The Divide-And-Conquer Approach to Moving

Moving into a new home can be a seriously daunting task, but a "divide-and-conquer" approach can make it easier to handle. This concept is pretty simple: you start out by dividing what you own into two categories - what you'll need right away and what you can do without for a while. The urgent items will go into a rental truck, and the less urgent items will go into storage pods.

The big hidden cost of a truck rental is the gas it takes to drive it, and the larger the truck is the worse its gas mileage is going to be. However, a truck has the advantage of allowing you to keep very valuable possessions in your own hands through the moving process, and all the items in the truck arrive at your new home when you do.

Breakable items should go in the truck. Any hired gun who's moving some of your stuff for you is almost certainly going to be insured, and they're probably going to be careful, but there's a psychological advantage to carrying the things that might break yourself. This includes important decorations, of course. It should also include all your kitchen breakables. (Although they might not be breakable, it's a good idea to carry all the kitchen utensils you use regularly in the truck, since you're going to unload it right away upon arrival.)

Furniture should ideally be split between the two moving methods, but it's a good idea to bring enough furniture with you in the rental truck to set up the key rooms in the new home. Beds should go in the rental truck, for example. Minimal furniture for the living and dining areas should go that way. And although you might not think of lamps as being items of immediate necessity, they are. Be sure to include enough of them to light up your new home.

Personal items go in the truck without a doubt. In addition to the obvious - jewelry and other valuables that you want to keep close - you should move all the clothes that you wear on a regular basis and any linens that you're going to need right away. Shoes can become misshapen if they stay packed for too long, so take your shoes in the truck as well.

A storage pod is moved by someone else, but it has the advantage of creating a convenient separate storage space right by your new home, allowing you to take your time unpacking. The furniture you don't need right away, the clothes you don't wear much (or that you don't in the same season in which you're moving) and the kitchen utensils you don't use on a daily basis should go this way. If you need them, they'll be there. But you can also leave them in the storage pod where they're out of the way until you have time to unload them.

Because of the gas cost of driving a truck, all heavy items should go into the storage pod, even if you're going to need them soon or if you'd classify them as "valuable." Extra weight in the truck means extra gas in the tank, which means extra pain at the pump. Moving is painful enough without that.

Using a truck and storage pods to create a "divide-and-conquer" approach to moving will dramatically simplify the process. Loading the truck will be easier because you won't be cramming everything in. Hauling will be easier because you'll be managing a smaller truck. Unloading on the other end will be dramatically easier since you'll be able to take your time. Combining these two methods, using a truck for the items you'll have an immediate need for and storage pods for everything else, you can simplify the process of moving. You will also simplify the unpacking process on the other end.