Preparing for a Move
Moving is a tiring and stressful time. Any advance planning you can do may make the event a little easier. As soon as you find out when you'll be moving, make a list of everything you need to do.
Prioritize the jobs on your list, and try to estimate about how much time you'll need for each task. Then start enlisting help.
Older kids can pack up their own stuff. Be sure to encourage them to use the occasion as a chance to get rid of all the items they no longer use. Ask other family members to help you. This isn't a time to be shy, or to think you can do everything yourself.
Packing and moving is a great chance to get rid of all the unnecessary stuff you've accumulated. If you haven't looked at your college textbooks in 22 years, for instance, chances are that you don't need them.
Take the items you won't use to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, a women's shelter, or your church or synagogue's bazaar. Thoughtfully decide where the items can best be put to good use. Any items you give to charity can be listed as charitable contributions and deducted from your income tax. Just be sure to get a receipt from the charity and itemize what you've donated.
The following table is a listing of suggested price ranges for gifts of donated property to charity, in good condition. The IRS requires proof of the donation and documentation supporting its appraised value.
Donated Goods and the IRS—a Taxpayer's Guide
| Furniture | Ladies Clothing | ||
| Studio couch | $50 to 200 | Dresses | $4 to 25 |
| Kitchen set (table/two chairs) | $65 to 120 | Suits | $10 to 85 |
| End tables | $16 to 65 | Shoes | $2 to 12 |
| Coffee table | $25 to 90 | Coats | $10 to 80 |
| Washing machine (working) | $50 | Skirts | $3 to 15 |
| Vacuum cleaner (working) | $20 to 60 | Blouses | $2 to 8 |
| Dryer | $60 | Handbags | $1 to 4 |
| Refrigerator | $60 to 150 | Hats | $2 to 8 |
| Gas stove | $60 to 150 | Sweaters | $3 to 8 |
| TV (b&w) | $50 to 70 | Slacks | $4 to 20 |
| TV (color) | $15 to 200 | Bathrobes | $4 to 12 |
| Dresser w/mirror | $45 to 150 | Men's Clothing | |
| Chest | $35 to 100 | Suits | $20 to 85 |
| Wardrobe | $30 to 80 | Jackets | $10 to 45 |
| Bed (double, box spring/mattress) | $50 to 200 | Shoes | $2 to 12 |
| Bed (single, box spring/mattress) | $35 to 80 | Slacks | $4 to 20 |
| Mattress (double) | $25 | Shirts | $2 to 5 |
| Mattress (single) | $15 | Overcoats | $20 to 60 |
| Folding bed | $20 to 60 | Sweaters | $4 to 8 |
| Sofa | $50 to 350 | Belts | $3 |
| China cabinet | $60 to 200 | Children's Clothing | |
| Trunk (wood) | $15 to 30 | Coats | $5 to 15 |
| Floor lamp | $12 to 30 | Snowshoes | $5 to 10 |
| Table lamp | $8 to 20 | Shoes | $1 to 6 |
| Upholstered chair | $25 to 80 | Dresses | $3 to 6 |
| Convertible sofa w/mattress | $90 to 300 | Pants | $2 to 5 |
| Desk | $45 to 150 | Shirts | $1 to 2 |
| Bicycle | $20 to 60 | Boots | $2 to 4 |
| Radio | $10 to 35 | Sweaters | $3 to 5 |
| Crib w/mattress | $10 to 85 | Sporting Goods | |
| Playpen | $10 to 30 | Fishing rod | $3 to 15 |
| Dry Goods | Ice skates | $3 to 15 | |
| Bedspreads | $5 to 20 | Roller skates | $3 to 15 |
| Pillows | $4 | Tennis racket | $3 to 15 |
| Sheets | $2 to 5 | ||
| Drapes | $10 to 20 | ||
| Throw rugs | $3 to 5 | ||
| Blankets (synthetic, double) | $5 to 12 | ||
| Curtains (single window) | $2 to 6 |
Consider having a big yard sale or garage sale. Or you could take clothing and household items to a consignment shop. Preparing for a move also is a good time to update your records.
Be sure to call a moving company as soon as you know the date on which you'll be ready to go. A company representative should either come to your home or give you an estimate over the phone of how much it will cost to move your belongings. Look for a reputable firm that's had some experience. Do as much packing yourself as you can to cut the movers' time and save money. Don't forget to mark the boxes as to where they go in the new house.
After your mortgage has been approved, make a list of everyone you'll need to notify. These will include the following:
- Cable company
- Telephone company
- Newspaper carrier
- Trash hauler
- Utility companies
- Postal service
Advise all of them of when you'll be moving and make arrangements to have services transferred to your new home, if applicable. Keep a list of what you've done and who you've spoken with.
When the Big Day Arrives
Go Figure
June, July, and August are the busiest months for most moving companies, due to families wanting to move while the kids are on summer vacation. If your move falls in one of those months, be sure to call early.
Hopefully, all your advance preparations will pay off, and you'll be calm, cool, and collected on your moving day.
Try not to think of all the work you'll have after your belongings are moved but to focus on what's happening at your current house.
The movers will have questions concerning what goes to the new house and what stays, so at least one person needs to be available. Another person can go on ahead to the new house to direct the movers there.
Moving is stressful, there's no question about it. Try to stay as calm as possible, and know that your life will soon begin to get back to normal.
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Personal Finance in Your 40s and 50s © 2002 by Sarah Young Fisher and Susan Shelly. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book visit the Idiot's Guide web site or call 1-800-253-6476.
