Executing a well-organized move
Professional organizers are often asked to assist clients with pre-move purges, packing for moves and even to oversee the entire moving process from start to finish.
We help people decide what to take and we can even make sure their boxes are unpacked and their pictures are hung at their new place to help them get settled in. What if you’re doing it by yourself and you don’t have a move manager in your corner with a clipboard and a tape gun? How can you make sure your move is seamless, efficient and stress free? Here are a few tips and tricks to make the process go much smoother.
Start planning early: Start incorporating the items in your deep freeze into your everyday meals. Aim to get that unplugged. Use what’s in your pantry and hold off buying bulky items. Create a timeline for the major milestones and work backwards from that.
Talk to professionals:
Speak to them early to give you advice that might save you a ton of money and work. For example, maybe that reno you’ve been planning won’t actually show you a strong return on investment when you go to sell. You might be surprised that a fresh coat of paint might give you a better return. Ask people in the know for their best advice.
A minute of purging now will save you hours of disorganization later:
Don’t overlook that all-important pre-move purge. Now is the
time to donate and give away. Don’t pay to move things you don’t need in your new place. It can be expensive to take things to the dump and you’ll most likely need a truck, trailer and heavy lifters to assist, so don’t count out renting a dumpster. It might save you in the long run.
Be a responsible seller: Please don’t leave 30 cans of old paint in the garage thinking you are helping the buyer. Take those to the solvent depot as it’s pretty much a given the new people will be repainting in their own chosen
colours. The same goes for extra tiles and old rolls of cushion floor. You wouldn’t believe how much people leave behind and the buyers have to dispose of it.
Hire good people who bring knowledge and experience: This might mean interviewing an excellent real estate agent who knows your area and the market, finding a home stager if you need one, etc. Firm up some dates with movers who are well recommended for your type of move. You want to get tradespeople in to repair what is broken or complete your list of “things to do around the house.”
Do up an excellent inventory of your boxes:
I keep inventory lists on my laptop and I also print a paper copy. Label each box well with a destination room and number each box. Put the number on the top and the sides of the box because they’ll end up stacked and you won’t know what is where. Keep your essentials out of the boxes and move them with you. This also includes precious items and important documents. Change your address promptly and notify your contacts of your new coordinates as soon as possible.
With a little pre-planning and some purging and organizing, you can have a perfectly executed move. Every time you move, you learn how to make it better and how do it more efficiently. Best of luck and I hope you have a happy, organized move.