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Thursday, May 11, 2006

If you want to save money, enlist the aid of family and friends. You don't have to hire a move manager to benefit from the advice of a half-dozen professionals:

· Start clearing out spare bedrooms, garage, basement and closets months (at least) before moving. Remember the mantra: Keep, sell, donate or discard.

· Tell everyone (as in, grown children) who is storing stuff at your place to claim it before it gets tossed.

· Address the tricky issue of dividing things among children. If harmony is threatened, consider an impartial round-robin or lottery system.

· Keep sentimental items such as family photos, special pieces of furniture, favorite books and dishes.

· Plan around activities you enjoy. If you play the piano, make room for it.

· Storage pieces are key. Many retirement apartments have minimal closet space.

· Take pictures of how furniture, artwork and knickknacks are arranged so the layout can be approximated in the new digs.

· Spend the night before and the day of the move with family or friends to avoid seeing the home dismantled.