Although moving can be an exciting, albeit stressful, time, it’s essential to take care of yourself in advance to minimize the chaotic nature of the process. Too many hours spent packing and unpacking boxes on your own or with friends can lead to fatigue and exhaustion.
Moving is a stressful experience in life. Not because you have to move, but because you never know what might happen during the moving process. Here are some relevant tips that will make organizing and decluttering before moving a success.
Organize Before You Ever Have to Move
Neatly organized and stacked stuff will be much easier for a professional moving company to do their job. These companies are only concerned with getting your things from one place to another without damaging, losing them, or arising the need for appliance repair. If everything is meticulously packed, the movers will be able to grab the box that has a number on it and place it curbside for you to pick up with your personal belongings.
To make the moving process go smoothly as possible, try to put all of your belongings in bins. The proper containers will be able to hold the weight of the items and make it easier for the movers to carry them through hallways and up or downstairs. You also need to label each box with a number to identify each package quickly. Avoid color-coded labels because not all moving workers can see specific colors in their peripheral vision.
There are many different things to take care of, so organizing and decluttering before moving is imperative. It can help you get less anxious about the transition, make your transition less stressful, and ease whatever worries prevent you from moving.
Pack Boxes
Organizing and decluttering before moving yourself is very helpful. It will decrease the price of your move and help you save valuable time and energy when moving day approaches. You can purchase new or used moving boxes or repurpose other items as moving boxes.
You can use plastic shopping bags to pack up throw blankets, towels, and linens. These plastic bags keep your items clean and dry and make it easier to carry your things from one home to another. Plastic storage bins can not only be used for storage after you’ve moved, but you can use them to hold the clothes on hangers that you haven’t packed yet.
It’s tempting to go through the closet, drawer, glass shower doors, and cabinet in your house, but that can be overwhelming. So start with the things you can access easily. For example, kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets are usually near the exits or entrances of your home. If you’re having a garage sale or donating clothes or other items, this is also an easy place to start.
Group Things Together in a Logical Order
Before you start packing up boxes, it’ll be helpful to group items together logically. It is crucial for clothes and kitchen utensils. Create categories, for example, by type of clothing. If possible, categorize clothes by the season or event for which you would wear them.
If you’re packing up boxes to move and don’t want to buy new ones, some grocery stores offer an option to purchase empty boxes very cheaply, even maybe free sometimes. Also, use old grocery bags to pack other items in. They pack down small but can fit a surprising amount of stuff inside. You also need to have an emergency towing service on speed dial in case anything happens on your way.
Label Everything With a Box Number
Label books and DVDs with the movie’s name they are based on and place them in the appropriate bin. Place all clothing in plastic containers labeled with their sizes so that you can stack other clothes on top of them. Do the same for your shoes, boots, and pants with sizes.
Moving is something that many people do in their lifetime. It’s usually both exciting and daunting, depending on the circumstances.
One thing that can make packing and moving more manageable is to avoid picking up every room of your home before loading it into a truck or moving van. Instead, start by packing where you need to put your things. You will be amazed at the much you can load with just a few boxes and then have everything in order.
Another thing that can make organizing and decluttering before moving much easier is to label everything that goes into boxes, so it’s easy to see what goes in each box.
Labeling different boxes help you to remember what is going where and makes your life easier when unpacking. If you have labeled your boxes correctly, you can move things directly into their new places. If not, you will have to sift through items to find what is supposed to be in each box.
Labeling your boxes is easy, but it isn’t always fast. The best way to label everything is to use a marking device that writes well on the box’s material, cardboard or plastic.
Don’t Forget to Include All of Your Emergency Items in Your Boxes
You should also include a copy or two of your important documents and essential bank information, such as social security numbers, car insurance plan information, doctors, medications, and a list of emergency contacts. You should also pack these items in a sturdy box labeled with the name and address of your new home so that they can be delivered safely to you after you reach your new home.
You should also bring additional packing bags, collapsible bins, and other household goods. But these boxes are only good for the duration of a move. It can be overwhelming and time-consuming when you have to move your whole life in a short day. It’s not just the physical process of moving that will feel draining on your energy level, but also the emotional toll. That’s why it’s essential to take steps before your move day arrives to stay strong throughout the emotional and physical challenges that await.
Try making a checklist to help you stay on top of your game when moving day arrives. It will help you remember everything that needs attention, such as the home heating oil. You can look at the checklist multiple times during the day as a reminder.
You’ll want to get to know your new city, so print out a map or use Google Maps or another map app so you can browse neighborhoods and see if there are places that might interest you.
