Martha Stewart | Martha's true story will move you

I RECENTLY SOLD Turkey Hill, my beloved Westport, Conn., home for the last 35 years. I actually moved two years ago to Katonah, N.Y., and was ensconced in my farm there, so I had plenty of time to plan the formal, final move.

It had been my intention, once Turkey Hill was sold, to move everything the 25 miles from place to place with the help of my own staff. Turkey Hill was filled with furniture, mirrors, lighting fixtures and other "stuff." The thought of a moving company packing up all those delicate and fragile items and carting them over in a giant van was more than I could bear. So we planned a simplified version of a professional move using a trailer, a panel van, two Chevy Suburbans and a couple of pickup trucks.

I thought a lot about what should be moved first, second, third, and so on. With a three-week deadline and lots of plastic bins, bubble packaging material, reams of tissue paper and, of course, packing tape and Post-its, we started packing.

All small fragile items were moved first. Shelving and cupboards at the farm were ready to receive the myriad assortment of dishes, china, glassware and decorative pieces that had been on display at Turkey Hill. Good, clean, rigid plastic tubs were filled with tissue and bubble-packed tea sets, cake stands, stacks of fine plates and sets of crystal glasses and bowls.

As soon as the tubs were filled and covered, they were transported in one layer in the back of a sport-utility vehicle to the farm, where they were carefully unpacked and stored. Because we had used clean packaging materials and paper, none of the pieces needed to be washed after they were unpacked.

The next category to move was the antique furniture. There were specific locations earmarked for each piece; a yellow Post-it was taped to each one indicating its future position. We visited a large moving-supply store and bought furniture bags in various sizes, clear packing tape and dispensers, and giant rolls of assorted widths of bubble packaging material.

Each chair and sofa was carefully surrounded in a clear, heavy-duty plastic bag, which was taped shut. All casters and wheels were wrapped to prevent them from snapping off. All cupboards and tables were likewise wrapped and taped, and we used the trailer to move the furniture, protecting it further by covering each piece loosely with packing blankets, which acted as buffers for the pieces.

Turkey Hill was illuminated by hanging crystal chandeliers and wall-mounted sconces. Most of these were removed, carefully wrapped, and packed in plastic bins. Large hanging fixtures were suspended from chains on wooden dowels inside large wardrobe boxes so they could be moved with ease. Fragile arms and dangling crystals were protected with tissue to prevent movement, and pillows of packing material around each fixture eliminated any swinging inside the boxes. We cut the dowels wider than the boxes so that they protruded a few inches from each side, creating a litter-like carrying device.

Of course there were many, many more things to move: linens, bedding, maps, books, pots and pans, and appliances, as well as garden furniture, sports equipment and garden tools. Most of these were carefully placed in tubs, usually without wrapping, for the quick shuttle to the farm.

Carried off by a small group of energetic "movers," this monumental task became almost pleasant, and the fact that everything arrived undamaged made the experience even better.

* Use plastic furniture bags to protect each piece of furniture. These come in sofa, love seat and mattress sizes.

* Carefully wrap fragile legs, table casters, drawer pulls and finials before placing furniture in plastic bags.

* Keep all screws, fasteners and keys from a piece in an envelope taped to it.

* Use plastic tubs for fragile items. Make sure tops are rigid to allow for stacking.

* Purchase plenty of rolls of bubble packaging material in various widths and in large and small textures. It's reusable, so it won't be wasted. Use as little clear plastic packing tape as possible: Cutting through excess tape can endanger fragile items.

* Packing and tissue paper come in reams. There's even tarnish-free paper for silver and acid-free paper for linens. And if you wrap items in clean paper rather than newsprint, they won't have to be rewashed.

* Buy wardrobe boxes for your hanging fixtures and delicate cabinets or tables.

* Packing blankets come in light and heavy weights, so have a selection of both on hand. Keep them clean after the move so they can be reused. *

For more moving advice visit www.marthastewart.com/moving.

Questions should be addressed to Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 11 W. 42nd Street, New York, N.Y. 10036. Questions may also be sent by electronic mail to: mslletters@ martha stewart.com. Please include your name, address and daytime telephone number.