Moving is a task that usually falls in line with preparing your taxes or buying insurance. Simply put, it isn't particularly fun. A general line of attack is to try to coax your friends into helping you. In turn, you friends try to be out of town that weekend or fake their own deaths. As if moving wasn't a big enough pain, it can be practically crippling if you have to move after living in a home for twenty years or so. If you are in this situation, there are some things to consider.

First and foremost, moving is a task to be completed. It is not a time to relive memories. Why do I bring this up? Well, you are going to find you have a lot of stuff as George Carlin might say. Much of this stuff you haven't actually seen in years. There is going to be a major temptation to sit down and start looking through it. What kind of stuff? How about old photo albums or journals? You can easily end up blowing hours doing this, which just makes the moving process longer. Longer is not good. If you feel compelled to look at things and relive the memories, set them aside and look at them after you have moved. You will have plenty of time then.

Plants are another issue you have to consider. That small palm you purchased ten years ago is no longer small. It is the bomber of all palms. Yes, it is beautiful, but how are you going to move it? Plants can be easily stressed, so you need to make a hard decision. Should you leave it to the new owners or tenants? If you decide to move large plants, you need to dry them out and make sure to wrap them so leaves and such don't get thrashed in the back of whatever you are moving them in. Once you arrive at the new home, move the plants in first. Then water and mist them. This can help avoid them from going into shock and dying.

Kids are great, but not when you move. Yes, moving can be a family event, but rarely a pleasant one. If you are making a ?big move?, I have some practical advice you should follow. Send the kids off to grandma's home for the weekend. Trust me on this. It is going to be stressful enough without them. This will also prevent unfortunate situations where you yell at them out of frustration.

There is no getting around the fact a big move is a task and a half. When you get through it, you will probably be planning on living in your new home for the rest of your life!