Editor’s note: The following story excerpt is republished with permission of houzz.com. See the original article: 10 Best Ways to Get Organized for a Big Move.
By LAURA GASKILL
Whether you are going across town or across the country, moving an entire household can bring on meltdowns, even among the best of us. But by beginning the planning process as soon as you know you will be moving, you can minimize stress and increase the likelihood that everything will go smoothly on moving day and afterward. Read on for 10 sanity-saving ways to get ready for the big move.
Photo credit: Witt Construction
Picture how you want your new home to feel
The best thing you can do to prepare for any move is to let go of excess belongings. Get motivated to clear clutter by viewing this as an opportunity to streamline your belongings and let go of stuff you have been wishing you could get rid of. Now is your chance!
When you are considering whether to keep an item, imagine packing it, physically carrying it from your old house to the new one and unpacking it. Is it worth the effort? How would it make you feel to see this item in your new home — if the answer is "weighted down," let that be your cue to let it go.
Photo credit: transFORM | The Art of Custom Storage
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If you haven’t used it in years, don’t move it
Many items in our garages, attics and basements sit untouched and forgotten about for years on end, which raises the question, why are we holding onto this stuff?
Photo credit: Organizing PROS@Amazing Being Consulting.
If you can’t even remember the last time you wanted to use something, get rid of it. Once you’ve pared things down, items in the storage areas of your home can be packed and labeled for the move.
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Clear the outside zones
There is something really exhausting about having to tackle all of that outdoor stuff at the end of the packing process, yet for some reason this is often the last area to be packed up.
Photo credit: Portal Design Inc.
Make things a bit easier by giving the outdoor areas of your home a walk-through now, pulling aside anything that’s junky, broken or will not be needed at the new place.
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Start a stash of essentials
There is nothing worse than arriving at your new house and having to scramble to find basics like toilet paper, pajamas and coffee for the morning.
Photo credit: California Home + Design
Pick a spot to begin collecting all of those little items you will want access to right away when you move (a cleaned-out cupboard works nicely) so you can organize your essentials even as you are still using them.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- One stack of dishes or a set of disposables.
- A teakettle and French-press coffee maker.
- Basic tools (screwdrivers, a hammer, etc.).
- Trash bags.
- Box cutters.
- Lightbulbs.
- A few rolls of toilet paper and paper towels.
- A shower curtain.
- Bath towels.
- A set of sheets for each bed.
- Curtains for the bedrooms (if you know the windows will be bare).
- Favorite snacks.
- A fun movie to watch on your laptop the first night.
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