Are you planning a move this summer? We’ve got some great tips for organizing and planning it so you can enjoy a stress-free (well almost) move any time of the year.
Better Organized and Well-planned Moves: Begin with the End in Mind
In his famous book, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” author Dr. Stephen R. Covey pioneered the idea of beginning any goal with the end in mind. This means working backwards to assure that you reach your desired outcome. Set a goal, Have a mission. Make a plan. Organization is your best friend. Here is a great reverse-engineered timeline checklist filled with tips for better organized and well-planned moves.
8 Weeks Out
Adjust your mindset – Moving can be overwhelming. The biggest secret to better organized and well-planned moves is taking care of yourself. You must put your self-care first. Get as much rest as possible. Stick with any routines that are working for you, eat well and do whatever you can to de-stress and stay grounded.
Know that the quiet and lovely retreat spaces in your home will transform once you begin your packing. This is why it is imperative for you to decide which areas will remain untouched until the last minute. Putting your self-care first is the most important asset to achieving better organized and well-planned moves.
7 Weeks Out
Secure a moving company – At least 1-2 months before your move, call professional movers and get several free quotes/estimates. Look for coupons or discounts, and read the fine print of all quotes. Ask questions. Find out if your mover offers binding quotes, if they have insurance, what is covered and the cost. Full-service options such as packing and unpacking services and purchasing packing supplies are usually available for an additional cost. Good communication with your moving company is an important asset to achieving better organized and well-planned moves.
6 Weeks Out
Transfer or terminate services – Fill out change of address forms for the post office, Department of Motor Vehicles, your car insurance company, creditors, doctors and personal providers. Cancel clubs and services paid for monthly. Notify your doctor, dentist and veterinarian of your impending move and try to find new ones if possible in your new location to transfer over medical records. Schedule account closings for trash removal, gardeners, pest control, etc. Find out if you need to put any of your cancellation or termination requests in writing.
Protect your documents – Secure all your important paperwork by making copies for yourself and keeping them in a space that is easily accessible. Think about scanning and putting the most important documents in Dropbox or another cloud based platform so you can easily access them no matter where you are. Safeguarding your documents is another important asset to achieving better organized and well-planned moves.
5 Weeks Out
Declutter and sort – In terms of moving, having less stuff will cost you less money. Movers charge based on an estimate of the weight of your items. Think minimalism. Minimalism is a concept that your quality of life improves as you declutter and clear away items that are no longer useful to you. Decluttering is a huge asset to achieving better organized and well-planned moves.
It’s time to sort. It doesn’t matter where you start. Go through each room of your home, one at a time, clearing out closets, drawers and storage areas. Separate your items into categories: “pack”, “recycle”, “donate” or “trash”. Put a disposal plan in place for your discards. If you plan to sell any of your items, decide if you want to sell privately, put the listing on Ebay or Craigslist, or have a yard sale. Keep in mind that yard sales take a lot of work and usually have low profits. If your goal is to get rid of stuff quickly, it’s better to donate it.
4 Weeks Out
Schedule donation pick ups – Call the charity of your choice and verify that your donations will be accepted. I highly recommend a charity called Vietnam Veterans of America. In many areas, they will come to your home and pick up boxed household items, clothing and even books and small furniture from your doorstep. Check online https://vva.org/pickup-locations to see if they do pickups in your area. For all charitable giving, remember to get receipts for tax purposes.
Look into storage facilities – Clearing away items that you don’t want in your new home is a very important key to achieving better organized and well-planned moves. If you plan to put any of your belongings into a storage facility, this is a good time to clear them out of your home. Be warned however, putting things in storage should be a temporary, not a permanent solution. For further reading on this topic, see my blog post on Storage Units: Do you really want to go there?
Purchase packing supplies – If you are doing any packing yourself, particularly of valuable items, you may want to go ahead and buy boxes, tape, bubble wrap and packing items you will need for the job. Pack the areas of the house you use the least, for example, in the summer, pack up your winter clothing and seasonal decorations first.
Plan your new space – Get floor plans and take pictures of your new place so you can plan your furniture placement. On moving day, you will need to tell your movers where to put your furniture. Keep these photos easily accessible since you will want to refer back to them on your big day. It’s very important to ensure that your furniture fits in your new home. Proper measurement is another important key to achieving better organized and well-planned moves.
3 Weeks Out
Call utility services – Arrange for utility, telephone and internet service for your new home. Organize car license, registration and insurance records for the new location.
Change your bank account and pharmacy – Arrange to open a bank account at your new location and choose a local pharmacy. Transfer your prescriptions.
