Organize Your Move

Organize Your Move

When it comes to finding something fun to do, I’m pretty sure moving is nowhere on anyone’s radar. We all dread it, and unfortunately, most of the time, that results in a last minute, disorganized, stressful experience. There are lots of things you can do to make the transition a little easier on yourself, though. Here are a few tips that will get you starting and finishing your move like a champ!

1. Prune before you pack. We all end up collecting more and more things, as we get more comfortable in our homes. Then, the next thing you know, you own enough umbrellas to open your own mall kiosk. Packing up clutter only ensures that your new home will be even more cluttered than the old one. Before you even start packing, start donating and disposing of things that aren’t meeting your needs or making you happy. Less really is more!

2. One room at a time. Regardless of if you have help, when packing, or not, working on one space at a time will make the task seem a lot less daunting. The feeling of accomplishing small goals, as opposed to one large task, will help throttle your motivation. This will also help you remember where things are, a little easier, when it is time to find them again once you get to your new home.

3. Label, label, and label some more. It’s not fun having to look through ten boxes labeled “Jen’s Room,” to find your favorite shoes the day after your move. Use labels that are as specific as possible. By packing like things together, using specific labels like: “Jen’s black, red, and blue heels,” things will be much easier to find later. Also, it may sound tedious, but make sure to label the top and sides of your boxes. It makes unloading much more efficient. It is even a good idea to label the doors of the rooms at your new home so you don’t have to tell movers or friends where each item should be taken.

4. Use the good stuff. Yes, I know they can be expensive, but actually using boxes instead of throwing heaps of your belongings into big black trash bags, is going to be so beneficial during transit and the unpacking phase. There are lots of sites; such as Craigslist, where people post ads giving away free moving boxes. You just have to take the time to look!

5. Keep calm and plan on! Take the time to make a plan of action and stick to it. Having a plan will help you gage your progress and keep stress levels at a minimum. If you seem to still need a helping hand, instead of letting things stress you out, call a professional for help. Professional movers (Promover.com or yelp.com) and organizers (napo.net – National Association for Professional Organizers) are familiar with the hustle and bustle of the moving process. Their support can range from you not lifting a finger, to just having them guide you to the finish line. Many of them can refer you to other great professionals who can help ease your stress, as well, like: personal concierge services to make sure you have groceries or a hot meal on the day of your move, cleaning companies to get your old home in tip top shape for the next occupants, or even babysitting services to allow you the chance to give your moving experience your undivided attention.

Since you can’t blink yourself to the future, and skip the moving process all together, hopefully, giving these tips a try will be the next best thing. Making an effort to have an organized move is one of those things that will definitely make you want to hug yourself once it’s over!

So, get to moving, Champ!

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