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In the current climate, you may find yourself needing to relocate more quickly than you had anticipated. The best way to make sure a quick move is successful is to have a plan in place and think about the following tips before you begin.
What’s your plan?
An effective move starts with deciding the logistics of how you will get your things from the place you are leaving to the space you are moving into. Will you be hiring a moving company to help with the heavy lifting? Will you have friends help you in the process, and are they aware of when you will need them to show up? If you are doing it alone, do you have enough space in your personal vehicle or will you need to rent a truck? Whatever you decide, figuring these details out first will help you stay focused and inform how you choose to go about packing.
Moving Essentials Bag
Before the major packing starts, pack yourself a suitcase or bag with all of the important things you cannot lose. Medication, a change of clothes, important documents and a mini tool kit can all save the day and are great to have in your moving essentials bag. Pack these things first and keep track of that bag for the move. That way, all of your important items are in one area. Check out this list for more details on the moving essentials bag!
Donate, Donate, Donate
While this is not always the easiest thing to think about, you may want to downsize. We recommend sorting all of your items into 3 categories: “keep”, “donate” and “sell.” Inevitably, downsizing is going to make the process of unpacking and loading the trucks easier. So instead of packing up that blender that has collected dust for 3 years and moving it to your new home, this may be a good time to sell or donate it. This is also a great time to be critical when deciding what to keep and asking yourself, as the famous organizer Marie Kondo would say, “what brings you joy?” If you need extra help in this area, you may want to consider Marie Kondo’s course that teaches her methods for decluttering.
Pack, Pack, Pack
Now is the time to get busy. Once you have decided what is essential for you to keep for the move, start to pack. It can be easy to overthink this process, but remember that you already did a lot of the “heavy lifting” in the previous step. We recommend packing room by room and keeping everything from the same room together. Large outdoor garbage bags are great for things like pillows and blankets, as you can fit more in them than you can with boxes. They are also great for packing the clothes from your closet. Quick tip: Keep your clothes on the hangers and poke them through the top of the garbage bags. This is much quicker than taking them off the hangers and keeps your clothes protected.
Know Where You Are Sleeping
By the time you are done with this process, you will likely be tired, even if you paid for movers. So, know ahead of time where you will be resting after you get to the new space. Will you have the time to set up a bed in the new area? Or would you rather have everything unloaded and stay a night in a motel/hotel? It is important to take care of and prioritize your health in the process, and a proper night’s sleep will allow you to rehydrate your body so you are ready for all the unpacking.
Remember that moving is one of the top 5 most stressful experiences humans go through, but even a last minute move can be made easier with a plan of action.