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Any huge job can be broken down into baby steps. If you tackle a job a bit at a time, it's not as overwhelming. There are two sides to the moving adventure: the actual physical packing and unpacking and the emotional drama of change.

Physically, start by packing up the stuff you already have in storage, and number your boxes as you go. As you work your way around your house, the stuff you need and use more often will be in the last boxes you pack, and will have the highest numbers. Then, when you get to your new home, unpack starting with the highest number so you can get at the stuff you need immediately.

But before you pack that #1 box in the back of your closet, ask yourself: Do I really want to move you? Is it something that you love? Is it costing you money to box it and move it? Donate it somewhere! Lots of places will even come to your house and haul away truckloads. Don't move junk with you!

Besides numbers, color code your boxes according to room. Then, at your new place, stick that color up over the door to the room and the movers won't need you holding their hand to tell them where every box needs to go.

DO buy good quality boxes and packing materials. But also remember, clothes are a GREAT substitute for bubble-wrap. Wrap dishes from the kitchen in dishtowels, wrap breakable knick-knacks from the bedroom (just the ones that make you smile, donate the ones you never really liked in the first place!) in T-shirts, use the bathroom towels to wrap the picture frames from the front room... you get the idea.

Emotionally, start having conversations with your family as soon as you know moving is a reality. Remember to acknowledge both sides of the picture: change can be fun and exciting, AND scary and sad. Allow children and teenagers time with friends that they won't be seeing in person for a while. Respect their decisions on how to spend that time. YOU may think of your teenager, "You're never going to see them again and all you want to do is watch a movie together? Aren't you going to talk or anything?" But sitting side by side just knowing the other one is there may be JUST what they'll miss the most.

Find out about the new place you're going. Discover what tourists love (and don't love) about the new-to-you spot. Find a pen-pal online. If you have school-age children, contact the new school as soon as possible and arrange a pen-pal from three then your child will have a friend before they ever walk in the school doors on their first, scary day, and it won't be so scary.

Don't forget about yourself. Get a map of your new place and locate the grocery store and gas station closest to your new home. And in all of your packing and planning, remember to rest, put your feet up and celebrate where you are at that moment.

Learn more about this author, Allison Claridge.
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