moving mode

I am trying to be grateful that I am not in moving mode this July. This time next year, if all goes well, more likely than not, we will be moving (and if all goes really well, I will once again join the in-house laundry club). At this point it is anyone's guess as to how far from here we will move or where we will be. Still, I see lots of boxes and packing tape in our future.

That said, I know many people are currently in moving mode. Thus, I give you a few of a packer's favorite things:

garbage bags: Sure, they can help you purge the clutter from the back of your cupboard and the depths of your closets. But they can do oh so much more. They are great at protecting things like lamps and baskets from scratches and dust. They also come in handy if you decide to pack anything liquid -- use a plastic trash bag just in case something should open or break. They also come in handy when you first arrive, so stick a few in your "essentials" box.

twist ties Speaking of trash bags, the twist ties that you probably don't use that sometimes come along with your trash bags are great for moving. Tie up cords to prevent the plug from being dragged and ruined (or tripped on). Also living in this modern age you probably have miles of phone cords and cables. Take this opportunity to get them under control. If the switch on you lamp dangles, use a twist tie to keep them from scratching your lamp.

plastic baggies While raiding your kitchen drawer, don't forget the baggies. They work well when packing up bathrooms. If you have anything that might leak or spill, simply pack it in a baggie first and no more mess should the inevitable happen. Also when taking apart your furniture, store the parts in a baggie (and if your parts from one item look an awful lot like parts from another, label them).

food banks It is usually ill advised to pack food, even non-perishable items if doing a long distance move. Most people can only eat so many cans of Chicken Noodle Soup (eight cans seemed like such a deal on your last trip to Costco), so why not bag it up and take it down to your local food bank. They will put it to good use. I know that some grocery chains (Whole Foods comes to mind) have year round food collection bins at their stores (call ahead before lugging your canned good over though).

libraries It can be hard to part with magazines for some people. Yet it can also be hard to justify paying to move them across the country. What to do? Rather than just tossing them, check with your local library and see if you can't donate them. Many libraries have an area where patrons (especially teachers or others who do art projects) can come and pick up used magazinesfor free. It should making the parting easier knowing you are doing something good.

FedExKinko's I know, I know I can't walk into one of these stores without a banana to help ease my blood pressure rising. Still, many locations are open 24 hours or at the very least on weekends. Thanks to their merger, you can now bring in just about any size box (that say wouldn't fit in your car or wasn't ready before the moving truck pulled away) into any of their stores and ship it. Go with FedEx Freight (it's about a dollar a pound if the clerk figures it out right). It's probably cheaper than buying a new vacuum.