SORTING THROUGH YOUR GOODS AND ORGANIZING THEM OR DISPOSING OF UNWANTED THINGS
Most people are packrats to some degree. Nearly everyone's home has old junk in it that should no longer be there. Of course, what is categorized, as old junk is entirely subjective to your personal opinion. Only you know what you still want or need. So you should try to decide before move day just what all you want to be transported to the new residence and what all you want to dispose of. Arrangements should be made well in advance for disposal of unwanted things. Agencies such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army can help with this but be aware that when they arrive to collect things from you they may turn down some things that you are counting on them to remove. So be sure to have alternative arrangements for disposal in place such as community garbage pickup service or dumps.
PACKING AND BLANKET WRAPPING
Then, once disposables have been identified, all goods that are being kept and that can be boxed should be properly and carefully boxed up and labeled. Goods that cannot be boxed such as furniture should be blanket wrapped if possible to protect them. Normally, moving blankets can be obtained from truck rental facilities in advance for pre-move wrapping of non-vital furniture. Blanket wrapping is very important for furniture protection and is not easy to do. The rest of your things will have to be moved unprotected, so just be very careful with them and try to carry some of the smaller things in your car. Small appliances such as toasters, mix masters, radios, toaster ovens, blenders, George Foreman type grills, etc. should all be carefully packed into boxes and moved as fragiles because they can be quite costly to replace. Remember, you're out to save money and each thing that you can fully preserve from damages during the move saves you repair or replacement money.
TRUCK RENTAL
Rent a big enough truck to move your whole load in one trip unless you are moving very nearby in which case a smaller truck with multiple trips will be fine. Carefully inspect the truck for existing body damages and note them on your rental contract. Make sure the truck body is clean inside and if you have a lift gate – thoroughly test it. Study and learn good truck driving techniques and how to safely get in and out of the truck cab and the side or back of the truck. Be aware of bad weather truck driving considerations too. Always keep a big distance interval between your truck and other traffic. Make wide swings around corners so as not to have cut off accidents and watch your height restrictions on overpasses and viaducts.
MOVING HIGH VALUE ITEMS SUCH AS CURRENCY / COIN / STAMP COLLECTIONS, HIGH VALUE ARTWORK, EXPENSIVE SMALL STATUARY, ETC.
Do all of this kind of moving very carefully by yourself. If anything gets broken or disappears for some reason you only want yourself to blame. Don't trust anybody else with these kinds of light, valuable items because if anything goes wrong with them, it will become a nightmare for you. Breakage or loss of these kinds of valuables can lead to accusations, outbursts of anger, loss of friendship or close relationship, police involvement, law suits, etc., etc., etc.
PROVIDING YOUR MOVING / PACKING HELPERS WITH SNACKS, MEALS, BEVERAGES AND BATHROOM FACILITIES
When relatives and / or friends are helping you to pack up and move your home it’s wise to make conditions for them as comfortable as possible. During working periods, just having tasty snacks and non-alcoholic drinks on hand can do that. Ordering pizzas, chicken, oriental food or other kinds of meals will also be appreciated. Remember, these folks are giving you their help and saving you the cost of employing costly packers and movers, so these relatively inexpensive, thoughtful gestures will help to make their work for you much more pleasant.
You can also let them pick their own radio stations or TV stations while they're packing your things up. Again this makes the work environment more pleasant for them. And be sure there is plenty of bathroom tissue, Kleenex and air freshening spray where it can be easily found in the bathroom so your people don't have to ask embarrassingly for it.
Never bring forth alcoholic beverages for your helpers until the day's work is completed. Alcohol makes people get prematurely tired and lazy so save it until everything to be done that day is actually finished. Then maybe go ahead and relax and unwind with a couple of drinks with them but don't let anyone who's driving get legally drunk. Any DUI's issued that evening would be a terrible downer for the recipient, for you and for any of your folks who helped out.