Regardless of relocation type, a move from one home to another involves a drastic change that should be planned and executed with care and attention to detail. Whether it’s a larger home for a growing family, a new state, or downsizing for retirees, every move will bring its own challenges. Even if you hire a moving company to do all the packing and take the furniture and boxes from one place to another, much more is involved, and a professional organizer can be of great assistance. Here’s a timeline for you to consider before the day the movers arrive with the truck.
Phase 1 – The Plan and the Revised Plan!
When a move is just an idea, you can start anticipating the effort that needs to be made to plan what you need to do. This post offers the basics steps; however, your move may involve more complicated issues like downsizing, where you need to think about what to dispose of and where to dispose of it. Put together a calendar for your family to start and proceed with the move through the finish so you can have something to refer to as the move happens.
It is just as important to stay flexible with the plan. Your new home may end up being a different size or configuration from your current space, and once you know where you will land, it may be hard to figure out precisely what you need to be doing. Once you do know where you’re going, your revised plan can include a layout of your current and future space with specific locations for furniture and household goods that you can use to label items as the move progresses.
Phase 2 – Only Take What You Want
The first activity in your plan should be taking a crack at your “dead weight.” If you hire movers, they will pack everything, so you want to ensure those nearly empty bottles of shampoo and cleaners don’t make their way to your new home. This step happens before the more challenging choices of mementos and other accumulated items that may be a little harder to tackle emotionally. However, this first go-round can be a great way to inventory those items before deciding about them. Moving systematically through your home and purging these items is a good idea. Be sure to check places like under the sink and the awkward upper cabinets where unwanted items have a way of collecting.
Phase 3 – Decluttering: The Second Round
Now that you’ve cleared the decks of the easy stuff, you must do the more complicated work of decluttering to fit your new home. This may call for working with a professional organizer who can help you to identify items to dispose of, keep, gift, or donate. It can feel overwhelming to evaluate baby shoes or photo albums, but working with a considerate professional can help you tackle these decisions. You may find that you only want to keep a smaller sample or decide to digitize your photos or take other steps to reduce the number of things that will need to find a place for in the new home.
Phase 4 – Protecting the Valuables
The worst feeling in the world is trying to find a piece of jewelry or an essential document after a move, and it’s not making an appearance. Instead of wondering whether these items “fell off the truck,” you should pack these yourself and put them in a safe place. It would be best if you planned to transport them separately to your new home. Some items like artwork or fine china are best left to the professional movers; however, be sure to take inventory of them and photograph their condition in the event you need to make a claim after the move.
Phase 5 – Move Management on Move Day
When the movers finally arrive, they will need some direction. They will pack up the rooms, assuming the same set-up will exist in the new space. This may not be the case, so it’s essential to help with labeling for the change. For example, you may have a pantry in your current home and not one where you are moving. Deciding where the items need to go (and having the boxes marked properly) will make unpacking and putting away go much more smoothly. The movers will prepare a lengthy inventory of their packing. Work with the moving crew chief to ensure you understand and agree with their list.
As you get excited about moving to a new home, prepare for the transition to make the best of your new space. If you feel like you need some help with move management, contact Clutter Corrections, and we can work with you to smooth the path toward the move.