You just fell in love with the new apartment, the deal went through, it was smooth sailing all the way and suddenly you realize what lies before you - the prospect of packing and moving. The excitement gives way to reality and you wonder how on earth you are going to manage this huge task before you. And it's all got to be done in a few days' time. All you feel like doing is sing sorrowfully, "Where do I begin?"



First of all, pack one small case of items that you will need as soon as you move in. If you have these essentials, you won't need to unpack the other stuff in a hurry so that gives you some breathing space in your new home. This would include plates, cups, tissue rolls, toiletries, medicines or vitamins and supplements you take everyday, toiletries, etc. It might be worth it to pack a few items of clothing as well. This case could also hold your valuables. Make sure this case goes into your car and not with the movers.

Start with the smaller items and do it room by room, labeling the cases so you know which room the items are from. Wrap the items in newspaper and pack them into the boxes, buffering them with Styrofoam peanuts. You can wrap dishes in bubble wrap and put them in sideways rather than one on top of the other. You could put in dish cloths around them so they don't get shaken around.

Furniture, too can be wrapped with bubble wrap especially the legs and arms. So can lampshades. This prevents scuffing and scratches. When you pack wooden or painted items, wrap them in mover's pads and secure them with rope. Sticky tape tends to ruin the finish and paint. For mirrors and pictures or paintings, wrap right round with bubble wrap and run around the entire item with masking tape.

Put your good clothes into portable wardrobes which most moving companies have. Your ordinary clothes can be dumped into garbage bags which are then tied up at the top. You can do this with sheets, pillowcases and stuffed toys s well. Throw out all harmful stuff you might have collected over the years. This includes all inflammable material like paints, insecticides and solvents.

Your computer should be packed with care. Make sure all your data is backed up, just in case. Pack a separate case with the storage devices like your CDs and diskettes. Color-code your wires and then bundle them up. Pack each part in separate boxes with lots of Styrofoam peanuts. Mark all of them FRAGILE.

Most moving companies should supply you with the boxes you need to pack your stuff into. Just in case they don't, go to your supermarket and ask them if they could spare you some. Spread the word among your colleagues and friends and you'll soon see how many boxes you can collect. The best people to tap would be those who've just moved!

Packing is not the end of the world. It's the first step to new beginnings. The trick is be as organized as possible and not to see it as some Himalayan task stretching before you. A systematic approach will not only get the task of packing done sooner, it will make the task of unpacking that much easier as well!