In recent conversations with other Professional Organizers, moving company contacts and Realtors, this summer’s moving season is hotter than ever! We are all slammed! If you are in the midst of moving chaos, and the stress is piling up as fast as donation bags and moving boxes, then read on for Put It There’s top 8 tips for taking some of the stress out of your upcoming move.
1) Make a list! In fact, make more than 1. I am often teased for my list making, but I have to admit they really do eliminate a lot of anxiety surrounding a big project or when a lot is swimming around in my head.
· List #1 – Your current home. Starting from the front door and with a legal pad or new electronic document in hand, go room by room making lists for what needs to be done in each space. Break it down into the smallest of steps. For example, don’t write “purge kitchen” on the list. Way too big! Try this instead….Purge baking items, purge expired spices, purge old dish towels, etc.
· List #2 – The logistics. Researching movers. Hiring movers. Arranging necessary repairs. Turning off and on utilities. Changing your address. Keep going, get it off your brain and on to paper or a spreadsheet.
· List #3 – Your new home. Arrange walk throughs, meet with any professionals to update or repair. Take measurements.
· List #4 – Color coded box and inventory system. Pick one color sticker to put on the outside of each box delineating which room it corresponds to and make a list outlining the system. Under each color can be a list of numbered boxes listing the items in each box, noting which boxes need to be unpacked first.
2) Invest in the right moving materials – clean, sturdy boxes, lots and lots of tape, very good packing paper (NOT newspaper), bubble wrap, Sharpies, color coded stickers. Did I mention good quality packing paper? Do not skimp on this!!!
3) Create 2 distinct spaces where donation bags can be stored as well as packed boxes. Be careful not to mix up the 2!
4) Take careful measurements of your new space to realistically assess what furniture pieces and quantity of items will fit. Even a similarly sized home with similar square footage can be a drastically different space.
5) Not sure where to take unneeded or unwanted items? There are many options to choose from. As a family, choose organizations that will feel good. Try refugee resettlement organizations, women’s shelters, thrift stores, and ministries to name a few. Put It There has a lengthy and comprehensive list of donation organizations. Feel free to contact us for a copy.
6) For those who need to downsize a considerable amount, plan on doing a few rounds of purging. Conduct an initial sweep one room at a time and purge the obvious, non-emotional, “low hanging fruit”. You can allow yourself to make a “maybe” pile, but only if it can stay limited to what may be realistic to fit in your new space. Go back through again or revisit the “maybe’s”. Still have too much? Then have a 3rd party help purge further.
7) For sentimental items, take pictures. Memories often do not live in the actual object. Create a keepsake file for the pictures which you can easily access for trips down memory lane.
8) Lastly, enlist help! This step is crucial as no move can be done alone. All hands need to be on deck whether it be family members, friends, or professional organizers.
The summer moving season can be exhausting and stressful. Be kind to yourself and know this is both physically and mentally tiring. Pace yourself, get plenty of rest and know that there is a lovely new home waiting for you on the other side.
It’s Time To Start Those Summer Organizing Projects!
