How to Pack for a Move

Finding and moving to a new home is exciting. Packing up and leaving your old one is not. Simplify the process with these tips for packing . . .

1. Get rid of it. Piling stuff you don't need into boxes is ultimately a huge waste of time, money and moving day manpower. Before you start packing, get your junk under control. Go room by room and commit to selling, donating or trashing at least 20% of what you own.

2. Clean up. Once you've shed the excess, give everything in your house a thorough cleaning. You'll be glad to unpack clean, dust free items after the move.

3. Go shopping. For moving supplies. Figure out how many boxes as well as various shapes and sizes you will need for each room. Remember that smaller, lighter boxes are easier to carry than large, overloaded ones. Don't forget the packing paper, bubble wrap, tape and markers for labeling. Ask local stores for extra boxes (wholesale and liquor stores have tons) to save money!

4. Create a system. Make a packing plan and schedule. If possible, pack up an entire room every 2-3 days. In a hurry? Get some pizza and wine and invite friends over for a packing party. Find an out of the way place in each room to store boxes until the big day.

5. Wrap delicates. Even if your move is a close one, carefully wrap fragile items in bubble wrap. If you have an irreplaceable favorite, consider carrying it with you rather than packing it.

6. Label everything. Unpacking is simpler when every box is labeled. Label the box with contents as well as the appropriate room. This makes moving day and unpacking much faster.

7. Give yourself a break. Organization will keep you sane, but if you end up with a miscellaneous box containing a toaster, basketball and stapler, it's not the end of the world!

8. Leave it to the experts. If you are hiring movers, let them put the finishing touches on packing - especially things like bulky furniture and your flat-screen TV.

9. Save a box. Once everything is cleared out, you're sure to find a few forgotten items. Keep an extra box for the odds and ends, then just collect them all and you're on your way to your new home!

Paper Records - What to Do?

You can get rid of most documents and go digital with the rest. Some of you may have a stash of boxes or a file cabinet stuffed with old bank statements, tax returns, pay stubs and other paperwork you didn't even know you had! Since you most likely just completed your tax return, now is the perfect time to clean house. With a few exceptions - mainly tax-related documents - you don't need to keep all those papers. If you are willing to use online banking and create digital files of crucial records, you may even be able to go paper-free - good for you and the environment too!

What to Keep:

1. Annual Tax Returns. Keep the returns forever, but get rid of supporting docs after 3 years which is how long the IRS has to initiate an audit. Also save for 3 years any thank you letters from charities that were reported on your tax return.

2. Investment Statements. Save your year-end statements to make sure they match up with your monthly mutual fund reports. Then toss. Also be sure to keep records that show the initial purchase price for stocks and mutual funds so you can calculate your basis when you sell. Then, you can shred after the 3- or 6-year IRS window.

3. Home Records. Save anything pertaining to purchase price and home improvements for as long as you live in the house. These will come in handy when you sell. After you sell your home, keep the docs for 3 years.

4. Retirement Records. Hold on to documents showing how much money went in and came out of your IRAs and 401(k)s - especially if you made nondeductible contributions - so you don't overpay taxes when you withdraw the money.

You Can Toss:

1. ATM receipts, bank withdrawal and deposit slips, and credit card receipts.

2. Pay stubs. Keep them until you get your Form W-2, verify and then shred.

3. Most monthly bills. Shred credit card statements, utility bills and other misc statements unless you need them for tax purposes (ie, claiming expenses for a home office).

Before you start throwing papers away, be sure to invest in a paper shredder to guard against identity theft. And don't skimp - the cheapo, ribbon-cut style produces bands that can be taped back together. Instead, go for a cross-cut or confetti model for about $100. (The Fellowes Powershred DS-2 looks cool and works well too).

exerpt from Financially Fit

Shutter Organizer

What do you do with your kid's overwhelming assortment of art projects? Or, how do you organize mail, letters, to-do lists, etc. around your desk? Wooden shutters can be just as functional inside as they are on the outside. In this picture, a painted trio hangs on the wall over a hallway console (shelf). The slots are a perfect spot to tuck invitations, display art or hang a message pad. Vintage hooks are mounted on a wooden plaque to keep up with the daily mail.

How to do this:

1. Choose your style and size of shutters.

2. If the louvers are adjustable, lock them in the "up" position by driving a small nail through the tilt bar and into the frame.

3. Sand and paint shutters.

4. Use level to mark position on wall of middle shutter; drill pilot holes in shutter and wall; mount with coordinating hardware; repeat with side shutters butting the snugly against the middle shutter.

Supplies: hammer and nails, medium-grit sandpaper, latex paint, paintbrush, a level and pencil, drill and mounting hardware appropriate for your wall.

Peg Board Garage Organizer

Why is my garage the place in the house that gets the most cluttered the quickest? Probably because all the "extras" go there and I'm usually just trying to get them out of the house and someplace out of sight! And in addition to that stuff, there's the actual garage stuff!

A great weekend project is to hang a custom-sized peg board on a garage wall to help keep everything in it's place. And, if you paint the peg board first, it really defines the area you are organizing.

Tools & Materials:

• Peg board
• Pine 1x2s (or other scrap 1x2s you might have around your cluttered garage)
• Wood screws and washers
• Plastic anchors (optional)
• Screw gun or drill
• Paint
• Hooks and holders

How To:

1. Peg board is available in 2x4, 4x8 and 4x4-foot pieces. Buy the right size for your space and if needed, Home Depot or Lowe's will cut it for you.
2. With pine 1x2s, build a perimeter frame of the same dimensions as your peg board. Mount the frame to the wall. If you are mounting to dry wall, be sure to use plastic anchors along with your screws.
3. Using a screw gun or drill, mount the peg board to the frame with 3/4-inch wood screws and washers. You can also drill a hole first and then insert the screws with a screwdriver.
4. Paint the peg board and then add hooks and holders.

Use your peg board to organize tools, brooms, mops, etc. If you have a cart, use that as a mobile workbench and for additional storage. Placed near your peg board, adjustable shelves organize an assortment of containers for things like small garden tools, gloves, picture hanging supplies, hand-tools, light-bulbs, batteries, etc. And, small jars will help you easily contain and find all those small nails, screws and miscellaneous items that get stuffed into otherwise organized drawers!

Where are those Keys?

I've always wanted a really great way to organize keys. You know, the extra car keys, the back gate key, your neighbor's spare house key, and the list goes on. And, I realize I either cram all the keys in one place or scatter them around all over the place. Either way, I can't easily find them when I need them.

Rather than clutter a single hook with several sets of keys, make a custom board that gives each set its own clearly labeled space. To make the board, have a piece of fiberboard cut to fit into a picture frame. Cover the board with a piece of fabric or extra wallpaper, and staple it at the back. Tuck the board into the frame, then nail on labels and attach one screw hook for each set of keys.