We all know that moving is THE WORST. It’s gross and tiring and annoying. Putting all of your belongings in boxes only to have to take them out of the boxes and then figure out where they go. And that screeching sound of tape being pulled to zip the boxes shut. That sound can wake a dead man. But sometimes moving is just inevitable and the juice is worth the squeeze (you better have a balcony to show for yourself). So tada! We must make the best of it and be smart and HERE’S HOW!

1)   Be prepared with the right supplies. Go out and forage or buy a selection of boxes in different sizes. Overbuy. Make sure you have plenty because you’ll cry if you have packing momentum and have to ruin it to go out for more boxes. Trust me on this one. Same goes for tape. Get lots of that stuff in preparation for packing. And collect newspaper so you don’t have to spend money on something so potentially free. And lastly, get a Sharpie. Attach it to a rope with some of that ubiquitous tape and create a Sharpie necklace because this guy is your new best friend and you want to be attached to him. Serious.

2)   Start by collecting must-haves and packing them all together. This is especially true if you have children or babies who will absolutely lose it if you box up and misplace their favorite bottle nipple of blankie. Or if you have some items of your own that you can’t really live without. Cover this box in red tape and make sure the movers know to place it in prime real estate in your new home. Make this the first box you conquer while unpacking.

3)   Prepare multiple boxes at once. Set up a couple of boxes, varying in size. This way, you can have some selection when packaging up your belongings. Ya know, keep one from getting too heavy or to easily place bigger items on the bottom.

4)   Work systematically. Going through spaces in a sensible way is key to avoid getting overwhelmed and confusing your mind. If you open a drawer, pack up everything in there before moving on to the next drawer. Don’t let one-off items linger because THEY WILL BOG YOU DOWN. Get everything into that box before moving on to your next target area.

5)   Label label label. Be decently specific when listing what’s inside the box. Write the room in big letters and then jot down some quick examples of what’s inside. Again, you’ll thank yourself for this. Promises!

6)   Color code boxes so the movers can drop them where they belong. Use colored tape and designate a color for each room on the new side. Then tape a sign with the room’s color on the door so the movers can bring the boxes straight to their final destination (like a pilot!).

7)   Hire Tidy Tova. After all, she only pretends to hate moving so she can be more relatable (spoiler alert: moves make her heart flutter). Winkwinkwinkwinkwink