Move Food
Try to move your food right away to avoid the risk of spoiling or wasting the food you’ve worked so hard to prepare. Only pack items that will not damage or bake in an oven, such as bread and hard-boiled eggs while you are moving. The movers will be able to package your other perishables for you if requested, or you can take them yourself if they do not mind.
Moving can be chaotic, but it’s also an opportunity to declutter and streamline a space by setting new rules for your new home. If you’ve lost all sense of direction, having clear guidelines ahead of time will help reduce the stress levels through organizing and decluttering before moving.
Clear out the cupboards and drawers in advance of the move. It’s a good idea to clear out all your kitchen and storage items before moving to avoid any mix-ups that could cause issues for you and your new family. You’re less likely to throw things away or forget about them when they’re not lurking under your nose all the time.
So many people are confused about what to do with their food. It’s best to get all your hard-to-remember cooking ingredients and dishes before throwing away anything. Having them at one point will make it easy to see what you have when you need to use new items and if they might come in handy while the family is away.
If you want to store food, then make sure it’s something that will last, not just the fresh stuff. Store the food in the garage or other safe places away from critters and unwanted pests. If you grow your vegetables, you need a crop insurance plan to guide you on the weather patterns.
Do Not Move Any Antique or Expensive Items
If you own anything that is considered antique, valuable, or irreplaceable, you should take the time to photograph it and put it in plastic bags labeled with a number. It will help ensure your things are treated with the utmost care during transport because these items often cannot be destroyed if damaged. Movers will also have difficulty determining what belongs in which box when thrown out of packages with numbers on them.
When scheduling the moving day, remember that it can take up to six hours to pack things away, so make sure your packing preparations start early enough in advance so that everything can be ready when the movers arrive with their truck. Do not move any antique or expensive items such as drain cleaning equipment. It is an excellent idea to leave them where they are. You will have a better time organizing and decluttering before moving rather than after. If you have large furniture that you cannot move, it is also best to have movers remove them beforehand.
You may want to hire someone to help with your move to focus more on preparing things at home. Organize the items not boxed yet. It gives you a good thought of what you have to move.
Label Boxes With Tape and Your Information Only
When you are moving, you will have a lot of boxes with numbers on them. It makes it easy for companies that provide packing and moving services to work from a list and quickly match the boxes with the proper numbered label. As tempting as it is to use colored tape and write in bright colors, try only to use black tape so that you can avoid any confusion or mix-ups. Also, remember to keep your labels simple by only writing numbers on each box so that the moving company can quickly identify them.
Labels are one of the first and foremost things you should invest in when organizing a move. If you have a lot of things, organizing and decluttering before moving can be challenging. Labeling the outside with contact information and then putting your contact information on the inside helps you know where everything will go before moving day. It also makes unpacking easier because boxes come labeled with their destination.
Labeling boxes save time, money, and sanity. You can label boxes with tape if you stack them using the peel and stick tape or with a permanent marker if you will open them again.
Go With a Professional
If moving yourself, get some training or help from friends or relatives who have moved in the past. They can help you learn how to pack efficiently. They will be glad to come along with you as a resource if your movers are less than welcoming while packing up your things. In addition, going with a professional can save you money by removing the unnecessary stress of organizing and decluttering before moving. It will help to seek the expertise of a lawyer to guide you in case any legal issue arises in the moving process.
A professional mover can save you time, hassle, and money. Professionals will also help you plan your move and make it much easier than trying to do it yourself. Additionally, they’ll provide personalized services such as packing, loading, and moving your items into the truck. They can also give a referral for an accountant if need be.
Do Not Load More Than What Can Fit in the Van
Be sure not to load more than will fit in the moving van or trucks you have hired to transport your belongings. If you move any more, you risk damaging them and your belongings. The best way to avoid damage to goods is to pack as much as fits comfortably, then add padding and blankets for cushions. It can help protect your items and make a move easier on you.
Organizing and decluttering before moving can be time-consuming, but it’s an investment. You’ll need to sort every room in your home and consider each item individually. Collecting the things you want to take with you, and paring down the things taking up space, will make packing a lot easier.
Before moving, you can consider selling your large, more oversized items like furniture and appliances. You may find someone in your area who will buy them from you. Or, consider donating them to a charity. Avoid putting these items out on the curb for garbage pickup or allowing a dumpster company to take them away, as this will only add to overflowing landfills.
In conclusion, there are many aspects of moving that you need to consider. Some of the more tedious elements are packing, unpacking, asphalt sealing, organizing and decluttering before moving. You would be surprised how much time goes into these tasks compared to actual physical labor.
If you are not careful about organizing and decluttering before moving, you can be unable to organize and clean once you get to your new house. You may have more laundry than ever before after moving into your new home.