Who gets excited to pack up their home for a move? Yeah, we didn’t think so. We can all agree moving is not the most fun thing to do. It’s a big job that requires a lot of time and work. There are ways to reduce the stress of planning and executing your move. We are sharing our tips to help make your move as smooth as possible!
Prep for Your Move
Before you start gathering the moving boxes and packing up, it will be very helpful for you to develop a plan. This will not only help with the packing process, but will prove invaluable when you and all your things reach your new destination and the unpacking begins.
- Create a moving folder to house all the documents related to your move in one, easy to access place. Remember, it’s about to get a little wild in your house.
- Create a moving checklist with a timeline with all the important dates and tasks related to your move. This will help you stay on task and not forget anything important, like changing your address or activating your utilities.
5 Tips to Declutter for Your Move
As you have likely figured out decluttering is a HUGE first step in all things pro-organizing. When it comes to moving, it may be one of the most important steps. Decluttering before your move will help you start fresh in your new space with only the things you actually need and want. This can be particularly important if you are downsizing. You will want to start this piece of the process early to give yourself enough time to do it properly without feeling rushed.
- Use a room by room approach
- Sort items into the keep, donate/sell & trash categories
- Consider the one year rule – if you haven’t used or worn something in a year, let it go
- Consider the size of your new home when deciding what to keep
- Digitize your paperwork & photos – you will have less clutter and a digital backup should anything get lost
Tips for Organized Packing & Unpacking
Finally, we are ready to start packing! Our rooms are completely decluttered and we are only packing our items we truly use and need. To help you stay organized during this process, we have outlined a step by step approach. We will use the same room by room approach that worked so well when we were decluttering.
- For each room, clearly label each box with it’s contents and the room it belongs in.
- You can use a color coded system as well. Give each room in your new home a color and use labels & tape with the corresponding color to mark each box. Direct movers to the carefully labeled boxes to ensure everything ends up in the correct room upon arrival.
- Pack your most infrequently used items first & keep your everyday items separate to be packed last and placed in your personal vehicle for quick retrieval on day 1.
- Don’t forget to plan for a smooth move for your pets too! Be sure to have their food & treats as well as a collar with your contact information. Place them out of the way of the movers so you won’t have any escape artists.
- Take inventory of your items and snap a photo of any valuables just in case anything gets lost or broken.
- Use removable labels for handling instructions for electronics & furniture if you are using a moving service.
The more decluttered and organized your are as you prep and pack up your current home, the less stressful the unpacking process will be.
Moving is a big job! If you don’t want to do it alone, we can help! Check out our Packing & Unpacking services.