Whether you’re moving across the country or across the street, the steps you take to organize your move is critical to gaining benefit from the experience. Moving is a great time to pare down your belongings to exactly what works for you.
1) Purge as You Pack
Don’t move what you don’t really want to keep. If you’re downsizing, this purging process can make fitting into your new home much simpler. For those who have the time, your move can also be a time to make some extra money by selling things that just won’t fit in your new space.
To start, enter each room of your home with three containers. Use a
- bag for trash
- box for donations or sale items
- bin or plastic tub for items you plan to take with you
If your budget is tight and you don’t have plastic bins in your home already, check out local businesses, such as legal firms and accounting firms. Paper boxes are an ideal tool for uniform packing.
2) Temporary Storage Options
If you already have a storage unit, you will want to sort it out before you leave town. As you get rid of things, go ahead and start moving what you plan to take to your new home into the storage unit. This will give you room to think and clean up your existing home.
For those who don’t have a storage unit, clear one wall in your current space and start lining up boxes there. If at all possible, use a spot of floor that has no carpeting so you can easily clean the flooring.
3) Choose What to Ship
Do you have a vehicle that will make your move easier? If you have a car and an SUV in your household, you may want to use car shipping services in Georgia to move the passenger vehicle across a long distance. Passenger cars and motorcycles are often a great choice for shipping.
4) Moving Vehicle Choices
If you have large furniture to ship, you will probably want to rent or hire a moving truck. Get the internal dimensions of the truck and create a similar space in your home so you can measure your possessions to make sure you get the right-sized truck.
Now is also the time, to be honest about what you can safely list. The friends who helped you move 10 years ago may not have the same lifting capacity. If you need to hire movers, do so.
5) Upgrade Options
Many of us have furniture that could use an upgrade. Now is the time to get the furniture reupholstered and refinished. If you’re moving locally, you can get furniture picked up at the old house, reupholstered, and delivered to your new home.
For those moving locally, try to give yourself a few days of overlap so you can take the time to arrange and settle into your new space easily. Do make sure that as you focus on your new home you make yourself reminders so you don’t forget utilities and final inspections.
6) Map Your New Location
What is going where? Sketch out a map of your new place and start to make notes on what pieces of furniture will fit best in each new room. Invest in color-coded dots or colored markers so you can mark each container for the movers.
7) Gather Moving Supplies
In addition to collecting paper boxes from local businesses, take a detailed inventory of what you currently own. Before you buy bubble wrap, pull all sheets and towels out of your linen cabinets and storage bins.
How many suitcases do you have? A sturdy suitcase with wheels can haul a lot of weight and make it much easier to haul pictures and framed art. Be creative with your current possessions to keep moving expenses low.
8) Pack and Move with Purpose
If you don’t have a place for it, don’t move it. You may actually need to have a second moving sale once you’re all packed up. Another option is to contact local family shelters to donate possessions you no longer need to folks in the struggle. Your move can improve several lives.
