Raise your hand if you like moving.
I thought so.
Can I get a show-of-hands of those who like helping someone else move?  I see.  Okay.  Tell me how you feel about moving a parent or loved one after years — maybe many, many years — of living at the same address.  Exactly.  Most of us would rather eat the cardboard box than pack it full of items that are 50-plus years old.  There should be a law regarding how long you can keep some things.
Yes, mom has moved this past weekend and boy-howdy, I’ve never seen so much stuff.  I take that back, the last time she moved 8 years ago she had more stuff than she does now…this time however— there appears to be two of everything.  “Mary’s Ark” is ready to set sail.  No wonder moving is so stressful.
Depending on who you talk to, moving ranks right up there with the stresses of death and divorce.  Wow!  Can’t say I want to experience either of those…so maybe moving is an acceptable option when having to choose between the three.  I think the trick to moving is to not make it last too long; in other words, get back to normal as soon as possible after the move.  The last time mom moved we had so many boxes that for one reason or another could never get unpacked.  That unfortunately prolonged the agony and anxiousness of the whole moving experience.  So my first tip if you are moving a parent or loved-one is to make it quick and get back to a routine that helps create a feeling of comfort and stability.
According to the US Census Bureau, one-sixth of all Americans, an estimated 43 million people, move each year.  That’s a lot of boxes.  The average person moves over 11 times in his or her lifetime.  I have personally moved 7 times and I can’t imagine moving four more times before I call it quits.  I’m sure all of my military friends are snickering right about now.
Another good tip is to pace yourself.  Everyone has a busy schedule these days.  Moving just adds a whole new list of things to do to the already long list you have.  Plan ahead and start the moving process as early as possible.  Give yourself a few weeks leading up to the actual moving day.  Chances are you will find stuff you never knew mom had stored away in a closet somewhere on the third floor.   And let me save you the time and trouble of having a new revelation by telling you now that somewhere between the packing and the moving you will say, “We should have done this sooner.”
Be sure to secure your moving company or truck rental at least a month or two in advance; especially if you are moving during the summer months.  Fifty percent of all moves that occur within the year happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
One final tip — be patient.  Mom and dad have stored up a bunch of stuff over the years.
 Much of it might not seem important to us.  I made a remark the other day about a magazine that mom was saving from several years ago.  Before I could finish my sentence she had turned to the page with her picture on it.  I said, “Oh, I see.”
Happy moving my friends.
Rich DeLong is the Executive Director of The Suites at Station Exchange.
Contact him at 912-531-7867 or visit him on the web at www.thesuitesatstationexchange.com