Planning a move but don’t know where to start? Whether you are moving across the country or just down the street, this step-by-step guide will help you stay organized and efficient during your big move!
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Plan ahead – reserve your truck and movers in advance and let your utility companies know you’re moving. The last thing you want on moving day is to find yourself all packed up with nowhere to go! Make sure you call as soon as you have your moving date set in stone to reserve your truck and schedule movers, if you’re thinking of utilizing that service. Notify your utility companies of your moving day as well so they know when to discontinue or transfer service.
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Declutter + Donate – A crucial step in helping you stay organized throughout your move is to purge any no-longer-needed items you’ve collected over the years. Pro tip: divide your belongings into 4 piles: Keep, Trash, Donate, Sell. The sooner you do this the better, as it will lighten your load significantly when it comes time to pack and move!
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Create a binder to keep all moving related documents organized. This includes things like numbers for your current + future utility companies, movers information, receipts for donations and other moving related expenses, and any other documents you will need easy access to during your move.
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Color Code boxes by room. A quick and easy gesture that can save you BIG time in the long run. Color coding boxes is a quick way to make your move-in day as carefree as possible and keep you from directing traffic the day of. Once you get to your new home, you’ll label the rooms with the color assigned to them so movers know where to go.
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Pack away non-essentials. Once you’re ready to begin packing, start with home decor, extra linens, seasonal decorations, books, knick-knacks etc. Leave out only what you need to get by for the next few weeks. A good option if you’re leaving these items in storage for some time is to use clear plastic bins.
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Create an itemized list for each box. Not only does this help you stay organized, it keeps you from having to go on a treasure hunt if you need to find something quickly. There are a few different ways you can do this. One option is to list items directly on the box itself. If you choose this approach, make sure to label both sides as well as the top of the box so your list stays visible. Another great option is to number each box and keep a master list in your moving binder that contains the contents of each of those numbered boxes.
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Keep essentials easily accessible. Toiletries, important documents, medication, pet/baby essentials and other items of that nature should be saved for last, that way you can utilize them right up until the move. On moving day, start a box or two labeled IMPORTANT or URGENT to store these items until you get to the new place. Make sure your important box and your moving binder stay close to you so they don’t get lost in the shuffle. Pro tip: Pack your rugs LAST, that way they are the first thing in the new home – before the big furniture gets brought in.
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Arrive early on moving day and label all the rooms of your new home so boxes get placed accordingly. This allows anyone helping you move to know where to go without confusion. Set out toilet paper in the bathrooms and keep paper towels, trash bags, water bottles, and snacks handy to keep things flowing smoothly.