In case you missed it, we bought a house! This will be my 4th (and final) move and I pretty much consider myself a pro at organizing for a move so I wanted to put some of my tips together in a post.
1 | Make Lists
I'm talking about lists for everything like who to change your address with, what you need to buy, and what you need to do before moving day. I love lists and it honestly helps me feel more in control of the situation.
The more you prepare, the less you will leave to chance, because something might sneak up on you and throw a spanner in the works before the big move. Finding the right
moving company is one of those things that you may think is something you don’t need to do right away, but it should be done as a matter of urgency! It’s as important as changing all of your addresses and the sooner you get this done the better it will be. You'll be able to see how much money you've got which means that if any problems come up you will be more than prepared.
Oh and by the way, here's an idea of who you will need to change your address with:
IRS
Post Office
Ebay
Paypal
Credit Cards
Banks
Your Employer
Magazine Subscriptions
Wireless company
Insurance Company
Drivers License & Vehicle Registration
Doctor's Offices
2 | Make A Blueprint
Laugh all you want, but I am known for making my little blue prints of wherever I'm moving to. I figure out a scale, and I draw out each room and then arrange the furniture to where it's going to go. Not only does this make it easier to move stuff furniture in and know exactly where to place it, but it also gives you an idea of what size furniture will fit where.
3 | Take Inventory
After I packed up boxes, I made a list of how many boxes are for each room and wrote down what was in the boxes.
4 | Decide on Moving Order
In my situation, I have a few days before we move the big stuff in, so I plan to take my smaller belongings and boxes/bins over to the house. For this, I made sure I have the kitchen boxes marked as first priority so I can put everything away and not have to deal with it. Then, bathroom and linen closet items are next.
5 | Pack a Suitcase
The days before and during your move will be hectic and it's extremely common for things to get lost. Because of this, I pack a suitcase and overnight bag with items to wear and use during those few days. That way, I'm not running around looking for my prescriptions because I know I have them in my little bag and once I'm ready to put them in their permanent spot, I'll take them out.
6 | Schedule Everything
Decide what boxes get moved over on which days and then decide any arrangements for furniture pick up, furniture delivery, and a day to have cable installed.
7 | Decide What Gets Stored Where
Sure, you can rearrange stuff all the time once you're settled in, but it absolutely will not hurt to decide certain setups ahead of time. For me, I sat down and decided (using a photo of the kitchen) what items will be stored in which drawers. I also decided which linen/storage closets will have which items. This will make it much easier to move in!
Have you ever had an unorganized move? What was your biggest mistake from your methods?
