Who decides to move during the holiday's?

I did!
INSANE right? Yeah it's downright INSANE!!!

So I started purging and packing up the non-essential stuff a few weeks ago.  Thanks to Pinterest, I found some great tips in hopes of making this move go a little smoother than my last two move.  After doing some research, I decided on renting a POD instead of hiring movers or renting a truck and doing the move ourselves.  Price wise it's about the same amount of money, but stress wise it's going to be a whole lot easier!

Well in the midst of all this guess who gets sick? Yup you guessed it...the crazy lady that decides to move right before Christmas.  I started medicating up as soon as I start feeling bad.  But we all know, no matter what you take its just temporary relieve until this thing runs it course.

The POD shows up EARLY Saturday morning (7:30 am) so there's no sleeping in.  Plus I have Messiah rehearsal at 10:30 and I need to catch the last part of our Women's Ministry 2014 kick off meeting right after.

With this sitting in my driveway, now this move officially feels real!!!  It looks a lot smaller than I expected.  And I got nervous trying to figure out how in the heck am I going to get my WHOLE house packed up into this.  Thanks to my cousin who suggested I try Aleve Cold and Sinus.  Yesterday I was feeling a LOT better.  And got a LOT done.  My game plan is first thing in = last thing out.

I moved all the storage boxes out of the garage with the exception of my Christmas decoration.  Christmas decoration will either be loaded last, or moved in one of the cars. I am determined to have some sort of Christmas this year.  So the tree is going to be the first thing that goes up!  I have about 80% of the house packed.  So all I have to do it move those boxes out of the house and into the pod.

I pick up keys to the new house on Friday. 5 days and counting!!!

Time to get things MOVING!

My realtor pick up my leases, so now it's time to get packing!  You never really know how much STUFF you have until you have to pack it up!

Last time I moved (about 2 years ago) I color coded all my rooms so it would be easy to identify which boxes go to which room (quickly)

• Living Room - RED
• Kitchen - YELLOW
• Dining Room - YELLOW

I know you're thinking...that is the same color as the kitchen.  My reason for doing this is that I am putting all the kitchen and dining room stuff in the dining room so my kitchen is not cluttered with boxes.  That way I can take a box at a time in to the kitchen and empty it.  Also, the stuff that goes into my china cabinet is labled CHINA CABINET and I will personally move those boxes instead of having the movers move them.  I just don't want to risk my mother's china and my grandmother's crystal to the hands of MOVERS.  Also, that LAST boxes that I pack up in the kitchen, needs to be the FIRST boxes I unpack.  These boxes will be my dishes/glasses/silverware and my spices, flour, sugar coffee, coffee pot etc.

• Master Bedroom - PURPLE

I having all these boxes placed in one of the extra bedrooms so my bedroom will not be cluttered with boxes.  I will also make sure that the bathroom box is labled so I can find my toiletries and stuff.  Last time I moved I did not do this and after the movers were gone and I was dead tired, hot and sweaty I could not find my shower curtain and shower stuff.  So I ended up just making a quick run to Target.

• Office/Craft Room - GREEN

All my holiday decor (which is in totes) and any other boxes that are not labeled will go into the garage until I get a chance to sort them out.

I work part time at a retail store, so I had our stock person save me boxes as the shippment was checked.  Can't beat FREE sturdy boxes.  I purchased packing paper ($10 box/200 sheets) from U-haul and packing tape ($16 pkg 6 rolls) from Office Depot.

So let the PACKING begin!  So what are your tips for an orgainzed and painless move?