Moving is crazy. No matter whether you're moving across town or across the country, it's decision time--what to do with all the prized possessions (and other stuff) you've collected? All of your possessions must move (thus, moving) and someone is going to have to go through it, pack it, and load on a truck. And then repeat the process in reverse once you're at your new residence. Are you going to handle it by yourself, or will you hire someone? And will you ask the pros for a turn key move, or pack yourself and have the movers come with a truck or two to load, transport and unload?
It's a lot to contemplate, and your budget is most likely a fundamental factor in determining the portion of your move you want to hire out. But regardless of your budget, your time frame or anything else, you want to actually box and move as little as feasible. As soon as you think you might be relocating, begin thinking about the purge.
When you go through your residence and really look at all your stuff, the prospect of packaging it all up can be anxiety producing. That's why you must begin clearing, de-cluttering, donating, and dumping as soon as you start looking at new homes. If you're selling your house, your realtor will read you the riot act regarding the de-cluttering and de-personalizing before it goes up for sale, so you might as well get boxes and trash bags and start. Cleaning house is an sentimental challenge, especially if you've been in the house a long time, so follow this Protocol for Purging for a stress-free clearing out.
The One-Year Rule
The rule of thumb is, if you haven't got it out of the closet in a year, toss it. This makes a lot of sense for kid’s clothes and current fashion, but you don't need to toss that Hermes scarf if you didn't get around to wearing it last winter. Practically speaking, why haven't you worn it? if it doesn't fit, is out of date, or your lifestyle has changed (if you're no longer in the corporate world and have a multitude of suits in various shades of navy blue), feel free to consign or donate. If you're undecided, ask yourself is it worth the time and money to pack up and move? Three weeks into boxing things up, you'll be completely cutthroat, as opposed to in the beginning you'll have an almost empty box of things to donate with a sweater, two pairs of maternity jeans and ratty tennis shoes, so grant yourself enough time to purge closets, dressers, and cabinets.
If you don't have a shredder, buy a cross-cut one that can even shred CDs. As you are purging and shredding old paperwork, save the shredded mulch in big trash bags as you empty the shredder’s bin and then use it as packing material to put in boxes so the contents don't shift in transport.
Who's Doing the Heavy Lifting in Wichita Falls?
When you're taking time away from purging is a perfect time to research moving companies; you'll want to decide how much help you need and get on their schedule as early as possible. In the event that you're having the movers box your belongings for you, you'll still need to sort through all your stuff for purging. The packers job is to pack, not to decide what to keep. If you have a dirty ashtray on a table, count on finding it again when you unpack. There are some items a moving company can't transport, and some things that they won't move. Anything flammable or toxic (gasoline, propane tanks, ammunition, nail polish and remover (seriously), and chemistry sets are a few of the things that can't be commercially moved. Click here for additional information on items that cannot go on the moving truck.
Planning ahead and giving yourself plenty of time to purge and pack are vital for a carefree move. Remember, everything you decide to take with you must be packed and moved, so be sure you are taking only what you cannot live without to your new home.
