Why do we refuse help?  I thought my Rooster and I could move our entire house into two PODS without any problem.  Who could possibly need MORE than two PODS, or help filling them?  We are a one item in, one item out family.  We reduce, reuse, recycle and donate like the dickens…

But if it weren’t for the amazing support of all the Hens and the Roosters, the house we sold (within three hours of listing!) would NOT have closed on time today.   They came through the house last weekend like a small army and got us all packed up.  Even with all of that help, moving is a big deal, and we could not have stayed sane without some essential items.

So, here are the top five things we needed to help with the move:

1. The Five Hens, who are the friends you wait a lifetime for and will push to help you even when you say no.  Friends that will haul out trash, run for lunch, watch all seven kids, cook you soup for the week, take the plants (not the goldfish), smile and laugh at the end of an exhaustive day and leave wanting to help with the move at the other side.

2. Scotch Brand tape by 3m, which didn’t peel off the boxes within a day like the cheap stuff.   With Scotch, we used less and it was twice as good.

3. Sharpie band markers.  I may have marked more boxes the dreaded “miscellaneous” than not, but at least they are all labeled, and no pens last like Sharpies.

4. Reused moving boxes and recycled moving paper.  They are everywhere, in great shape and cheap. In addition to those we got from friends, we got over 100 moving boxes and unlimited paper in excellent condition for only $18.00 on Craigslist.

5. PODS, for storage and moving combined.  While we are blessed our house sold so quickly in this economy, the closing date on our new house is still uncertain, which means we have to do something with all of our stuff.  PODS allowed us to pack our belongings, store them indefinitely, and then will transport them conveniently to our new location (soon, hopefully) for a reasonable, flat fee.  Customer service was great, timing was prompt and professional, and storage is at a secure location.

5a. A great place to stay when you don’t have a new house to go to yet.  We get to stay with my sister and brother, and the chicks, no kidding, keep saying it is even better than the Broadmoor! And they are right, which makes the transition so much easier, so make sure you have a Plan B in case Plan A doesn’t work out quite as planned.

So, readers, have any other tips or essentials for a successful move?  If so, we would love to hear them.  And thanks again to the Five Hens (plus Roosters), who knew I needed help when I didn’t know it myself.  I am eager to help whoever is next— as long as they stay nearby.