Prioritize the jobs on your list, and try to estimate about how much time you’ll need for each task. Then start enlisting help. Older kids can pack up their own stuff. Be sure to encourage them to use the occasion as a chance to get rid of all the items they no longer use. Ask other family members to help you. This isn’t a time to be shy, or to think you can do everything yourself. Packing and moving is a great chance to get rid of all the unnecessary stuff you’ve accumulated. If you haven’t looked at your college textbooks in 22 years, for instance, chances are that you don’t need them. Take the items you won’t use to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, a women’s shelter, or your church or synagogue’s bazaar. Thoughtfully decide where the items can best be put to good use. Any items you give to charity can be listed as charitable contributions and deducted from your income tax. Just be sure to get a receipt from the charity and itemize what you’ve donated. The following table is a listing of suggested price ranges for gifts of donated property to charity, in good condition. The IRS requires proof of the donation and documentation supporting its appraised value.
