I lost count of my moves sometime after the number exceeded twenty. The majority of them involved leaving behind not only familiar places, but also friends. It is difficult to explain, but the moves from one part of town to another part of the same town were quite nearly as difficult. I have also helped countless friends with their moves. There are some things I have learned:

Always remember that breakables will break, whether the trip is around the block or across the oceans, if they aren't properly packed.

There is no such thing as too many labels to a box. If you feel like listing every single item within, then do so! Use colored markers - not pencils or pens. Almost as important is to write in large lettering (a different color than the contents list if possible) the name of the room in which the box should be placed in the NEW HOME. This is very helpful to those who might be helping you to tote the boxes. (You are the only one who gives a hoot where the stuff used to be when it was in your old home.) Oh, and write the room designation on at least three sides of each box.

If you have a crew of friends to help you, NON-alcoholic beverages should be available at all times during the time the truck is being loaded, etc.. As the stuff is being unloaded, it is okay to break out the beer or whatever.

Your friends who are helping you to move are doing the work out of friendship. They don't expect a whole lot in return except perhaps a return of the favor if they should call upon you to do so. Liquid refreshments and a pizza or two is standard payment.

I have to share a story here. Two weeks after some friends had helped another friend to move, they received an invitation to a thankyou dinner. The friends had driven nearly a hundred miles (one way) to come to the aid of the one who was moving. Now the movee was asking them to drive another hundred miles in order to be thanked. Sadly, the one offering the thanks was never able to understand the ridiculousness of her gesture. -- The lesson? Thank your movers then and there. 'Nuff said.

When you and your stuff and your crew arrive at the new home, stop and give them all a tour of the place before anyone unloads anything. This way, everyone will know what is meant by the "Bedroom #2" you wrote on the side of the box.

The larger moving companies sell boxes. They have boxes for every known use. But they aren't cheap. The thing to know is that they will also sell you USED boxes at a much better price if you are savvy enough to ask.

The boxes in which liquor or wine bottles are shipped are excellent for packing small breakables. The grid of cardboard dividers are great! Some beer cases are good for this too. Check with your local liquor store or convenience store to see if some can be set aside for you.

The boxes in which xerographic paper is shipped are perfect for hundreds of other things. They are big enough to hold most stuff. The best part is that you can only fit just so many books in them and thus avoid having boxes you can't possibly tote.

Egg boxes are good too. I am talking about the cardboard ones that hold dozens of cartons of eggs. The boxes are sturdy enough for relatively light but bulky loads like pillows and linens. Besides, most of them have handholds built in.

If the truck you rent comes with a ramp, making the best possible use of it can save a lot of wear and tear on those who are loading or unloading. Wherever possible avoid using stairs. Even one stair can be terribly tiring and can also increase the possibility of stumbling and dropping things.

If the truck rental place offers blankets, get them. They usually cost only a couple of dollars for a dozen. Get more than you think you need.

Have some rope handy. You may need it to tie some items in place within the truck to keep the load from shifting.

Don't pack all of your tools. At minimum, keep an extra marking pen, a claw-hammer, some pliers, an adjustable wrench, a phillips screwdriver and a straight-blade scredriver where you can find them. They always seem to come in handy.

Gosh, there are so many other tips to share! These few should be of some help to most movers.

Good luck, kat. I wish I could be there to help.