Well, it’s that time in your life again. You’re getting ready to move. While this big life transition can be fascinating, it can also be very stressful and frustrating if you go into it blindly. Our friends at Utopia Management shared with us these tried and true tidbits to help ease your packing and moving experience.
Start the Purge Earlier Than You Think
To spare yourself from any unnecessary scrambling, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare for your move out. This means starting to declutter and pack your things at least a month before your official move out date. Starting the process early will also give you ample time to go through all your items and make conscious decisions about whether to keep something or throw it out/donate it. Plus, owning fewer things means fewer things to move, resulting in less hassle. Start two sections in an area of your home:
- Donate items, Sellable items.
- Throw away anything immediately that is not in good enough condition to donate.
- Go ahead and list the sellable items immediately.
Consider New Space When Purging
When moving residences, make sure to consider the new space you’re moving into when going through your items. For instance, if you are moving from a house into a smaller apartment unit, it would be wise to donate more oversized furniture and items that take up space and may not be required for daily living. Consider if your new home or complex offers amenities that allow you to downsize things like exercise and lawn care equipment. If you are having trouble letting go of certain items that you don’t have room for but want to utilize again someday, consider renting out a storage unit to keep these items.
Boxes
Boxes are something you will need for moving. Many people buy brand new boxes, but this is not necessary. Go to your local grocery or clothing store, and you will no doubt find entirely usable boxes free of charge. Looking at online sources like Craigslist, Next Door app, and Facebook marketplace are other good options for finding free boxes. Pay it forward by saving your boxes when you unpack to donate to someone else via these same sources.
Get Creative with Packing
Besides boxes, there are other ways to pack up your possessions. Utilizing drawers and suitcases as storage is highly suggested. The more you can fit into the items you already own, the less you have to move, cutting down on the number of boxes you need as well.
Wrapping delicate objects in towels is a great trick that provides excellent protection. If you have any paper, this can be bunched up and placed in between fragile items to prevent them from breaking as well.
Tips for your Clothes
When moving clothes, you have options for packing efficiently. A straightforward way is to get a wardrobe box and transfer all your hanging garments right inside. If you can’t find or don’t want to get this type of box, then you can keep them on the hangers and wrap them in a garbage bag to ensure safe and clean travels. If you don’t mind taking them off the hangers, another method is to store them separately, throw your clothes inside a box and call it a day. If this is your technique, then make sure to label the box so you can find it quickly once in your new residence.
Packing up clothes that you won’t need for a few seasons is also recommended. For instance, if you are moving in spring/summer, pack up your winter clothes, label them neatly and store them until you need them.
Pack a Personal Bag
It’s an excellent idea to pack a personal bag with some essential items such as a fresh change of clothes, toothbrush, medications, and supplements, among the chaos of moving day. Your future self will thank you for thinking ahead as this will give some peace of mind to the mayhem. You should also include a file with important documents like new addresses, payments, and contracts necessary during the moving process.
Treat Yo’ Self!
No matter how experienced you are, packing up and moving is no easy feat. Remember to be kind to yourself and do nice things like treat yourself to a coffee drink or even a cocktail. Moving is hard work and can be very stressful no matter how far ahead you plan, so taking breaks and going easy on yourself is essential.
It’s a good idea to plan out easy meals during the bulk of packing and moving days or go ahead, and order takes out. After long hours of sorting, hauling, decision making and cleaning, the last thing you’re going to feel like doing is preparing food for yourself and/or your partner and family members. Eating out is much simpler, leaves no dirty dishes to deal with and is a way to reward yourself for all the hard work you’ve done.
Ref : THSI-2547 / ZD.22982
POSTED BY 
