Moving can be an exciting time, offering a fresh start and new places to explore. It can also feel overwhelming, whether you’re packing up a studio apartment or a large, single-family home. If you’re wondering how to organize before moving, the keys to undertaking such a big project are to plan ahead and stay organized while tackling one room at a time.
Heather Rogers, president of Simply Organized, recommends beginning the moving process at least two months ahead of the big day if possible. “Start by getting quotes from two to three moving companies, and hire the one that fits your needs best,” she says. “If you can afford it, hire a professional organizer to pack and or unpack your house.”
If you’re choosing to handle the project yourself, then use this checklist for an organized moving plan that will have you settled into your new home in no time.
Preparing to move starts with one of the most difficult tasks of the entire process — taking inventory of what you’ll keep and what you’re going to leave behind. Malinda Graves, home organizer and owner of Harmonized Spaces, suggests, “Begin in a room that holds the least number of items with sentimental value, such as the kitchen or laundry room. Rooms with a lot of sentimental items are harder to sort and take more time and emotional work.”
Once you’ve decided which room to tackle first, here’s what to do with six to eight weeks on the calendar before your move:
Once you have some piles started and a few boxes packed, your space can actually start to feel more disorganized than before. As you’re learning how to organize a move, checklists are your best friend. The following list explains what you need to do next to keep your stress levels low around four to six weeks before your move:
With three to four weeks to go, it’s time to handle all of the administrative tasks that come along with moving. Professional organizer Nancy Haworth from On Task Organizing says this is a good time to “contact and schedule necessary services, such as handymen, carpet cleaners, house cleaners, and pressure washing companies.”
Here’s everything that should be on your list:
In the days before your move, finish packing essential items, including important documents and an overnight bag that will travel with you — not on a moving truck — to your new place.
“Have a VIP box with things like important documents, toilet paper, soap, and paper towels, as well as a suitcase with medications, toiletries, and clothes, and a bag for your bedding to take in your car with you,” recommends Rogers. “This way, when you get to your new home, you won’t have to spend hours looking for your toothbrush and your sheets.”
Here’s what’s left to do as you enter the home stretch:
These tips for how to organize a move should help you cross every item off your to-do list with as little stress as possible. To make move-in day even more convenient and comfortable, have CORT Furniture Rental outfit your new space with everything you need so that you can settle in right away.
