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an inventory: number your boxes and keep a list of what is in each box. If you have movers, you can tell them in which room to place each box, which really helps when unpacking later. Also if they lose stuff you can identify what is missing. Throw away or donate to charity anything you are not attached to, the less junk you take the better. Use this opportunity to de-clutter your life. Remember to reserve some clothing and supplies that you will need while traveling or immediately upon arrival, it's difficult to find exactly the right box when all the boxes look the same.

Stage Four: Leave your old place. After the movers come, throw a goodbye party and use it as an excuse to give away items you no longer need. Put little post-it stickies that say "Take Me Home" on everything you don't want anymore. Then take whatever remains to your favorite charity. Travel safely, and read a good book. It'll be your last chance to relax for a while!

Stage Five: Unpack and settle in. After you've arrived, make sure to leave at least a week to unpack fully and buy supplies before jumping into your new life. It is much easier to get organized and unpacked all at once, rather than let it drag out over weeks and months while simultaneously juggling your new job(s). Be sure to include in the budget an allowance for initial expenses: we referred to this as the soy sauce fund. Lots of items such as cleaning supplies, bath mats, kitty litter, spices, shampoo, etc. will likely be needed right off the bat. We budgeted around $1000 for this, spent more like $2500. That's a lot of soy sauce, but for a family of 4 (plus 1 cat) I learned it can't be done for much less. Plan for this ahead of time to avoid accumulating credit card debt.

Stage Six: Get Social! Throw a house warming party and invite your new neighbors and coworkers. What better way to get to know your new environment?

Throughout the moving process remain flexible, plan ahead, stick to a budget, and maintain a sense of perspective: it will all be over in a few more months. Good luck!

Learn more about this author, Alexia Schulz.
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