There is a simple rule to go by and it goes like this, the more stuff you have to pack the more moving boxes and packing supplies you will need to buy. So to save money on you move before you start packing boxes read these 4 easy to follow tips:

1) Clean - Clean your home and were not just talking about using windex on the mirrors. Clean up the top and bottom of your closets and toss out (or donate) stuff you don’t wear like old shoes, sweaters and socks with holes in them.

2) Get rid of product casings - Some product casing boxes come in handy when packing such items as that Plasma TV. Then there are others items like  DVD or CD cases that just take up space. You can pack up 500 DVD/CD’s in one large CD binder (smaller binders are available too) and get rid of all those 100’s of extra cases that just take up space. Another example is vitamins, instead of taking dozens of different jars that take up space and may break, put your vitamins in zip lock bags or a large vitamin holder.

3) Use your soft items as protective moving supplies - Now its best to use moving supplies like bubble wrap but if you don’t have it try putting your fragile item between 2 soft pillows or between blankets.

4) Sell to friends - Yep thats what friends are for, to help you out. So if you got stuff you don’t want to pack (examples: cleaning supply, bathroom products, food in the fridge, can goods…you get the idea) ask your friend to buy them from you. Sure you may have to give them a discount but selling those 3 dozen campbell’s chunky soup cans and 2 dozen cans of chunk light tuna will make your packing faster and your will need less moving boxes.

Use the above as a start to get you going on saving when packing. Get creative and think outside the box because there are always creative ideas when packing boxes and ways to save on your move.

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“College Bound is a big step”. That is the understatement of the year. Shrinking your life down to a dorm room is like an overcrowded bottle for the genie. Reinventing your room at home for the first time in a foreign place, and keeping your belongings organized is essential for doing well in this new environment. Getting your garb to school can be one of the most exciting and stressful beginnings to the year. Get off on the right foot. Instead of shoving all your belongings into totes and trash bags, consider the moving box kits that are available thru many online companies. Moving companies are looking to make your move as seamless as possible; one less thing students need to stress about.

Moving boxes kits are custom made for the student leaving home to enter the bizarre world of dorm living. Kits can be bought pre-packaged with moving supplies or you can choose your moving boxes individually according to your specific needs. Most kits are pre-packaged based on the average amount of “stuff” that the new college student is taking with them to school. The world of moving boxes isn’t your mom’s pair of gym shorts. It’s calculated. It’s strategic. Moving companies have advanced with times and recognize that our possessions have changed. We don’t bring clunky computers to school, we bring laptops. We don’t bring monster televisions to school, we bring flat screens. (Well, admittedly, some of us still use the scrapper of a television, because let’s face it, we’re college students!) And all of us bring microwaves, because, well, Raman noodles are on the menu five out of seven days of the week.

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Among the more impressive and innovative boxes in the field, are the electronic box options. Based on the average size microwaves and televisions in American homes today, moving companies have transfigured what is most size appropriate box to transport your electronics in, including flat screen television sets, and the standard 19 inchers as well as the 27 inch televisions and microwaves. Virtually, nearly every electronic device in your home has a custom cardboard box out there to help get it from point “a” to point “b” without a wrinkle, dent or crease. (You may want to pay the extra four to five bucks for bubble wrap for peace of mind.)

Gone are the days of stuffing trash bags full of clothes. Modern moving boxes even include cardboard wardrobes with bars for hanging clothes; an easy transport from closet to box, to truck, to new closet. No need to wrestle with the monster of wire hangers that magically create a jungle gym rubric cube world within moments of placing them all in one area, or labor over folding all your hanged clothes and re-hanging them in their new abode. This one box sometimes called the “grand wardrobe box” eliminates the hassle and the tedious element of folding and hanging clothes.

In addition to having a solution to all your “stuff” problems, most companies will buy back any packing boxes that are not used, helping you save money in the event that you “box overstocked”. The capability to order moving supplies and cardboard boxes online is convenient as well as informative. When ordering online, however, just be careful to note that sales tax and shipping may not be quoted within the retail price. Start thinking outside the box and check into what is available to help make your move as organized and stress free as possible.

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Moving does not have to be as hairy as most of us imagine; piles of clutter being stuffed into oversize suitcases, improperly labeled moving boxes strewn across a havoc of chaos, and endless newspaper wrapping of fragile items. Current day companies have molded their services to better enhance the moving experience, reduce stress, and make a profit. Essentially, they’ve broken ground into a world of organization and categorization that fits any lifestyle from apartment dwellers to college dorm life. And if you properly assess your needs, these tools could greatly benefit the hauling experience. There is, surprisingly, a vast array of types of moving supplies available on the market today.

Moving companies have opened up their truck rental businesses to the wide world of moving boxes. Currently selling packing boxes in categorical forms, many companies can supply you with the average amount of cardboard boxes to move your kitchen safely and neatly through a “kitchen package” promotion. Kitchen package promotions will include the types of packing boxes needed for moving glassware, dishes, wine bottles, with cell dividers to avoid bumping, bruising, or the toe curling breaking. Be careful in reading the descriptions on which type of moving boxes you are investing in as some come with cell dividers and some do not. Buying boxes based on a room package in bulk can run fifty dollars and upwards, but buying cardboard boxes individually is also an option for the savvy mover.

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Who knew losing weight could happen from simply packing your personal stuff into moving boxes, but its true. Packing boxes is definitely a work out and the more things you have to pack the more of a work out it will be.

Some Examples of the exercises packing boxes provides you with are:

- When carrying your items from closets to your moving boxes, you will be doing lots of bending, squatting and walking which will be great for legs as well as a cardio workout.

