Moving

Moving? A professional organizer can help!

Moving requires a lot of work. From decluttering your home, to organizing your new home, and all the other countless tasks in between, moving can be a complicated and stressful process. However, professional organizers can be there to help you from the beginning to the end so you don’t have to navigate the difficult process on your own. Even before the actual move starts, professional organizers can offer advice on what to look for in terms of storage solutions and functionality.

Focus on space function and design

While a home may look beautiful, it may have a poor layout and design that affects how well it functions. Professional organizers can help you evaluate key areas of your home, like the kitchen, to see if it can afford you the organization and storage you need. For example, having built-ins and extra storage may not be on the top of your must-have list, but they can be important components to a home that can ensure your belongings stay organized long after you’ve moved in.

Sort and pack your belongings the right way

Once you’ve decided on the right home, a professional organizer can help you sort through your belongings and determine what you are going to take with you to your new home, what can be donated, and what needs to be tossed out. From here, they can ensure that the belongings you’ve decided to keep are packed properly, with everything labelled correctly and stored in appropriate containers. With everything sorted properly, you can ensure everything is unpacked in the right spot in your new home. Essentials like your overnight box and important documents can also be put together with the help of a professional organizer, and they can also arrange for moving services, cleaners, and any other assistance you may need on the day of the move.

Use easy and cost-effective staging strategies

While professional organizers are helping you organize packing, they can also work with you to stage your home by using the items and furniture you already have. Professional organizers at Calm Order utilize the space and items you already have by decluttering your home and repurposing the furniture you already own to make your home feel clean, open and refreshed. This way, you can focus your attention on packing and other moving preparations like changing your address, updating subscriptions, and completing paperwork.

Experience a seamless transition

Professional organizers can also help you transition from your old home to your new home to make sure everything is unpacked in an organized way. By planning ahead of time on what boxes go in which room, and how items should be placed in each room, moving and unpacking can be a quick and efficient process. The organizers can also work with you to determine where the best place to store your belongings in your new home would be, so that it fits with your routine and lifestyle.

Professional organizers are here to help

Most often, a move to a new home comes in addition to the demands of everyday life, like work, school, family, and friends. Instead of trying to do everything on your own, consider how a professional organizer can help make sure your move doesn’t add any unnecessary stress to your life. Professional organizers can support you during your move by doing much more than just organizing your belongings. They can be with you during the entire process to make sure each task and step along the way is organized, coordinated, and stress-free. If you are preparing for a move, don’t shoulder everything on your own – ask for help instead!

Don't forget to make your moving checklist!

If you're planning on moving soon or in the process of moving, you know that there are a lot of tasks that need to be completed before the process is over! In order to stay on track, make sure that you create a checklist with all of the important tasks that you need to this. Checklists are important because during a busy time like moving, it is very easy for people to forget to do even the most important tasks. With so much going on, many things can get lost in the shuffle. Whatever needs to get done, make sure you write it down.

Checklists also make it easier for you to delegate to others. For a more organized move, don’t be afraid to ask from help, either from family or friends, or even professional moving services. This will help make the process as efficient and stress-free as possible. You want to make sure that you have enough time to complete the process without rushing, but you also don’t want to be perpetually unpacking your belongings, so a checklist can also help you stay on track.

While many items are easy to remember (like decluttering and packing), there are other tasks that often get overlooked. Below, we’ve outlined some of the tasks that you should include on your list:

-       Important records: This includes any school, medical, or dental records you may need to transfer to a new service. If you are unable to have them transferred, you may need to obtain your own copies.

-       Time-off work: Why try and finish a move over the weekend? Make sure you take plenty of time so you don’t have to rush or put off moving until your done work for the day. It might be a good idea to take an extra day or two to relax and enjoy your new home!

-       Moving documents: Designate one folder for all of your important moving documents so you don’t forget anything (or accidentally pack it!) for moving day.

-       Insurance: If you’re moving a lot of valuable items, it may be worth it to get moving insurance. This way, you will be covered if anything goes wrong during the move. Make sure to carefully pack your valuable items and store them in a safe location during the move.

-       Know where to go for help: If you’re moving to a new area, it may be useful to research the different service providers (electrician, plumber) in case you notice something isn’t working right during your move or right after.

-       Return borrowed items: Have you recently loaned items from the library or from a friend? Make sure you return everything that you have out on loan and there is nothing left on your records.

-       Prescriptions: Visit your pharmacist and make sure that all your prescriptions have been filled so you don’t have to worry about running out during the move and the initial period after.

