It helps to break the packing and moving ordeal into stages that can be got through with less fuss than a 24-hour grind. You’ll be less stressed, things will be more organized and moving day will go a lot smoother. Week 4: •    Get packing materials together – boxes, tape, labels, etc •    Get rid of all clutter that you don’t want. Sell it at a garage sale, give it away to friends, drop it off at the local thrift store or take it to the local recycling center. Be ruthless! •    Label every box as it is filled and sealed, so if you need something or want to make sure the box goes to a particular area of the new home, identification is made easy. Consider taping a list to boxes filled with small-but-important items. •    If you have firearms, make sure that you have all permits to transport them legally. Also familiarize yourself with any transport and declaration rules. Week 3: •    Pack the stuff you don’t need right now. Examples include: seasonal items, items that you don’t need around right now, memorabilia and guest room furniture Week 2: •    Confirm the moving time and date with your movers, whether they are professionals or friends. Don’t leave anything to chance or a general email asking for help. It is often the case that people who send out mass emails asking for help with their move have people who figure that “everyone else is going to be there so I don’t have to”. It’s much better to ask your friends individually. •    Make sure that you have the transportation for your pets and family arranged.

Week 1: •    Pack everything else that is going with you. Pretend you’re on a demented camping trip with your family and have decided to “rough it” with one set of utensils for each person and a minimum of cooking equipment. •    Make sure firearms are unloaded and properly stored for transport. Keep the registration and other paperwork in the vehicle carrying the weapon(s), so you don’t have to scrabble around looking for it if you need to present documentation in a hurry. •    Ensure that your cleaning supplies and other equipment are not packed up, as you will need them for cleaning your former residence later (unless you have engaged a cleaning service). •    Start clearing out your food from the pantry/cupboards/refrigerator/freezer. Throw out anything that is past its due date and try to use up the food you have on hand. •    Make sure most of your packing is DONE by the end of the week before you move. Day before moving day: •    Pack clothing for a couple of days, toiletries, games, toys for the trip to your new home. •    Make sure as much food as possible is cleared out of the pantry/cupboards/refrigerator/freezer. •    Break down as much furniture as possible. •    See that all of your packed/disassembled property is arranged so movers/helpers have clear access to what needs to be packed into the moving van first, second, third… etc. Moving Day! •    Send your pets and very young children to a sitter or friend for the packing time. They will only be underfoot and possibly distressed about the changes to their environment. •    Make sure all your things are clearly labeled as to where they go and what they are. •    It’s helpful if there is a party at the other end of your journey to make sure the home is open. •    Make sure you pack the things you will need for the first day/night in your new home last, so they will be the first things out of the truck. •    Try not to get too stressed out. Moving is stressful and it helps if you expect some delays and things not going quite as planned.

1. Find Out The Largest-Size Carry-On Luggage You’re Aloud and Buy It

There’s an old saying that when you travel you should take half as much as you need but double the amount of money you bring. After traveling around the world twice, I couldn’t agree with that statement more. It’s really important to pack light on your vacation. Packing light helps you avoid fees on airlines, saves space, and gives you less clothes to carry, and allows you more freedom.

It is often said that the stuff we own, ends up owning us. When we travel, we plan too much. We typically bring lots of clothes and stuff because we feel that you never know what might occur. So we leave for a two week holiday with a suitcase filled with half our wardrobe. However, the trick to travel is to pack light. We often go on a trip and only end up using half of what we brought, regretting we brought so much in the first place.

When I travel, all of my belongings fit into a tiny daypack and a large backpack or duffel bag. I have traveled for over a year without needing anything more. In fact, I often find I still bring too much!! When friends come and visit me, I am amazed that they took so much stuff. They ask me my tips on packing light. I’ll tell you what I tell them.

Here’s my secret to packing light and how you can too:

First, write a list of everything you think you might need. Everything and anything. From clothes, to toiletries, to electronics, to jackets, and everything in between. This packing list will usually ends up pretty long. But that’s ok, we’ll get it down fast.

Next, look at your list and think about it in relation to your holiday. If you are going to the beach, do you really need pants or jeans? If you are going to Amsterdam when it is warm, do you really need to pack long sleeve shirts?

Now, you should have cut your packing list down a lot by eliminating those items that didn’t really have anything to do with your trip. Now, let’s take a look at your toiletry list. Why are you packing so much? In this age of over caution, people tend to pack every medicine known to man just in case. Let’s be realistic- do you ever use most of them? Can’t you buy them at your destination? So go minimal. If you do get sick, you can always by Tylenol or diarrhea medicine there. Take only the bare essentials. A few pills that take up only a little space- you don’t need the whole box.

What about the other supplies your packing? Soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, razor, and shaving cream is what you need. If you are staying at a b &b, you don’t even need soap or shampoo since it is provided for you. You’re going on vacation not to a corporate function so toss the cosmetics and facial products.

Now, look at your packing list. What can you buy there if you really need it? Probably lots. Toss the bug spray, the suntan lotion, and whatever else you are packing. You can’t take it on the plane anyways.

Ok, final step on the way to packing light. We’ve probably cut out a lot of your list now. The next step is to just remove out another half. You are holiday, relaxing. Things don’t get very dirty and you can wear the same shorts a few days in a row. Ditch the towel- just borrow the one from the hotel. Take half as many clothes. Wear some longer or don’t wear any! You never wear everything you take and unless spill something or sweat through your shirt, you can wear it for more than one day.

That’s it. That is the trick to packing light. Cutting, cutting, and cutting until you get to the essential items you need to pack. If you follow my opinion, I guarantee you will pack light and make the whole packing process much easier.