Moving soon? Don’t worry, moving might seem like a really stressful thing to go through but if you make a plan and stick to it, it’ll be quick and painless. No one likes to put all of their belongings in boxes and haul them across town, but moving can be exciting if you just get organized before you go!
Here are some tips on how to get and stay organized before your move. Follow these suggestions, and you’re in for a stress-free move!
Keep a Notebook
If you’re trying to stay calm and collected under the pressure of moving, make sure you have all of your notes, relevant dates, quotes from moving companies, info about what you packed where, and more in one central place. Keeping a moving notebook, as suggested by Organized Home, is a great way to stay on top of the move.
You can also write down bulk trash dates, info about local charities that might accept donations, reminders about what to pack and what to donate, and more.
Bulk Trash
First thing’s first: getting items you no longer need out of your home before your moving day will make your move less stressful and more organized. The Spruce suggests starting with the bulk items. Are you planning to donate your couch or your bedframe? Make arrangements with a local charity to come and pick up the furniture you want to recycle, or rent a truck to haul it to a disposal center. Clearing out these big items first will make packing and moving easier down the line.
Regular Trash
Once you’ve taken care of the bulk items, it’s time to systematically go through all of your belongings, and decide what can be tossed and what can be donated. A good rule of thumb for clothing is that if you haven’t worn it in the past two years, donate it or throw it away. Items in our closet are often guilty of taking up precious space that we could use to store other things!
Pull all the items out of your closet, sort everything, and make piles: keep, donate and garbage. The same rule applies to your kitchen cabinets and under the bathroom sink. Any condiments or beauty products that are expired or no longer useful to you should be disposed of or donated, if appropriate.
Pack in Stages
It’s important to not leave the packing all to the last minute. If you have seasonal items like snowboarding equipment, start there. Anything you won’t need for the immediate future right before your move can get wrapped up and packed into a labeled box. The garage and basement storage area is usually a great place to start with this, since a lot of items in there are seasonal and you won’t need them right when you move in. Just remember to leave your toolbox in an accessible area, for putting together furniture and hanging photos in your new home.
Apply the same logic to your summer or winter clothing, and pack any non-essentials in the kitchen, like your stand mixer.
De-Clutter the Office
If you have filing cabinets, chances are you have bank statements and tax returns going back years—go through the office space in your home, and see what you can part with. Shred any documents you can get rid of, and consider scanning things you might need access to in the future, that way you can store everything on your laptop rather than hauling filing cabinets from one home to the next!
If you have bookshelves full of books at your current place, consider donating some of them to lessen the load when it’s time to move. Books take up a lot of real estate when it comes to boxes, and they can also be quite heavy—it might be best to lessen the load before moving day.
TVs and Computers
Houzz suggests taking extra care when it’s time to pack up the TVs and the computers. If you’re not technologically inclined, snap a photo of what the back of your TV and DVR sets look like, and label each cord as you remove it with a piece of tape. Setting up the TV might be one of the first things you’ll want to do in the new house, but it’ll be nearly impossible if you have no clue where the dozen cables plug in.
Label Everything
Organized Home says that there’s no such thing as too many labels—every time you add an item to a box, jot down what the item is on the outside of the box in a visible area. That way, when you’re moved in, you won’t have to unpack everything at once to find what you’re looking for. Labeling your boxes is not only a great way to keep your move organized, it’s also a great way to keep your unpacking organized as well.
Once you’ve started packing, give Highland Moving and & Storage a call at 604-581-2300. Our professional Vancouver BC packers and movers will make the day-of move seamless and stress free. You can contact us a request a complimentary moving estimate whether you’re staying local or moving across the country!
