Tip # 2 :

Moving For Less, With Friends and Less Stress
Moving day... dreaded by many, feared by some, but necessary if one wants to change addresses. My change of address officially happens tomorrow. Thankfully, our move only finds us about a hundred steps from our current residence. So, God willing this move will be pretty painless compared to our last move half way across the country. So, here is our game plan to make our moving day less stressful, more fun, and as easy and quick as possible.


1. Start decluttering your home as soon as you find out you will be moving. For directions on how to declutter, visit www.flylady.net. Getting rid of junk, trash, and clutter before you ever start packing boxes will only reduce your stress level when the inevitable unpacking day arrives.
Decluttering doesn't have to be painful. Take decluttering in small steps, such as fifteen minute increments (as flylady suggests).

2. After deciding what you will keep, estimate the amount of boxes you will need. About one month before you are planning to move start asking around at your local grocery stores, hardware stores, big box store and pharmacy stores for boxes. If you ask politely what day and time the store is stocked you can get a good idea of the approximate time the store will have available boxes. Many stores crush, or bail their boxes (which are of no use when moving) immediately after stocking. So, arrive while the store is being stocked, ask a manager if it's okay to collect some boxes and voila you have as many boxes as you may need to move for free!

3. Start collecting moving supplies, such as box tape, markers, bubble wrap, foam, trash bags etc. You can post search ads for these items on www.freecycle.org or www.craigslist.com to try to get them for free. Also start scouring the store ads for deals on water, sodas, food, paper plates, paper cups, utensils, napkins, and other party supplies to prepare for your moving party.


4. Let your friends and family know you will be moving in the near future. Start planning a moving party and invite friends and family to help you move. The idea of a moving party (my husbands' idea) revolves around the obvious, the move; but anyone that's ever moved before can attest that a move is no party. So, choose to make the move fun and as stress free as possible by setting a time limit for the moving part (such as three hours), then plan on relaxing with your guests with food, drinks, and entertainment for a couple of hours. If you can get enough party guests to help out with your move, the experience of lugging boxes from the truck to the house will not only go faster but will also be a lot more enjoyable.

- Three options for enlisting help at your party:
- plan for your guests to help you pack
- plan for your guests to help you unpack
- or if your move is short, plan for your guests to help you move boxes from the old residence to the new residence.

P.S. I think the easiest dinner option is ordering pizza. There are many coupons at several pizza places for five dollar pizzas (when you buy 3 or more).

5. Label, Label, Label! Label all boxes clearly and once on the top and once on the side. In your label, include the room the box belongs in and a short description of the contents.


Miscellaneous moving tips:

1. Use socks to hold small breakables, such as candles, light bulbs, and knick knacks.
2. Use clothes, such as t-shirts to place in between breakable dishes, pictures, or glasses.
3. Use your give away pile (from decluttering) as party favors for your guests. Let them have first pick of anything you don't plan on keeping as a thank you for helping you move. Remember one man's junk is another man's treasure :o )

Tip # 1 : "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied
]
: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'^[b] This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

<sup>Matthew 22:36-39


Jesus placed loving God at the top of the list, so I will follow suit and place this commandment as my number one tip. What does loving God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind look like anyway? 1 John 5:3 says "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome." I'm finding out more each day that the 'not burdensome' part is in fact correct!
I'm on a mission to love God and to love others in every situation that I have an opportunity to do so. So far on this journey, I have found that I feel the least burdened when I am loving the most people. I used to find ways to take care of myself, to put me first, and to make sure I was well taken care of, yet somehow I never felt fulfilled. Some days I find myself reverting back to self love and oddly these are the days I feel the most burdened. Surprisingly, the moments I spend loving others aren't always easy, but they are never burdensome. No matter if I'm waking up with my hungry baby boy in the middle of the night, if I'm making a meal for a sick friend, or if I'm putting my wants and desires aside to better serve my husband, I'm finding that investing time in loving other people produces more joy, more peace, and more love for God in my heart, then it does to insist that my every want, whim, and desire is met.

Thanks DAD for loving me, for me teaching me, and for encouraging me, your love is amazing.

I love you, Tammy</sup>