Having a garage sale before you move can not only earn you some money to help you pay for the moving expenses such as moving boxes, but it can also save you the cost of moving heavy equipment. If you’re thinking about setting up a garage sale, these are just some of the things you should consider selling rather than moving:

• Large appliances such as refrigerator, washer and dryer and freezer
• Fireplace screens and tools (even if you have a fireplace in the new home, chances are it will be a different size)
• Chandeliers
• Shelving systems
• Workout equipment such as treadmills
• Paints, lighter fluids and even butane tanks used in camping stoves
• Pool table (unless you’re willing to pay for special handling)
• Firewood
• Swing set or playground equipment, including sandboxes
• Holiday decorations (unless Christmas is next week and you won’t have time to replace the tree)
• CDs and DVDs (take just the few you truly love)
• Toys (especially if your kids have outgrown them)
• Furniture that doesn’t match the color or style of your new home, unless you plan on reupholstering or repainting everything

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If you don’t love it, don’t pack it into the cardboard moving boxes to begin with. Moving stuff is expensive and if you can easily and cheaply replace something once you arrive, then don’t take it along.

1. Wardrobe moving boxes can become heavy when packed to the brim. Be ruthless when going through your clothes. If it doesn’t fit, you don’t love the color or you haven’t worn it in over a year, toss it instead of packing boxes with it.
2. Other things that make no sense to pack into moving boxes and take along (unless they have sentimental value or they’re antiques): rugs, workout equipment, handyman tools, playground equipment, heavy furniture and CDs and DVDs that you don’t plan on watching again anytime soon.
3. Don’t pack anything moving boxes that may be difficult to insure or may affect your claims. This includes items forbidden by moving companies, such as flammable items, aerosol cans, frozen foods and valuable paperwork. They should be either left behind or carry in smaller moving boxes that can fit in your own car.
4. Buy your packing boxes and moving supplies well in advance and pack with time. This will allow you to throw away whatever you don’t want or need and to donate things that still a useful life but you no longer need.

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If you can’t afford to completely redo a room, there are still things you can do change its look and feel. Most of these changes will cost you under $50 and some will cost you nothing at all.

• Paint the room. Choose a contrasting color to the one you had before, so it’s truly noticeable. If you can’t afford to buy paint for the whole room, paint one wall in a vibrant color and make that wall the center of the room.
• Change the curtains. A lively, flowery curtain will give the room a completely different feel than heavy drapery would. Play with options or choose whatever is on sale.
• Cover the floor with a rug. Simple rugs can be found at discount stores for as little as $20-30. Don’t worry about covering the whole floor either. Just place it in the center of the room or in the area you want to accentuate.
• Move the furniture. Simply changing things around will make the room feel different. You can also switch pieces of furniture with something from other room or use a side table as a nighttable or vice versa.
• Hang art on the walls. You won’t be able to afford a one-of-a-kind painting for $50 but places like IKEA sell posters ready-to-frame that look like the real thing.

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Whether starting to pack for your move or storing the moving supplies for a while, keeping your moving boxes in perfect condition will ensure that your valuables will make to their destination in one piece.

• Don’t put your moving boxes together until you’re ready to fill them up. Until then, store them flat and against a wall or other structure. This will prevent the moving boxes from bending or breaking.
• Always fill up moving boxes all the way to the top. Empty spaces can cause the moving boxes to crush, not only risking the items inside but also ruining the box itself. If you can’t fill out the cardboard boxes with items, fill the remaining space with moving supplies such as crumbled up packing paper, bubble wrap or house hold items such as towels or sheets, which will act as extra padding.
• When stacking up moving boxes, put the heaviest at the bottom to prevent crushing lighter cardboard boxes.
• Store your packing boxes in a dry environment. Humidity can not only ruin the items inside the box, but it can weaken the cardboard boxes and cause it to break open.
• Distribute weight evenly inside the moving boxes. This will make them easier to pick up and less likely to give out because of the weight.

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If you have a spare bedroom in your home, chances are is turning (or already has) into a catch-all room, where all the extras goes and no real order can ever be made of anything. If that’s the case, don’t despair. You can rescue the bedroom and convert it into an useful, organized room.

The simplest idea is to turn the room into a guest bedroom. This requires no additional purchases (providing you already had a bed and wardrobe or chest drawer in there). Clean up the items you don’t need, pack up clothing or seasonal decorations and you’re ready to have company over.

The second most useful idea may be to turn the room into a home office. Even if you don’t work from home, you can still use an office to help you organize paperwork and bills, to spend some time reading alone or to store the computer and other office equipment. An office needs a desk, a comfortable chair and a shelving unit or drawers to organize office supplies and other extras.

