How Do I Move Without Wearing Myself Out?

Spread the work over several weeks, hire people for the heavy lifting, and plan moving day so your only job is to point and decide. Rest belongs in the plan from the start.

I am Delia Bayna, a REALTOR with eXp Realty in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). A move is hard work at any age, and here is how I help people get through it with energy left over.

Most people try to do too much in too few days. They pack until midnight, skip meals, and carry boxes they should not lift. By moving day, they are already tired, and the hardest part has not started.

A move is also emotional. Packing the last box in a home you have lived in for decades takes something out of you that a gym never could. Plan for the feelings the same way you plan for the boxes.

Start packing four to six weeks before the move, if you can. Pack the rooms you use least first, then work toward the kitchen and bedroom.

• Pack a few boxes a day instead of a whole room on Saturday.
• Keep boxes light. Books go in small boxes, and pillows go in big ones.
• Label each box with the room it goes to in the new home, on the side as well as the top.
• Stop each day at the same time, and eat a real meal.

If you are still sorting, finish that first. Every box you do not pack is a box nobody has to carry. My post on sorting through 40 years of belongings covers where to start.

Your job is to make decisions. Lifting is someone else's job.

Get written estimates from more than one moving company. Ask whether they are licensed and insured, what they will pack for you, and how they handle stairs, pianos, and heavy pieces. Read recent reviews. Book early, especially for a summer or month-end move.

A senior move manager can take on even more. They help plan what goes where, pack, manage the movers, and sometimes unpack and set up the new home. Family can help too. Give each person one clear job, like the kitchen or the garage, so nobody stands around waiting to be told what to do.

In Salt Lake City, the season changes the plan. A move in November through February can mean snow, ice, and dark by late afternoon.

If your move falls in winter, schedule it for the morning so the work finishes in daylight. Have the walks and driveway at both homes shoveled and salted the night before and again that morning. Put down floor runners or old blankets inside, because movers will track in snow and slush. Keep houseplants and anything that can freeze in your own car, not the moving truck.

Check the forecast a few days ahead, and ask your movers what they do if a storm hits. Have a backup day in mind if you can.

Make a simple floor plan of your new home and mark where each big piece goes. Tape a copy to the front door. The movers can follow it without asking you fifty questions.

Pack a first-night box and keep it with you, not on the truck. Put in your medications, a change of clothes, toiletries, phone chargers, sheets and a pillow, a towel, a few snacks, and important papers. Keep a glass of water and a chair handy all day, and sit when you can.

Know your timing well before the day. If you are selling, the date you have to be out is set by your contract. Read how long you have to move out after closing and what happens on closing day when you are selling, so the move and the closing do not land on the same tired afternoon.

Set the moving date first, and work back from it. Sort, then pack a little each day, then let the movers do the heavy part. Leave the last few days light, so you have energy for moving day and the first night.

If you have not picked your next home yet, start with how to choose where to live next. Knowing the space before you pack saves you from moving things you will not use.

Once we are working together, I call and email every Friday, whether there is news or not, so the closing date and the moving date never surprise you. I taught for eighteen years, and I learned that tired people do not make good choices, so I build rest into the plan from the start. My downsizing page shows how I line up the sale, the move, and the next home. How you pace it is your call.

How far ahead should I start packing for a move?

Four to six weeks gives most people time to pack a little each day. Start with the rooms you use least.

What is a senior move manager?

A professional who helps people plan a move, sort belongings, pack, and set up the new home. Ask what they handle and for references before you hire one.

What should I put in a first-night box?

Medications, a change of clothes, toiletries, chargers, sheets and a pillow, a towel, snacks, and important papers. Keep it with you, not on the truck.

Is it a bad idea to move in the winter?

Not at all, with a plan. Move in the morning, keep the walks clear and salted, protect the floors, and have a backup day in mind.