Moving makes you realize how much you really have. It can be daunting to pack up, especially if you have a room or two that is messy and full of stuff. Here are some tips to help you stay organized while you move.
Organize Before You Pack
Place your clothes and items into three piles: “Keep,” “Throw Away” and “Donate.” It can feel really good to declutter and get rid of some of your old junk. Donating gently used items before you move makes for a fresh start and also contributes to helping those in need. Your junk might be someone else’s treasure, so don’t just throw everything away! Donate gently used clothing, toys and furniture to charity organizations.
Pack an Essentials Bag
At the end of a long day, you definitely don’t want to organize a search party to find your toothbrush, soap, makeup, toilet paper and dental floss in separate, unlabeled boxes scattered across your house. That’s why it’s important to pack an essentials bag with all of the items you will need to use after you first move into your new home.
Label Your Boxes
When you’re packing the moving boxes, it is extremely important to mark and label them with a general category like “Kitchen.” That way, you’ll be able to easily differentiate what’s in each box without having to first take everything out of them. Have the movers put the boxes in their designated rooms. If you want to be really organized, you can even try using different colored labels for each room category. This can be done with actual colored labels or you can just write on the boxes with different colored markers.
Make a List
When you move there are a lot of loose ends that you need to tie up. Between transfering your cable and internet to your new address, taking care of new Utilities and old, HOA dues, etc. All of that on top of packing and unpacking and getting new carpet or paint there are many things to keep track of. Having a list with to-dos that you can check off throughout the moving process will help you stay organized.
