Oh don’t we all wish we would have gotten started sooner. The dreaded packing and all that entails. Moving can be a stressful time, so many things to do. Why didn’t we clean out the basement before now?! Likely because there was no approaching deadline! Thankfully there are many simple things you can do to make it easier on yourself and your family. Here are a few of them.
Start early to reduce stress
So often we feel that there isn’t enough time to get everything done so we end up rushing and cutting corners, which causes more work in the end.
Purge-
Start by going through the individual rooms and choosing the items you want to donate or trash. There is no reason to take those items with you. It saves time, space and packing material getting rid of those items now. Take clothes, toys, bedding and furniture to Goodwill. Recycle old electronics. Throw away expired pantry items and medicine.
Come up with a packing system-
There are several different ways to pack to make the move more efficient. You can use color coding, place colored tape on the outside of the boxes. Have a color that is specific to each room and a list posted at the front door that shows those rooms and colors. That will allow the people unloading the moving truck to take the box to the correct room.
You can label each box clearly on the top and the side with the name of the room it’s going to and the number of boxes that go to that room. Example ( Kitchen 1 of 8 ) Or you can come up with your own system according to your preferences.
Stock up on packing materials-
It’s easy to forget that you don’t just need boxes and tape to move. Start a list of the specific items you will need.
-packing tape
-masking tape
-bubble wrap
-newspaper
-tissue paper
-boxes
-specialty boxes
-boxcutter
-labels
-king size sharpie
-colored duct tape or washi tape for color coding
Pack a suitcase-
You are likely going to want to unpack the kitchen or bathrooms when you first start unboxing everything. Eliminate the stress of having to unpack the bedrooms right away by packing an overnight bag for each family member. That gives you peace of mind knowing where essentials are for your first couple of nights. The same goes for pets, put together a “doggy bag” containing anything you will need for your furry friend those first couple of days.
Essential/Important Documents-
Anything vital keep with you in your personal vehicle. Gather those documents and put them in one box clearly labeled.
Hire a cleaning service - Please!
The day before closing, or what ever may fit your moving schedule the best, have a cleaning crew clean your home to have it ready for the new owners. This is typically done after everything is out of the house. This common courtesy goes a long way. Get this scheduled and on your calendar at least two weeks prior to the new owners closing on the home. Nobody likes to move into their new home only to find it filthy.
Remember to change your address at the post office 2 weeks prior to your move AND call utility companies to transfer service. Never turn off or cancel utilities.