Moving is no fun. Whether you're moving across town or across the country, it's decision time--what to do with all the trove of treasures (and not-so-dear-to-you possessions) you've accumulated? Everything you own has to move (thus, moving) and someone will have to go through it, pack it, and put it on a truck. And then repeat the process in reverse once you're ready to move into your new residence. Is that going to be you, or will you enlist professionals? And will you have the pros to do everything, or pack yourself and have the movers come with a truck or two to load, transport and unload?
It is a lot to contemplate, and your budget may be an essential factor in determining the amount of your move you want to hire out. But despite your budget, your time frame or anything else, you want to actually pack and move as little as possible. As soon as you realize you might be relocating, begin thinking about the purge.
When you walk through your house and really look at all your things, the prospect of boxing it all up can be staggering. Which is why you should commence clearing, de-cluttering, donating, and dumping as soon as you start thinking about new houses. 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 emotional challenge, especially if you've been in the house awhile, so follow this Protocol for Purging for a agony-free clearing out.
The One-Year Rule
The criterion is, if you haven't put it on in a year, dump it. This makes a lot of sense for kid’s clothes and current fashion, but you don't need to part with 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 if it doesn't fit, is out of date, or your lifestyle has changed (if you're no longer in the corporate world and have a multitude of suits in various shades of navy blue), feel free to consign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 on the fence, ask yourself is it worth the time and money to box and move? A few weeks into packing, you'll be entirely ruthless, where in the beginning you'll have a barren box of things to donate with a sweater, two pairs of maternity jeans and ratty tennis shoes, so grant yourself plenty of time to purge closets, dressers, and cabinets.
If you don't have a shredder, invest in a cross-cut one that will even shred CDs. While you are purging and shredding old paperwork, save the shreddings 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 Houston?
When you're taking time away from purging is a good time to interview moving companies; you'll want to decide how much help you need and get on their schedule as early as possible. If you're having the movers pack for you, you'll still need to weed through all your stuff for purging. The packers mission 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 very important for a smooth move. Remember, everything you decide to take with you will need be packed and moved, so be sure you're taking only what you cannot live without to your new abode.
