The Inside Scoop

If you’ve peeked outside at all, you know that today’s real estate market is absolutely insane. Lots of selling and buying and all the in between. You’d do well to have a real estate agent, an appraiser, a home inspector, and a mortgage company – but what about the actual move itself? Oh yes, you’ve got to navigate that too! But no worries. As a professional home organizer, I can help you create a seamless plan to get you out of one house and into another.

If you’re someone with a type A personality, you see the importance of starting early. Everyone else, trust me on this one! As soon as you put your house on the market, start on step one of your moving plans. This helps keep you level-headed the week of your move and guarantees you’ll be ready to go when the moving guys show up to load their truck.

Now, let’s make a list – because c’mon, who doesn’t love lists?

1. Step One:

You’ll want to go through each room in your home and sort by what is to keep, donate or trash. For all the keep items, leave them alone, because we’ll go back through those shortly. All the donation items, go ahead and take a few trips to your local Goodwill. Trust me, it’s worth the time and effort. With the trash, bag it and move it to your outdoor garbage can.

2. Step Two:

It’s almost time to start packing! Collect your boxes, tape, bubble wrap, wrapping paper, and sharpies. If you don’t buy enough the first go-around, no worries. Just grab more supplies as you go. Decide on which moving company or U-Haul rental location you’d like to use and have their information ready for when it’s time to give them a call.

3. Step Three:

Decide what items aren’t essential for the remaining time you’ll be in your home before the big move. Here’s a list of common items that would fall into the “don’t pack me just yet” category: anything cooking related that you use regularly like pots, pans, and utensils, the can opener and coffee pot, all toiletries and regularly used hair accessories, clothes and shoes that are in-season, and anything else you just can’t live without for the next month or so.

4. Step Four:

It’s packing time! Make your way from room to room and pack up everything that isn’t a part of your essentials list. A few packing tips from a professional organizer: wrap up everything that’s breakable in either packing paper or bubble wrap and don’t stack anything heavy on top of them in the box, pack books in small boxes so they’re easier to carry, be sure to clearly mark what is in each box and exactly where it needs to go in the new house (i.e., kitchen, master bathroom, garage, etc.), don’t forget to mark the boxes containing breakables as FRAGILE and make sure it’s written on at least three sides in all caps, and always play some good music to put you in a happy mood. Packing can be tiresome, so enlisting a friend isn’t a bad idea either! About two weeks before closing, go ahead and schedule your moving truck or U-Haul pickup.

5. Step Five:

Your boxes are packed and you’re getting closer and closer to closing on your new home and the big move-in. But you’re not quite done yet! About a week or so before your closing date, start packing up your essentials little by little. Anything that absolutely cannot be packed, put in a duffle bag to carry with you for easy access. You want the load to be light enough that you can pack the remaining amount in your personal vehicles before turning the key to your brand-new home.

6. Step Six:

You did it! You’re moved in, and your boxes are safely delivered to your new home. Since your boxes are in the correct room (because of your handy dandy box labeling), it’s time to start unpacking and creating new systems.

Not interested in packing things up yourself? That’s okay too. Professional home organizers can can help you purge, remove donated items from your home, pack things up, and even unpack your items into your new home. They create a seamless process and take on most of the heavy lifting that comes along with moving.

Here’s to 2022 and hoping that the house of your dreams hits the market soon. Happy moving!

By: Lia Brady

OWL Professional Home Organizers

Any question or need further information? Send us a note.