Packing up your entire life and moving to a new home can be an intimidating experience. One of the biggest challenges is keeping everything organized and tidy during the move. If you’re not careful, you can easily end up with a huge mess on your hands. Below, we’ve put together a list of 15 tips to help you keep your belongings organized when moving homes.
Make a Plan
The first step to keeping your stuff organized when moving is to make a plan. Sitting down and mapping out precisely what you need to do is essential. Write out a list of everything that needs to be packed, sorted, and moved.
Hold a Garage Sale
One of the best ways to eliminate unwanted clutter is to hold a garage sale. This is an excellent opportunity to sell off any old furniture, clothes, or knick-knacks you don’t want to take. Not only will this declutter your home and reduce your moving load, but it will also give you a little extra money to help with the move.
Donate Unwanted Items
If you have items in good condition but don’t want to sell them, consider donating them to a local charity or thrift store. This is a great way to declutter your home and help those in need. Just be sure to get a receipt to claim a tax deduction for your donation.
Start Packing Early
One of the best ways to stay organized when moving is to start packing as early as possible. This will give you plenty of time to sort through your belongings and figure out what you want to take with you and what you can leave behind.
Label Your Boxes
As you pack up your belongings, label each box with its contents and the room it’s going in. This will make unpacking a breeze and ensure nothing gets lost in the move.
Pack an ‘Essentials’ Box
Be sure to pack a box of essentials you’ll need on your arrival day in your new home. You can include items like snacks, toiletries, a change of clothes, and any medications you may need.
Color Code Your Boxes
Labeling your boxes might not suffice if you move to a big home with multiple rooms. To make unpacking even easier, color code your boxes by room. This will help you and your movers know exactly where each box needs to go. You also won’t have to rush unpacking when you’re still tired from the long moving journey.
Use a Moving Binder
A moving binder is a great way to keep track of all contracts and receipts and ensure that nothing gets lost in the shuffle. Be sure to include every essential item in the binder, such as your medical records, school records, donation lists, financial documents, and utility companies’ lists, among other essential documents.
Use Clear Storage Boxes
Using clear storage boxes and labeling them will help you stay organized and know precisely what is in each box without opening it.
Be Strategic With Your Packing
Packing strategically is key to keeping your things organized when moving homes. For example, if you have many kitchen items, pack them together, so they’re easy to unpack and put away in their new home. By being strategic with your packing, you’ll save time and energy during the unpacking process.
Use Shower Curtain Rings for Your Hangers
If you’re planning on taking your clothes with you when you move, there’s an easy way to keep them organized and wrinkle-free. Just take some shower curtain rings and clip them together with hangers. This way, all your clothes will stay on their hangers, and you won’t have to worry about them getting wrinkled in transit.
Use Helpful Moving Apps
There are several apps out there that can help make your move easier. For example, apps like Unpakt and LetGo allow you to compare different moving companies, get quotes and book your move all in one place. Others like Move Advisor provide expert tips and advice on how to plan and execute your move. A good moving app will ensure your belongings are organized during the move and arrive safely at your destination.
Get Help From Friends and Family
If your friends or family members are willing to help you with your move, don’t hesitate to reach out to them for assistance. They’ll be more than happy to help you carry boxes, furniture, and other heavy items. This is not only a way of saving moving costs, but also a way of ensuring that your items are perfectly packed into their respective boxes by people you know and trust.
Pack Light
If you’re moving long-distance, packing light will save you money on moving costs as well as make the move itself easier. It will equally allow you to efficiently manage the few essential items you’re packing, hence minimizing cases of damage or loss of items. Only pack the essentials and leave behind any items that you can live without.
Be Flexible
When it comes to moving, things rarely go according to plan, so it’s important to be prepared for any potential obstacles that may pop up along the way. If you’re flexible, you’ll be able to adjust to any changes that come your way and make the best of a difficult situation.
For instance, you may not be able to move into your new home on the exact date that you had planned. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as the previous tenants not moving out on time or the movers being late. If you’re flexible, you can simply adjust your schedule and move in on a different day. Being flexible would also mean you can easily unpack and repack your essential items with minimal strain when faced with such a situation.
Work With a Professional Organizer
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of packing up your entire home, it might be worth considering hiring a professional organizer. Professional organizers can help you declutter your home, pack belongings, and even unpack everything at your new place. This can be a great way to take some of the stress out of moving and concentrate on significant tasks like changing your address and transferring utilities.
Moving can be stressful, but by being organized and prepared, you can make the process a lot easier on yourself. By following these tips, you can ensure that your belongings are well-protected and that your move goes as smoothly as possible.
