A complete guide to planning your next home move
Moving is stressful.
But if we find a way to facilitate this whole process, it is already a big weight to remove from our shoulders.
As I'm right in it with the new house. I thought of creating a preparation guide completely when moving (that means from A to Z). It will be saved for your next move!
Prepare in advance
It's no surprise that starting your move preparations at the last minute is not an option. It's 100x more stressful on you and your family to start late. Let's be honest, that's not the stress you need right now.
Make yourself a timeline. Calculate between 7 and 14 days for box packing. From there, give yourself another two to three more weeks to declutter and organize your current home. Once we get rid of the items that we don't bring with us to the next house, it's much easier to start making the boxes!
Prepare a moving bag
You know me with stationery… what better than a moving bag for you organiser ? It really is a must. This binder will be THE place where everything about the move will be there.
It's a great tool for staying up to date on all your contracts and bills. You can also keep your moving checklist, utility phone numbers, to-do list, house plans, organization and decorating ideas, contractor quotes, medical records, school records, movers documents and more.
Also, it is a good idea to keep all the numbers for your services such as cable, internet, Hydro, gas, security system, etc. That way, it will be easy to access the information when it comes time to make the transfer.
Declutter
Alright, now that we have our timeline and binder ready. It's time to declutter! If you have been living in your current home for a very long time, it is certain that you have accumulated a lot of "cossins" over the years.
There is no need to bring things you no longer use with you to your new home. This is the perfect time for extreme decluttering! The idea is to sort ALL your items very carefully piece by piece. Don't forget the bottom drawer!
So, we keep what is still useful to us and what we love and we throw away/donate the rest!
Organize your current home
The next step is to organize your current home. Believe it or not, it will really make your job easier when you empty the boxes at your next home. Think about it, by organizing your kitchen items or your cleaning products in bins or baskets, you just have to take these bins and put them directly in their new location, it's wonderful!
If you don't yet know the dimensions of the cabinets/drawers in your new home, try using universal or easily interchangeable bins and compartments.
Pack piece by piece
Now that we have come to the packaging. Here's the easiest way to organize the process: go piece by piece. It's easy and it allows you to stay focused on one section only.
You have to start with the rooms where there are the fewest essential items. Meaning, items that you will not need to use in the weeks leading up to your move. These rooms could be the guest bedroom/bathroom, your bookstore, storage closet, basement, attic, or even your out-of-season clothes.
The final rooms to be packed are the kitchen, bedrooms, and master bathroom essentials. These are rooms that will probably be used until you leave.
P.S. Remember to estimate the volume of packing tools you will need (boxes, labels, tape, etc.)
Extra Thing: Chargers
Don't make moving electronics any harder than it already is. Avoid spending hours untangling all your electronic cables when you unpack your boxes. Organize and label each two in advance!
To do this, wrap a sealant around the cable, place it in a ziploc bag and label it.
Labeling is important
When you move, you have to create a labeling system. Otherwise, there's no way to know what's where and we'll end up opening all our boxes just to find a deal. You can do this by keeping a list of everything in each box. Number your boxes and then label them with their contents.
No headache finding your things!
Prepare your bag of essentials
You can't pack EVERYTHING when you move. There are certain essentials that you cannot do without. To do this, prepare a small travel bag with your toiletry bag, a change of clothes and other essentials. This way, there's no need to unpack a box to brush your teeth. You already have everything with you!
Plan your post-move organization
When you move into a new house, you have every good intention of being super organized from the start. But it's not easy to do. This is why we must plan the organization of our post-moving house. You don't need to be very specific, but having a good idea of "what goes where" will go a long way when you're ready to organize your home for good.
To do this, take note of the height, width and depth of your drawers/cabinets. With this, you can do your shopping and be sure to buy exactly what you need. A good idea is to buy several format options, so you can try several alternatives. You can always return what doesn't.
Psst. If you want tips for organizing your wardrobe in the new house. It is here
Take a moment for yourself
Moving is exhausting both physically and emotionally. It's happening so fast that we don't have time to stop and realize of what happens to us. So take a moment to appreciate this new stage in your life. Anyway, the biggest is already done. Take a moment to celebrate this new beginning and organize your new home!
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