(BPT) – Does the prospect of moving have you buzzing with excitement? Or are you left with worries about packing and clutter? This moving season, an estimated 40 million Americans will move or relocate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Moving is an exciting time, creating opportunities to start fresh and reinvent your life. But whether you’re moving by yourself or uprooting your entire family, moving presents a number of stress-causing challenges. Staying organized and planning ahead will be your best armor against the moving blues. Ease your transition with some of these professional organization tips:
Make a plan
Your calendar will be your best friend throughout the moving process. As soon as you know your moving date, schedule moving help and/or a truck rental. Then, block out time in your calendar for each step of the move, including packing, payment due dates and paperwork. Schedule a day or several to walk through your home, opening every cabinet and drawer, to get rid of what you don’t need or use. There’s no sense in paying to move items you don’t want in your new home.
Clear the clutter
Did you know that 91 percent of Americans say they have kept an item because they feel guilty getting rid of it? That’s a lot of leftover gifts, family heirlooms, greeting cards and rarely worn clothing just lying around. And when you have a home filled with disorganized clutter, you can spend hours searching for misplaced items. A move is a great opportunity to go through that stuff and make the tough decisions about what to keep and what to toss.
If you’re downsizing or staying at a smaller place mid-move, you might need a temporary storage solution to keep some of your belongings. You can easily find and compare prices on storage units, as well as full-service storage services, at SpareFoot.com.
Stock up on supplies
From cleaning supplies to boxes, to labels, packing tape and scissors, you’ll want to make sure you have all the tools you need. Set up a ‘moving station’ somewhere in your current home where you store all your moving necessities. Be sure to select the right boxes for moving your different types of belongings. For example, you can find kitchen packing boxes that have double-wall construction which is better suited for breakables, like dishes, china, crystal and glassware.
Create a moving binder
A three-ring binder is an organization staple for any area of your life. Store and file moving company brochures or business cards, important paperwork like leases or closing documents and use a pouch for holding pens and sticky notes. If you’re someone who likes to store everything digitally, use an organization app so you don’t forget any important information, photos, websites or notes about your move.
Pack like a pro
Assign a color to each area or room of your home. Use colored pens, tape and stickers so you can easily see your color code from across the room or from inside a moving truck. Label all sides of your boxes so you can easily see where a box belongs even when they’re all jumbled together. If you’re hiring professional movers, this will help them know where each box should end up on moving day. Unpacking will be a breeze.
Prepare for moving day
Leading up to your move, make sure to hydrate, rest and eat well. Take care of yourself so that you’ll be completely ready to take on the tasks at hand. Don’t forget to pack a survival box with the essentials you need for the first night in your new home. Toilet paper, sheets, towels, soap and a coffee pot are just a few of the items that you want to be sure you can easily access.
Instead of worrying about the endless moving logistics and details, focus on the exciting adventure ahead of you. Follow these tips to simplify your move for an easy, stress-free process. For more moving tips and advice, visit SpareFoot.com/moving.