-       Electronics: Many electronics come with a variety of cables, so take pictures of all of your plugged-in electronics so you can easily set them up in your new home. It is also a good idea to back up your devices before the move.

-       Plan a moving party: Make sure you enjoy the last couple of nights in your home. Help your children plan one last sleepover, or invite family, friends, and neighbours over for one last evening.

-       Pack an bag with essentials: Make sure that all of your essentials like toiletries, a couple of outfits, shoes, snacks, and important documents like passports and birth certificates.

-       Defrost freezer: A day or two before you move, make sure that you empty out the items in your freezer and make arrangements for their storage. Then, let your freezer defrost so it is ready to be moved to your new home.

-       Drain fluids: Make sure that equipment and machinery like hoses and lawnmowers are empty of any water or gasoline before moving.

-       Plants: If you’re taking plants with you, make sure they have been watered and cared for, and are stored in a safe location during the move. If you are unable to keep them, see if family and friends are interested in looking after them, or donate them to a local charity.

-       Check the weather: The weather is constantly changing here, so make sure you stay up to date on what the weather conditions will be like on moving day. This may affect your travel times and how much you are able to do on that day.

Don't forget anything during your move by keeping track of everything you need to get done before, during and after the process. When in doubt, there are plenty of printable checklists available online to help you get started!

Pack for Organization - Moving in after marriage!

Once you've actually packed, another large task begins: unpacking them into your new home.  This is made easier when you organize your belongings before you pack them, but it is still a complex task for you and your new partner to undertake! Below, we’ve got some tips to help make the process smoother:

-       Coordinate schedules

If you’re moving in together, it stands to reason you should unpack your new home together. Getting married, unpacking your belongings, and moving them can take up a lot of time, but make sure you have enough time set aside to dedicate yourselves to the task of unpacking. Typically, at least one or two days are needed to set up the main items in your most used living spaces, like the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. However, it is common to take up to a week or more depending on how many items you have, how long it takes to move them to your new home, and how much free time you have. Make sure that you are both able to take time together to plan what rooms should be unpacked first, and where you’re going to place your items. This can be flexible, as furniture may need to be arranged as you get acquainted with your new space. However, it’s important to plan what rooms you will unpack first, and where you will put your belongings before you start opening boxes.

-       Tackle one room at a time

An empty house full of boxes can be overwhelming – but remember that they don’t need to be unpacked all at once! Pick one room, and stick to it. Your most used rooms should be the ones unpacked first, like the kitchen and bedroom. Remember that moving and unpacking is a process and will take time – don’t feel like you must have everything done at once! Unpack your items the right way from the start. Moving from one room to another can leave you feeling stressed, and leave your house in a half-moved state. Focusing on one room will allow you and your partner to properly unpack, organize, and arrange the items you have in each room.

-       Don’t unpack all boxes at once

Just like the rooms in your house, don’t unpack all the boxes in each room all at once! Open one box at a time and determine what you have packed, and where it can go in your new space. If your other items are still packed away and not cluttered on the floor, you will be able to visualize your space better and determine where everything should be placed. Placing furniture, appliances, electronics, and other larger items is easier if you don’t have small clutter in the way. Focus your attention on one box at a time to make sure that everything is put in its place. Moving is a process that should be handled one step at a time, so don’t make it more overwhelming than it needs to be!

-       Leave nothing packed!

Moving doesn’t happen overnight, but that doesn’t mean it should last forever. Often, people can get tired out from moving and end up leaving boxes still packed in the basement or other storage area, and eventually, they are forgotten. Avoid letting this happen to you and make sure that every box is unpacked within the first two weeks of you moving. By following a moving plan as mentioned above, you can make sure that time is set aside for every room and every box in your house. This should help keep you on track. Moving is like organizing – once something is used or brought into your home, it should be immediately put into its “home” or designated space as soon as it is not in use. Once a box is brought into a room, the items inside should be unpacked and put where they are supposed to go. No one wants to live with their belongings still packed away, so plan your move and stick to it!

-       Ask for help if you need it

Life is always busy and stressful, and sometimes, unpacking all their belongings is too big of a task for people to handle on their own. If you both can’t get enough time off work, or are physically unable to complete your move, always know that we can be there to help! At Calm Order, we offer our clients an “Unpacked to Organize” service that takes care of everything – whether you need one space, a single room, or an entire house unpacked. We focus on the big picture details and pay attention to the finer ones to make sure your house is set up the way you want it, with clothes stored in your new closet, beds made and ready to be slept in, and food waiting in your pantry. Moving can be time consuming and stressful, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!