Editor's Note: Many Savvy Aunties (single, married and committed) own their own homes. We asked Janice M. Simon - our Clutter Princess - to give us her tips for moving into that new home. Even if you're not planning on moving right now, bookmark this article. We bet it will come in handy when you do!

The tax credit for new homebuyers spurred me to buy a house in a Houston neighborhood. In September, I found myself moving from the apartment I lived in for nearly nine years and moving to a house.

The best thing about a move is you put your hands on everything you own. It’s an excellent time to purge out those unwanted items and start with a clean slate. I’ll admit that as a professional organizer, I didn’t think I would have much to toss, but I was wrong. Moving into a house of my very own changed my perspective about things. Suddenly, I found myself looking at something and thinking, “Hmm, you’re no longer house worthy.”

With careful preparation and planning, moving doesn’t have to be a hassle.

Before the Move

Find movers. Ask friends for references (who will be relieved you’re not asking them to haul your boxes down the stairs). Ask if there is a reduced rate if you move during the week. During a move, saving a few dollars can add up.

Change your address. At least two to three weeks before your move, go to www.usps.gov to fill out the Post Office’s online change of address form, but you will have to pay $1 via your debit card. The free postcard version is available in the Post Office lobby.

In our high speed world, most companies will let you change your address and move your services online. Before the move, gather your mail to remind yourself what addresses to update. This would include catalogs, store mailings, and other items. The Post Office doesn’t usually forward these.
 
Boxes. Search Craig’s List for free moving boxes in your area. Once you’re finished unpacking, pay it forward by posting your own ad on Craig’s List or other community bulletin boards and pass your moving boxes onto someone else.
 
Packing Material. Bubble wrap and ink-free newsprint paper are great packing tools. If you run low on bubble wrap, use kitchen and bath towels and t-shirts. Newspapers work well but the ink does rub off, making washing glasses a necessity. Another great tip is to use small brown lunch bags to wrap glasses.

Purging for the Move

If you’re unsure about getting rid of something, ask yourself: do I want to pay movers to move this? Remember the 80/20 rule. We wear and use 20% of our clothes and stuff 80% of the time. That leaves a large chunk of clothing and things we rarely to never use. How much do you really need?

Ask yourself:
•    Have I ever used it? Will I ever use it?
•    Is it ugly? Does it fit? Did it ever fit?
•    Do you like it? Does it make you happy?
•    Does it fit the vision of where you want to be and want to go? Of the life you want to live? Does it help advance your goals?

Packing

When moving, my motto is pack early and often. The more you pack in advance, the less you have to rush and get done at the end.  Start packing the items you use the least, such as holiday decorations, books, photo frames, and out of season clothes. Consequently, the last items you pack should be the things you use the most.

Label. Label. Label. Label your boxes. It makes it easier to direct the boxes to the right rooms. Label the top and at least one side of each box. You want to be able to see the name no matter if the boxes are stacked or not. Mark essential boxes with an “A” to better spot them. Unpack those first.

Other tidbits to keep in mind while packing:
•    Use small boxes to pack books and other heavy items. The movers will thank you.
•    Use the larger boxes for lighter and bulkier items.
•    Trash bags are great for packing clothing, pillows and stuffed animals.

The Big Moving Day

Have a hearty breakfast and keep hydrated. You don’t want to pass out in a box and scare the movers.

Take a laundry basket and toss in your body wash, shampoo/conditioner, towels, shower curtain if needed, pajamas and a set of bed sheets. Before unpacking, the first thing you should do is make your bed and set up the shower. This way, you can take a shower and crawl into bed later that evening.  You’ll thank me later.

Things You Move Yourself:
•    Prescription medications
•    Jewelry
•    Guns (Hey - I live in Texas and grew up in Oklahoma. Note: Movers add in extra charges to move gun safes.)
•    Anything that’s delicate and fragile and makes you nervous at the thought of movers touching
•    Your dirty laundry. Dirty clothes are best transported in trash bags.
•    Pet food, bowls and litter boxes. (Don’t forget the pets!)
•    Nail clippers. More than likely, any long nails you have will chip or break.
•    Items from the refrigerator and freezer. If you don’t have a cooler, buy a cheap Styrofoam one and fill it with ice.

Unpacking

Start with the items you use the most, and go room by room. If you have help unpacking, assign them to unpack the closet, the kitchen, linen closet, or bookshelves. Slap sticky notes on the cabinet doors showing what goes where. That way you can focus on more personal areas of the unpacking.

Take 30. Give yourself 30 days to adjust to your new space. It takes a month to create a habit, and the new place will feel weird and take some time to feel familiar. If something isn’t working, change it and try again. Before long, it will feel like you’ve been living there forever.

The Unpacked Boxes. With unpacking and moving, comes another phenomenon: the unpacked box. If any of those linger past a year, rethink how much you really need what’s inside.

Embrace moving as an opportunity to have a fresh start. And don’t forget to turn the electricity on.