If you have kids, making the room into a playroom will allow the kids to play at their hearts’ content without you having to worry about seeing toys strung over the whole house. If company shows up, you can simply close the door and not worry about the mess. Also, having a specific room designated as a playroom will make it easier to child-proof and make sure it’s safe and free of sharp corners or dangers when the kids are jumping around.

If you need a storage room and there’s nowhere else your stuff can be relegated to, you can use the bedroom as storage, as long as you find a way to do it cleverly. Buy cardboard boxes or plastic containers where you can divide and store things according to season or use. Cupboards and drawer systems will take care of paperwork and other flat items, while you can use hanging bags to store out-of-season clothing or sport equipment. If you organize it well enough, there’s no reason why the room couldn’t serve as both storage and bedroom or office.

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If you thought packing and moving was stressful, you should wait and see what the unpacking is all about. To make that last step bearable, follow this simple rules:

1. If you remove hardware from furniture or other household items, place them into small Ziploc bags and then tape the bag to the item itself. Or place a label on the bag and write (with a permanent marker) what the items are for.
2. Unpack your beds first, so you can turn in quickly when fatigue or stress set in. As an alternative, bring an air mattress or a sleeping bag with you, so you don’t have to do the heavy work on your first day.
3. Pack moving boxes by room and clearly label them as Kitchen, Bathroom, etc. That will make it easier to locate the items you need once you arrive.
4. Pack essentials to help you get through the first day or two in a separate piece of luggage that you’re planning on taking with you. Include a change of clothes, personal toiletry items, a book or magazine, medication and any other item you need on a daily basis. You don’t want to be digging around in boxes to find your toothbrush on your first night.
5. Move a day later than your lease starts. This will allow you to get to the house before your boxes arrive and get the place ready by quickly moping the floors, airing the rooms or turning on the fridge. Little things you can do in advance mean less things to do on moving day.

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1. Place heavy items at the bottom of the moving boxes and lighter items on top, even if they’re made of resistant material. This will ensure that they’re not crushed or broken by the weight.
2. Tape the bottom of the moving boxes to ensure that they don’t open or break during transport, risking the contents. Tape the top to prevent moving boxes from opening and the contents spilling.
3. Use lots of bubble wrap or foam pellets around fragile items. The more, the better. Larger items can also be wrapped with a moving blanket to prevent scratches or chips.
4. Make sure cardboard boxes are not underfilled, as this can cause them to crush when piled. If there’s empty space at the top, use it to pack blankets, towels or other cushioning items that can play double duty and provide additional protection.
5. Clearly label the moving boxes as Fragile. Use waterproof markers or better yet, buy red stickers with the word Fragile on them, which are easier to spot even at a distance.

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One cost you may not be aware when moving is repacking. Every company has the right to check your moving boxes and larger items to ensure they are properly packed. This is a way for them to protect themselves against insurance claims that arise because an improperly-packed article broke during transport.

If the company establishes that your items are not properly packed or protected, they may ask you to repack. However, if time is tight and the inspection doesn’t happen until the moving boxes are already on the moving truck, you may be charged a repacking fee for packing boxes or items like this.

To avoid this, make sure your items are secured and properly placed inside moving boxes. Larger items should be covered with moving blankets or bubble wrap that has been taped in place to prevent movement.

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If your house is in complete chaos, the idea of making sense of it all may seem overwhelming. However, there are some basic things you can do to get started in organizing and cleaning up your home.

STEP ONE: Prioritize

Look at what needs to be done and make a list with two columns: big changes and small ones. Big changes will include anything that requires purchasing furniture or driving to the library to donate a pile of books. Small changes will include organizing the kitchen drawers or clearing up the desk.

STEP TWO: Do it one room at the time

Things will get overwhelming fast if you think about everything that needs to be done. Choose one room and get to work on that one. Only move to the next one when you’re done or when the next step requires you to buy something or go out of the house. Start with the rooms that you use the most.

STEP THREE: Separate into piles

Divide everything that is lying around into three piles: everyday or often use, used seasonally, never used. Anything that goes into the third pile should automatically be put aside to donate or throw away.

STEP FOUR: Be ruthless

Discard anything that you don’t truly love, won’t use or is broken, especially if you already have a replacement and are just holding on to the older item “just in case it can be repaired one day.” It won’t, so let it go.

STEP FIVE: Find appropriate storing

Things will never be organized if you don’t have a proper place to store them. Whether it’s shelves, cardboard boxes or full pieces of furniture, having storage space means you’ll be more likely to put things away, rather than letting them pile in the corners.

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