Professional Organizer Reveals Secrets to a Stress Free Move
Moving is THE WORST!
After 9 years of living in our amazing condo in a trendy Chicago neighborhood, my husband and I have hit a breaking point where we need more room. A two-bedroom/one-bathroom home was the perfect size for two office dwellers, but with both of us working from home, we are on top of each other.
The search for the perfect next home has been strenuous, but we finally found a place to settle into.
3 bedrooms!
3 bathrooms!
Double the square footage!
I'll have my own office where I can also leave out any sewing projects I want to work on!
My husband can handle his work calls without interrupting my train of thought.
To say I'm excited would be an understatement.
But we still need to get our stuff from here to there. Also, our storage options will be vastly different than our current home.
When our stuff is moved to the new place, I want to prioritize unpacking the things we need right away and then the things we have a place for. Some things will have to remain in boxes until a new piece of storage furniture arrives. I can alleviate stress during the unpacking by using some forethought while packing.
Here are the things I consider when packing moving boxes:
Pack infrequently used items separately from frequently used items.
We've already started this process since we wanted to prepare our current home for showings. We identified things we wouldn't need for a few months and packaged them for storage. But we initially focused on things that were out, such as home decor, photos, and books. As we prepare to move to our new place, we first focus on things we use less often, such as the dishes on the top shelves of our kitchen cabinets. Some packing decisions come naturally; we know what we CAN'T pack while we're still a couple weeks out from our move.
The "Open First" Box
We will want a set number of items to be ready immediately upon moving into the new place. These will be toiletries, medications, bed sheets, and at least one set of clothing. Other things to consider for an "open first" box are:
The essential tools for cooking a simple meal.
Any items or tools needed for work.
Electronics that are required to hook up the internet.
These things will likely be packed last because they are the things you use every day.
You can have multiple "Open First" Boxes, but don't get so bogged down with labeling everything "Open First" that nothing becomes a priority. If you didn't wait until the night before or the day of moving to pack it, it likely doesn't need to be opened immediately.
Pack things that go together, even if they are currently in different rooms.
You may have items of a specific category spread throughout your current home, but moving offers a chance to start fresh by having those items stored all together. I have a few organizing supplies by my desk in my current home, but I also have some bulk items in the garage. I'll gather and box all these supplies together, so I'm more likely to unpack and store them together when we move into our new place.
Small boxes for heavy items and books
Your instincts may tell you that putting everything in large boxes will be easier because there will be fewer boxes to move. However, items like books will weigh a box down to the point where it's too heavy to move anywhere. Therefore, books and heavy appliances should be packed in smaller boxes because they will be manageable when they are full. Save the larger boxes for lighter items like clothing and bedding.
Clear Labels
Many people will generically label boxes, thinking they only need minor details when unloading them into the new home. But a couple more pieces of information will help you prioritize which boxes to open and unpack. First, the boxes should be labeled with the room they will end up in, which isn't always the room they came from. That way, your belongings are closer to where they will end up, and you have fewer boxes to drag about in the middle of unpacking. Also, it's helpful to label the box with the contents. You don't have to list every item, but at least give a general idea of what is in the box. I also like to add a short descriptor, like "every day" or "occasional' with dishes.
Another addition to your labeling technique is to designate a color for each room. Using color coding helps in quickly identifying which boxes go into what room. It's best to use large labels. In fact, we are using color paper that we have on hand for our color labels.
While moving can be daunting and exhausting, the anticipation of a new space is nothing short of exhilarating. The thought and effort put into packing will undoubtedly pay off when settling into a new home. The journey may be challenging, but the destination promises a fresh start and a more comfortable lifestyle.