Moving Prep 101
No matter what scale of move you're about to tackle, it's important to recognize that moving. is. hard. You may feel as though you don’t know where to start, as you realize you've accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. A stress-free move is possible with the right process in order. We have done countless moves over the years for clients, with a streamlined process that really works. Here are five tips that we’ve found to be incredibly helpful as we’ve perfected the LIJ moving process.
1: Time to purge. You love to hate it, but we want to teach you to learn to love it! We know it can be hard to let go, even if you haven’t worn or used something in years, but sorting through your old house before you pack for the move is a crucial step. To get started, we recommend working one room or category at a time. You’ll also see your entire inventory for each type of household content when you take it by category, which makes it so much easier!
Ask yourself questions like, ‘do I need multiple of these?’, ‘will this fit in my new space?’, ‘does this fit my current lifestyle?’ to determine what you’ll really need in your new home. Ultimately, discarding, donating, and selling before the move makes it easier to pack and unpack (not to mention, fewer items = less expensive move)!
2: To hire or not to hire movers? There are many things to take into consideration when deciding to move. The first major decision to make is whether you think you'd like to do the move yourself or hire a mover. While hiring a mover can be the logical option for many, for some, it's not worth the cost based on the inventory being moved. If you do think you want to hire a mover, it's essential to do your homework and make sure you choose the right company.
3: Stock with essential supplies. Make sure to bring moving supplies over to the new house beforehand because you'll need them as soon as you begin unpacking. Remember to bring things like trash bags, water bottles, Sharpies, scissors, etc. It's also a good idea to bring soap and toilet paper for the bathrooms so you have it throughout the day.
4: Put systems in place. If you're able to access the new house prior to move-in day, you may want to consider implementing organizational systems in each space ahead of time. This means getting your pantry prepped with bins, containers and storage systems for an easier move-in. You can also get as granular as implementing systems in your fridge, freezer, and closets to further streamline the moving process.
5: Use sticky notes or painters tape. Use sticky notes or label painters tape with sharpie to map out where items will go in the new house. This is a great tactic to determine what will go in each kitchen drawer/cabinet, dressers, bookshelves, etc, before getting the items and fitting everything manually.
The big day is finally here! To make it go without a hitch, make an itinerary so your family knows what time the movers are coming and when they need to be ready to go. You can also include the anticipated amounts of time it will take to pack up your house and the arrival time at the new house. Getting your entire family involved is super helpful. Having a team with tasked duties makes for a streamlined system. Hopefully, our tips based on the Life in Jeneral method have helped you to kick start your move. For a more support on how to organize your move, check out our downloadable guide here. Be sure to follow us on Instagram for more moving tips and tricks!