Declutter Declutter Declutter: This MUST be done thoroughly before the move. Unpacking is physically tiring and making decisions on top of unpacking can cause panic resulting in unopened boxes. If you are going to buy all new picture frames, then take all your photos out of your current frames and get rid of the old mismatched ones.
Labeling: Mark all the boxes VERY clearly. China is not enough. Write 12 Rosenthal China plates from Grandma Evelyn… So if you decide not to unpack immediately at least you know exactly what is in the box.
Dream House: Envision your new house and new life. Formulate a concept of what your new space would look like. You could make a vision board on Pinterest of your dream house. As you declutter, ask yourself: Would this particular item be in my dream house?
Bedding and Towels: I have yet to meet a client who did not buy all new bedding and towels. Do not waste money paying packers to move these bulky items.
Junk Drawers: Use ziplock bags to separate like items. Be aggressive while sorting and purging junk drawers. Movers will just throw all the items in tissue paper and pack it in a box. After the move, you do not want to spend a lot of time sorting tiny items.
Photos/ Memorabilia: If you do not have the time to deal with all of the photos and memorabilia beforehand, then buying a waterproof bin and labeling it properly is a good option.
Attic: Whenever we declutter an attic, other than holiday decorations, 90% of the items end up in the trash. You want to deal with your attic before you move. Do you still need these items or are you just hoping to put items from one attic into another?
Ask for Help: Encourage everyone in the house chip in. It’s overwhelming, but maybe a spouse, parent, friend, or child can help you make some decisions. Find someone whose opinion you trust and have them help you with difficult decisions so you don’t get stuck.
Pace Yourself: Do not bite off more than you can chew. Make a schedule and stick to it. Maybe you have stamina for 4 hours a day. Stay with that and then relax the rest of the day. It’s not only physically exhausting, but it’s emotionally exhausting as well.
Meals: Remember to eat! It’s easy to get wrapped up in the moment and forget a meal. This will reduce your energy and you will decline rapidly before the end of the day. These breaks for eating are essential!