Confirm move details – If you are renting a truck and planning a DIY move, plan your travel route and make any arrangements necessary. If you are hiring a professional mover, there are certain items which they will not transport for liability purposes. Find out what items apply to this category and be prepared to transport them yourself. To best protect your fragile and valuable items, it may be wise to invest in purchasing a crate or special box from the moving company.
2 Weeks Out
Arrange for child care – If you have young kids, have a care plan in place to keep your them happy, safe and occupied so you can focus on the moving process.
Don’t forget about your pets – Consider your pet’s peace of mind and well-being as you plan for their safety and comfort. Ask a friend or relative if they can pet sit for the day or invest in an overnight stay at a reputable boarding facility.
Caution: It is not advisable to have your pet in either of your homes when the movers are there, because accidents do happen. For out-of-state moves, there are pet-exclusive airlines available such as Pet Airways but regular airlines also cater to traveling pets.
Clean house – Schedule “move out” cleaning services and do spot repairs before you move. If you are an apartment dweller with a lease and a rent security on deposit, you are entitled to get your deposit returned to you 30 days after you vacate. The proviso is that you return the home in the same good condition you found it. Check the laws under your state. If you are selling your house, consider hiring professional carpet cleaners or a maid service to welcome the new buyers with a clean and tidy home. Discontinue your newspaper delivery.
1 Week Out
Pack a “first night” box – Pack necessities for each bedroom and for the kitchen. Bedroom boxes should contain bed linens, pillows, blankets and pajamas. Include necessary toiletries if you are making a local move. “First night” kitchen boxes can contain paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils & cups, the coffee maker and any non-perishable breakfast foods that help your family get off to a good start in the morning. Throw in toilet paper and paper towels, too! Pack your valuables in a suitcase or box that you keep with you.
Clear out the freezer – Eat all your frozen food or give it away. If you are moving a deep freeze, it must be empty on moving day. Avoid the frustration of defrosting food and carrying an ice chest by using up all your frozen goods.
Plan mover’s payment – Check your contract and/or call your moving company to find out what types of payment are accepted. Some require money orders or cashier’s checks upon delivery; know in advance to avoid stress on the big day. Have cash on hand to tip your movers appropriately as well.
Visit your new home – If you can make the trip, go to your new home and identify the location of your breaker box, water and gas shut off valves. Place a flashlight in the area so you will be ready if anything happens.
Packing/Moving Day
Take inventory – While packing, take an inventory of the items in all the boxes – more detail is better than not enough when it comes to better organized and well-planned moves. You may think you know what “dining room contents” means when you pack it, but unless you write down “crystal, china, linens, & silverware” you are unlikely to remember these details when it’s time to start unpacking. Also make sure to think about unpacking when you pack. For instance, if you have kids who share a room now but won’t in the new house, make sure to box their items separately.
Label, label and label some more! – Not only should you label your boxes with what’s inside, you should also label them with where they are going. That will help the movers get your things in the right place more easily. Pack things that are going to the same room together.
Use the right sized boxes – Heavy items, like books, should be packed in smaller boxes to make them easier to move. Large boxes are great for lightweight items, like towels & linens. Pack the heaviest items on the bottom and the lightest on top.
Do one last walk through – Once all the boxes have been packed and moved out, go room by room through your old home to make sure that nothing has been forgotten. Secure all doors, windows and locks and turn off all switches. Leave the house keys with appropriate person.
Check boxes on the other end – Meet the truck at the new location to check your boxes and ensure that they have arrived undamaged. Do not sign anything until you get this confirmation.
Refer to furniture placement photos and plans – Use your floor plans or furniture placement photos to show the movers or those helping you unpack exactly where everything goes. It is often very helpful to have another adult family member or professional available to give the movers direction on where to place your furniture and boxes as they enter the new house so you can be available for other emergencies as they arise (as they most certainly will!)
Unpacking and settling in – Unpack your “first night” boxes starting with bedrooms, kitchen and bathrooms. Continue to unpack at a pace that feels comfortable for you. Have a bed made up and ready for you to slip into at the end of a long, hard day. And whenever you are ready, introduce yourself to the neighbors and become a part of your new community.
Moving should be a time of hope and renewal. But without a strategy and a helping hand, it’s very difficult. We want to help you by taking the burden off of your shoulders. Our specialty is facilitating organized and well-planned moves for our clients. Order Your Life provides a move management service to ease the transition of any move, large or small. We can help you make those tough decluttering decisions while getting ready to pack, take unwanted items for donation, develop a room by room placement plan for your new home, oversee your moving company on moving day, and most importantly, unpack and arrange all areas of your new home so you start out organized and ready for your new life!