- Using moving supplies such as bubble wrap and stretch wrap and wrapping each of your times one by one is a great arm work out.

-   Lifting your moving boxes and stacking them into the moving truck will be great upper body and arm workout plus cardio.

Just keep in mind that stretching is a good idea before or after packing boxes to ensure you don’t get injured as well as to reduce soreness the next day. So skip the gym during packing time and start to pack those moving boxes and burn away calories today.

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Ready to move? Don’t wait until the last minute to get things ready. To avoid stress and complications, make sure you have these 10 things ready at least a few days before moving day.

1. Enough moving supplies, including cardboard boxes, packing peanuts and tape to seal the boxes.

2. Moving blankets to wrap furniture and fragile items.

3. A list of useful phone numbers for your new location, including your own, the movers’ local office, takeout food and a hotel midway to your destination in case you need to spend a night on the road.

4. A small moving box containing essentials, such as toothpaste and toothbrush, a towel, toilet paper, a first-aid kit, a cup and other things you might need on your first night at your new home. Having this available means you won’t have to dig in ten different moving boxes to get you through your first night.

5. A book or magazine to help you relax. It helps to take short breaks in between packing/unpacking to calm your mind and rest your body.

6. A large bottle of water. You’re bound to get thirsty with all the work you’ll be doing.

7. A sleeping bag if you’re moving in winter. Do you really want to sleep on the floor when you first arrive? Chances are you won’t be putting your bed together on your first night in the new place.

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Once the kitchen moving boxes are packed, chances are you won’t be doing much cooking. During this time, it might be tempting to live on snacks and takeout food, but you run the risk of being low in energy if all you’re eating is junk. Instead, consider preparing in advance, so you can keep your energy up and your waist in shape during the moving process.

Wait until the last minute to disconnect electricity. That way you can keep a few bottles of cold water in the fridge. Save the beer to celebrate after you’re done moving. Alcohol can make you sleepy and lower your energy levels and concentration, both of which you need when planning a move.

Stock up on foods that don’t need refrigeration, especially if you have a long drive ahead of you. Cereal bars, individual raisin boxes, whole wheat crackers, fruit and pretzels are all good options. Pack a few containers of instant soup or noodles so you have a quick meal for your first night in your new home.

Don’t forget to eat. Keep your energy up by eating small portions of food every few hours, rather than starving all day and then having a huge dinner. Stopping to eat will also give you a chance to unwind for a few minutes.

Don’t forget Fido. Unless you’re flying and you can’t afford the extra weight, consider buying a bag of your pet’s food to bring along. It might take you a few days to locate a pet store in your new town and you might end up having to feed your dog a completely different brand. The stress of the move, coupled with a change in food and water, can cause diarrhea.

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Now that the move is over, it’s finally time to breathe. But before you settle in, you still have to unpack. Don’t rush into the project too quickly and too hard. Give yourself time to rest and relax from all the packing you’ve just been through. When you’re ready to unpack your moving boxes, take an organized approach.

Put each box in the room they belong in. Hopefully you’ve labeled the moving boxes with words like bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, etc. That way, you can open the box in the right room and don’t need to be carrying items all around the house to find their right spot.

Open the more important boxes first. Kitchen and bathroom are probably at the top of the list, since they will contain things you use on an everyday basis. You don’t need to start unpacking your clothes or book collection just yet.

As you unpack, put things away. Don’t pile them up on the floor or the couch. Unpack DVDs next to the TV table and put them away at once. Unpack your shoes next to your closet so you can organize them as you get them out of the moving boxes.

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If you suffer from allergies, the idea of dealing with dust might be a little scary. This is especially true when moving. You’ll have to spend some time cleaning your old place before you leave and you should spend an hour or two cleaning your new home. This will get rid of any potential chemicals or allergens that might have been left behind by the former tenants.

Here are some tips on how to deal with the cleaning and stay healthy (and sane).

1. Hire a cleaning service if at all possible. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a professional. Pay a friend or acquaintance or help or post an ad in Craigslist asking for one-time cleaning help. If hiring a stranger, ask for references before letting that person into your home.

2. Vacuum first. Get rid of the dust, pet hair and cigarette ashes that might be flying around or stuck to the furniture. Drapes, pillows and upholstery in general tend to attract dust, so make sure you vacuum those well. If possible, use a HEPA vacuum cleaner, which have filters to help improve the quality of the air in the room.

3. Open the windows. It will get rid of the smell of mold and clear the air, so you can breathe better.

4. Rent a steam cleaner for the rugs if the previous tenants own a pet. There’s likely to be some pet hair and dandruff embedded in there and you want to get rid of it completely to prevent allergy attacks.

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Professional movers have an unwritten 30-pound rule. This means cardboard boxes should not weigh more than 30 pounds. Heavier moving boxes are more likely to break and cause injury to those moving them.

If you have lots of electronics, take a picture of how the wiring is connected. It might seem like a simple thing, but connecting 10 different colored wires can turn into a headache, especially if you no longer have the original manuals. So before you take the items apart and box them, get a digital record of their connection.

Mark your packing boxes with permanent markers. Pens, pencils and thin markers can disappear if the moving boxes get wet. Even if the words are still there, you won’t be able to read the words that easily. If you have moving boxes marked “fragile,” you’ll want movers to be able to see the word clearly.

File your change of address with the post office at least 30 days before moving. Then write your new address on all the boxes. If for some reason they get separated from the rest, they can still be delivered to the right place.

Start early. Don’t wait until moving day to finish packing boxes. The boxes should be done, sealed and ready to go at least a day before. Preferably more, so you have a day to relax before the movers arrive. On moving day, wake up early and take a walk around the house to make sure everything’s ready to go.

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