“Happiness doesn’t have just one address.” – Anonymous
The ability to “work from wherever” has many families relocating. Perhaps its to be closer to family, or somewhere away from busy city life. Or in our case living in Colorado, to parts of the country they have always dreamed of living. As we have helped a handful of clients unpack their homes over the past year we have discovered they moved to Colorado Springs because they simply wanted to. (After-all, we are the second best place to live in the US!) And with the capability to work remotely, they jumped at the opportunity to live where they want.
Whether you are moving across town, state lines, or an ocean, we want to offer some pre-move advice. As we have unpacked several homes this year it’s obvious to us that prep before you move makes life easier, yours and that of the unpacking service you use!
TIP #1: DECLUTTER BEFORE AND AS YOU PACK
The pre-move declutter is tip number one for a reason. No one needs to put items in boxes that will not be used in the new space. Not only will you waste time packing, loading, unloading, and unpacking it, you will also be forced to find space for something you won’t use. As we like to say- what you store becomes a chore.
Here are the top areas/items to begin the declutter process:
- Kids clothes (if it doesn’t fit or can’t be mended, time to let it go.)
- Toys (no longer played with, broken, missing pieces, or duplicates)
- Kitchen (unused small appliances, multiple of the same item, cracked/chipped/broken items, missing parts, etc.)
- Glasses & mugs (your new space may not have as much room so this is a great time to edit down your drinking vessels.)
- Clothes (the average women wears 8-10% of her closet. Edit out items that are stained, ill-fitting, misshapen, or beyond repair.)
- Towels (if you have towels from your wedding 10+ years ago, chances are it’s time to recycle them.)
- Books (most likely you won’t read that book again. Pass along to a friend that will enjoy it.)
- Outdated technology (old monitors, keyboards, VHS tapes, cassettes, even DVDs don’t need to take up space in your new home.)
That list should help get you started on the path to pre-move declutter! Here’s a popular Instagram post about common areas people need to edit.
TIP #2: CREATE A TIMELINE
If you know your move is more than 1 week away, you can and should create a timeline. This will help you prioritize what to pack & when. You will also avoid packing items before you should.
Your timeline can also include reminders to pack a suitcase if your move includes travel time. Or things like:
- Submit a change of address form
- Register kids for new school
- Switch utility companies
- Schedule cleaning & unpacking services
Your timeline can be as detailed as you like. The point is to see what needs to happen next and not let things fall through the cracks during the transition.
Local to the Colorado Springs area and looking for unpacking or organizing services? We have a package for that! Click here to check out our service packages!
TIP #3: DON’T PREP ALONE!
The tasks of decluttering and creating a timeline should not fall solely on you- enlist some help! Kids can go through toys, clothes, and books with you. Sit down with your husband and write the timeline together. He can also take donations to the drop off or help sell items online. Neighbors and friends can watch your kids while you complete moving prep, or they can tackle things like putting boxes and furniture into storage spaces. Our favorite suggestion is to hire professional organizers to assist with your move preparations.
No matter how you choose to enlist help keep these two things in mind- be clear and decisive with those who are helping. If you are struggling with those two things, maybe your husband or a trusted friend can be the go-to person for tasks and knowing what items should be passed along. Sometimes good communication is the best way to avoid stress.
Want even more help? Grab our Guide to a Simple Move below. You’ll get a timeline you can fill out, a checklist, and space to write notes. Bonus, you’ll be signed up for our email list and you’ll get even more Simple Sort goodness in your inbox once a week!
If you are in the Colorado Springs area and are looking for some help with your move, or you are moving to our area and need some unpacking assistance, we would love to discuss our moving packages with you! Click here to contact us!
Which tip will you tackle today? Know someone who could use our moving advice or services? Send this blog post to them!
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