Lighten Your Load

Moving is a great opportunity to finally get rid of old items you're not using. Be ruthless — moving is a chore, but it's also a chance to make a clean start. As you go through your things to fill boxes, make piles or fill trashbags with what you really don't need. It may even be worth renting a dumpster (especially if the move is to a smaller space). Bonus: Unloading unneeded furniture on Craig's List, having a yard sale, or making a tax deduction on donated goods can help you recoup some expenses.


Items that are not worth the cost of packing and moving: Pantry foods (eat what you can, and donate what's unopened to a soup kitchen), cleaning supplies (also can be donated, or given to a neighbor), open condiment bottles (dump 'em), stacks of old magazines (clip the articles you love and recycle the rest), and partly used paints, propane tanks, or solvents (they could be dangerous, especially if they spill; donate or recycle properly).