(NAPSA)—Forty to 50 million Americans relocate every year. Many of these movers choose to move on their own, without the help of professionals. Moving your household belongings and your family can take a toll on both your body and your pocketbook. With proper planning and preparation, your move can be donein a timely, safe and cost-effective manner. Following are some tips to make the move a success: Overestimate your time. As quickly as one would like to finish moving, it usually takes longer than originally planned. To avoid the disappointment and frustration, add a couple of days at the end of your estimated end date. This will allow for potential delays caused by inclement weather or emergencies. Be careful. When you are packing fragile items, take a few extra minutes to wrap them care- fully. Try Bubble Wrap cushioning material, available under the Duck brand, to protect all your delicate items. Bubble Wrap can also be used to fill in the gaps in the box to keep items from shifting during transport. Box it up. Take inventory of the box sizes that you have and determine what sizes you will need. Make sure that the boxes are sturdy. Each packed box should not weigh more than 50 pounds. Use smaller boxes rather than larger ones so they can be movedeasier. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t lift the box easily,it’s too heavy. (Remember to lift at your knees, not your back!) Seal it up. Stock up on packaging tapeto close all of the packed boxes. Duck brand EZ Start packaging tape is specially coated so it always unrolls smoothly, qui- BE | ee etly and easily every time, and will not split or tear. In addition, EZ Start does not fall back onto the roll, which makes application more convenient. Once sealed, label the box and its contents. Prepare before you unpack. Take the time to clean your new living space before you unpack. Wash the walls, cupboards and drawers. Before you place items in the cupboard and drawers, line them with a non- adhesive shelf liner. It is a smart idea to use a machine-washable shelf liner so that it can be cleaned regularly. Sleep tight the first night. Thefirst night in the new homeis exciting. Many times you are exhausted at the end of the day from moving so, in order to elimi- nate the hassle of rammaging through boxes to find the necessities, plan ahead. Pack a small bag or box with pajamas, change of clothes, toiletries, snacks, medica- tions and water. Keep the bag or box in a place that is easy to locate. A well-planned movewill result in a successful outcome. Once the new areais cleaned and the boxes are unpacked, it is time to make your house a home. Adding personal touches will makeit feel like home in no time at all. For more information on Duck brand products, visit www.duckproducts.com or call 800-321-0253.
