9
DCthe
washington
post
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thursday,may
26
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2022A: It’s not weird at all to put
them in a suitcase. Use all of the
moving containers you have.
You may have more clothes than
will fit in the suitcases you have,
so moving boxes are useful,
because they are easy to stack
and move.Q: I’m moving my daughter to
college this fall. I can tell she’s
excited but nervous, and I want
to help her manage her
expectations and make it easier,
but I’m feeling emotional about
her leaving home. How can we
balance all of this and make
sure it gets done efficiently?
A: Use the school’s dorm
checklist to make sure it’s done
efficiently. In terms of the
emotional aspect, your daughter
may want to bring a few items
that remind her of home. I
know one college student who
took holiday lights with her to
school, because Christmas was
her favorite time with her
family, and she wanted to feel as
if her family was around.
Scented candles that remind
your daughter of home or family
photos are also great items to
bring.Q: I want a fresh start and am
actively applying to other jobs
in a new city. How do you start
budgeting and planning for a
potential move?
A: The average cost of a local
move is about $1,500, and the
average cost of a long-distance
move is about $5,000. However,
that is just for the move itself. If
you are looking to buy a house,
you will need to consider those
additional costs, too. Create an
account for yourself to start
setting aside money for your
next adventure. Check out cost-
of-living calculators to see what
it would be like to live in a
different city.Q: I hired professional packers
for my latest move. I advise
people to group related items
together, otherwise it can be
several days or weeks until you
find that TV remote. Do you
agree?
A: Grouping like items together
is a good idea. If you are
disassembling furniture before
the movers take it away, put all
the nuts and bolts in a plastic
bag, and label everything.
Instead of using tape to secure a
plastic bag to furniture, use
plastic wrap, so you don’t have
to deal with sticky residue.
And take photos before you
disassemble anything,
especially pieces with cables
and cords. Also at washingtonpost.com
Read the rest of this transcript and
submit questions to the next chat,
Thursday at 11 a.m., at
live.washingtonpost.com.Q: What’s the best way to
handle wires and cables?
A: Start by decluttering them.
Take out all the wires and
cables, and sort them by
category. Then choose the ones
you want to keep. If you have no
idea what the wires or cables go
to, throw them out. You won’t
suddenly remember after the
move. After they are decluttered
and sorted, keep them in a
clearly labeled container.Q: Should we move our outdoor
furniture and items such as
garden tools and hoses, or
should we purchase new ones?
A: K eep them if they’re
functional, you plan to use them
or if you’d repurchase them
when you move. With supply
chain issues, consider how long
it would take to replace items
such as outdoor furniture.Q: What’s the best way to pack
clothes? It feels silly to put them
in a suitcase.down the list, ending with
paperwork and memorabilia.
Don’t get bogged down with old
photos and concert tickets.
What’s wonderful about
starting your decluttering
process now is that you will
have the opportunity to sell
your items instead of being in a
rush. Reach out to a
professional organizer to help
you through the decluttering
process, then contact a local
estate sale professional to help
you sell your items. It is well
worth the money to have
someone help you through the
process.However, nothing beats going to
the city and spending time there
to get a feel for the place.
Although many people would
disagree, I strongly recommend
renting in a city you don’t know
well before you buy.Q: Retirement is around the
corner, and even though we’re
not moving, we are decluttering.
How do we tackle this?
A: S tart with your heaviest and
bulkiest items first. I
recommend starting with books
and magazines, followed by
furniture, sports equipment,
shoes and clothes, then movingyou don’t plan to keep. Do what
will be less stressful for you.
Q: What are the biggest
mistakes people make when
planning a move and on moving
day?
A: The biggest mistake people
make when moving is they don’t
give themselves enough time.
However long you think it’s
going to take to declutter and/or
pack, double that amount of
time. The earlier you begin, the
less stressful it will be. And
don’t forget to measure. If your
dining room table isn’t going to
fit in your new apartment, it’s
time to get rid of it.
Q: I’m helping my sister and her
boyfriend move, and they’re
both micromanagers who are
stressing everyone out, even
though everything is planned.
How do I get them to chill out
and relax?
A: Having a moving checklist
can be helpful, because
sometimes people get stressed
when they don’t know what
they’re missing. Food and
beverages can help, too. People
get stressed all the time while
moving. That’s why it’s nice that
there’s a deadline. After moving
day, their stress levels will go
down several notches.
Q: My wife and I are planning to
move from Northern Virginia to
Baltimore. How can we find
good real estate agents in a city
about 50 miles away? Any
special insights about
evaluating Baltimore other than
surfing the Web and driving
around its neighborhoods?
A: Ask your favorite local real
estate agent for references. For
example, I’m a real estate agent
in the Chicago North Shore
area, and I have a network of
agents across the country that I
work with. If someone who is
relocating contacts me, then I
connect that person with an
agent in a different city. In
addition to making the
connection, I am also a resource
throughout the process. Word of
mouth or crowdsourcing on
social media is also a great way
to find an agent in the town you
plan to move.
As for evaluating a city, I like
the forums on City-Data ( city-
data.com ). These are chat rooms
where people moving from out
of town ask many of the
questions that are probably on
your own mind, such as
commutes, neighborhoods,
schools and more. Because it’s a
chat room, I would take
comments with a grain of salt,
but it’s a useful way to get the
inside scoop on a city. I also like
BestNeighborhood
( bes tneighborhood.org ).
Q&A FROM 8
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PHOTOS BY ISTOCK
TOP: However long you
think it’s going to take
to pack, double that
amount of time, Wenzke
suggests. LEFT: When
unpacking, Wenzke says
to start with the boxes of
your favorite items, so
you can be surrounded
by what you love.