and rental agencies. Meet with any professional movers in person at your home, so they can provide an accurate estimate for the weight of your household goods. Visit any rental agencies or storage and moving facilities in person to see their portable storage units, rental equipment and storage areas. Book your professional moving company or rental agency at least 2 months prior to your move.

3. Get rid of things you do not need. Go through everything in your house and put aside those items to either donate or sell via a yard sale. Some people rent a portable unit from a storage and moving company and move those items directly into it. The organization to which you plan to donate can drive the truck directly to the portable unit and load from there. You can even hold a yard sale from there. Do not forget to call the storage and moving company to pick up the unit when it is empty.

4. It is never too early to pack. Begin packing non essential items as soon as you start writing your storage and moving to do list. That moving day will sneak up on you before you know it. If you plan to put a portion of your shipment in storage, pack those items first and move them to storage.

5. Label everything. Have loads of permanent markers and color coded tape handy, while you pack. Label the contents of every box and in what room the box belongs. You can take your organization a step further by tagging all boxes with tape color coded for each different room. It will be easy for you and the movers to see quickly where things belong and help you spot misplaced boxes.

6. Leave a few boxes for last minute items. You will want things like bed linens, toiletries and cleaning supplies readily available when you are unpacking. Label them clearly with "open first" so you can spot them.

7. Follow the storage and moving to do list you created when you first found out you were moving. Check items off that list and make sure there are no remaining tasks at the end of your moving day.

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