| Estimating Needs |
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Okay, so how much of this superfluous junk are you going to lug out to the trailer yourself? Of course, you can hire to have any or all of it done, from packing to loading. But consider how much of it you can lug before lifting your wallet. Moving Tips Plan ahead. If you have the information, sketch a floor plan and decide upon furniture placement. If something won't fit, don't go to the expense of moving it. Even if you're not Arnold Swartzinwhatever, you'd be surprised how much of the packing and loading you can do yourself with a little know-how. But let's be smart about this. Moving a household full of heavy boxes, furniture, and appliances takes strength and stamina, even with the help of a few advanced techniques. If you're in good health, are you in good condition? Make an honest appraisal of your physical abilities. Maybe you can carry lots of boxes and smaller items, but feel virtually useless for moving large furniture and appliances. If so, start planning now to have a couple of big, hairy persons of whatever gender on hand to give a hand. So, how many boxes are you going to need for your move? Here's a cool chart for estimating how much stuff you have, how many boxes you'll need, and what supplies are necessary to get it all shoved into the moving vehicle. Figure basements and storage buildings separately. These recommendations are just a starting point. They are averages. You may need more or fewer boxes than estimated here. You'll probably also need wrapping material, such as bubble wrap, packing peanuts, cream cheese, and/or newspaper. In many cases you can also use towels, blankets, and other linens as some of your packing material. Old coats are okay as long as the buttons or zippers don't scratch anything. Size of Your Home Boxes Supplies small apartment (250 sq. ft.)8 small boxes 1 roll tape 1-2 rooms 4 medium boxes 1 roll tape 1-2 bedroom 15 small boxes 2 rolls tape 2-3 bedroom 20 small boxes 4 rolls tape 3-4 bedroom 30 small boxes 5 rolls tape 4 or more bedrooms 40 small boxes 6 rolls tape For folks who haven't the foggiest notion of how many square (or any other shape of) feet their abode contains: multiply the width of the entire living area by the depth. A 24 X 24 apartment has 576 square feet. A 75 X 90 home has too many square feet (6,750) to clean! Making Your Moving Make a room-by-room inventory of the goods you need to move. A couple of hours making an inventory will help you enormously in your planning and budgeting. Want to get more specific, you say? Well, here's a more comprehensive chart of how much space stuff will take. Use the third column to add up the number of cubic feet of space you'll need in your moving vehicle(s). A cubic foot is simply a square foot (width times depth) times the height (1 X 1 X 1 is 1 cubic foot). Cubic feet is a standard measure for moving, whether you're a do-it-yourselfer or a professional mover. Approximate Number of Cubic Feet by Item Living Room Book shelves 5 Bookcase (3 x 6 foot) 15 Chair—arm 10 Chair—recliner 20 Chair—rocker 12 Couch 30-40 Desk 20-40 Fireplace Equip. 5 Grandfather clock 20 Lamp—table 2 Lamp—floor 3 Magazine rack 2 Piano, upright 50-70 Stereo components 3 Stereo console 20 Table—coffee/end 4 TV—console 15 TV—portable 10 Kitchen/Dining Room Bar—portable 15 Buffet 20-30 Cabinet 20-30 Chair 5 China cabinet 25 High chair 3 Hutch 25 Stool 3 Table 10-20 Bedroom Bed—king 75 Bed—queen 55 Bed—double 45 Bed—single 30 Bed—water 20 Cedar chest 10-15 Chair 4 Chest/dresser 20-30 Night table 5 Wardrobe/armoire 35 Children's Room Bassinet 4 Bed—youth 20 Changing table 5 Cradle 5 Crib 10 Playpen 6 Toy chest 5 Major Appliances Air conditioner 15 Dishwasher 15 Dehumidifier 10 Clothes Dryer 25 Freezer, chest or upright45-60 Microwave 5 Range 25 Refrigerator 40 Sewing Machine 10 Vacuum Cleaner 5 Washing Machine 25 Home Office Bookcase 10-20 Computer 5 Filing Cabinet 8 Garage/Outdoor Barbecue 5-10 Bicycle 6 Canoe 50 Garden cart 5 Hose and tools 10 Golf Bag 2 Lawn chair 3 Lawn mower 7 Lawn swing/glider 20 Picnic table 25 Sandbox 10 Stepladder 5 Swing set 20 Tool chest 3-10 Tricycle 4 Wagon 5 Wheelbarrow 7 You've estimated the number of boxes and other stuff you'll be moving. Congratulations! Now what? Add up the cubic feet of these items to get a good estimate of the size of the moving load you will have. Should your household include hobbies (like collecting Greek statuary) or a business (like selling Greek statuary) with an inventory, these will anywhere from slightly to greatly increase the load. How much packing material should you plan on getting? The best packing materials are available through your mover or through a rental truck company. They will offer square cartons in several sizes, as well as many specialty cartons. You can purchase dish packs, wardrobe boxes, mirror packs, tape, straps or rope, and even a lock for securing your items once they are all loaded into the truck or trailer. Moving Tips Rent a truck or trailer that will hold all your possessions without much extra space. Unless your move is very short, it is usually more economical to make your move in one trip, rather than use a smaller vehicle and several trips. How many boxes will you need? Wardrobes? Rolls of tape? Unless the supplier is far from your home, remember that you can always purchase more supplies if you run out. Also remember that some moving services will buy back unused materials at full price. Back Savers When you buy packing materials, ask whether the supplier will buy back unused materials. Most will. You may even be able to sell most of the boxes to a moving company after your move is completed and everything unpacked. If you move often and have the space, break the boxes down and store them for the next move. Many families that relocate frequently use those sturdy moving boxes many times over. Another way to save on moving supplies is to purchase used boxes when available from your truck rental or moving company. Make a few phone calls. Good used boxes are just as sturdy and usable as new. Share:                
                         
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