Five Ways to Stay Organized when Moving

There is always a lot going on during a move. Viewing new home listings, filling out paperwork, packing and unpacking boxes – it’s important to stay organized and on top of every task you need to complete.

Here’s a list of five different ways you can accomplish more organization:

1.     Create a moving notebook or planner: Write down everything that needs to be done, and schedule it for a certain day. Keep track of all of the viewings, meetings, and showings that you need to go to, and set aside time for packing and unpacking.

2.     Colour coordinate and label all boxes: Make sure that each box is clearly labelled with what is inside and where it needs to go. Using coloured labels for each room in the house makes it easier for yourself and others to unpack boxes in the right place. Have a plan.

3.     Pack all essentials last: Create a first night box for your first night in your new home. You don’t want to have to dig through piles of boxes to find your toothbrush, so pack all of the necessary items that you’ll need to use right away in your first night box, so they will easily identified and the first thing that gets unpacked once you move in. This will save the frantic searching through every box the next day.

4.     Use wardrobe boxes-  no need to fold and put away clothes. Keep them on hangers and transport them in wardrobe boxes. Easy to use and easy to unpack and organize. Be sure to fill the bottom with shoes or other heavier items.

5.     Donate unneeded and unwanted items: Moving is the perfect opportunity to sort, purge and eliminate belongings you haven’t used in years saving you time and money. Don’t wait to moving day. Plan ahead, purge, sort and plan. Come moving day, you will be happy you did.

Top 10 tips for Staging a Home

1.     A fresh coat of paint goes a long way: Revitalize bathrooms and kitchens by adding a fresh coat of paint. Have an outdated and overbearing fireplace? Don’t worry about tearing it down – just paint over the bricks to create a more modern and stylish look. The same goes faded or old cabinets, shelving, doors, or decks.

2.     Make bedrooms gender neutral: Keep colour palettes neutral looking to appeal to male or female clients. It’s hard for a man to envision himself moving into a room with pink floral wallpaper.

3.     Stage rooms with a purpose: It can be confusing for viewers if they can’t tell what a room’s purpose is supposed to be, which makes it hard for them to envision using the space. Clearly show what the room should be used for with proper furnishings and decorations.

4.     Clear out the clutter: Be sure to clear out all personal items or unnecessary objects. It makes the rooms looked cluttered and cramped, so the potential buyers will have a harder time imagining how their belongings will fit into the space.

5.     Let there be light: Instead of changing out windows, just remove or replace the curtains and blinds (they don’t have to be very expensive ones) to allow for maximum light to be let into the home. Your house will look more inviting and clean if there is plenty of natural light, which creates an airy and spacious feeling.

6.     Mind the smell: Unwanted odors can ruin a home for buyers. Replace carpets and rugs or invest in a competent air refresher to get rid of pet or other unpleasant smells that could detract from the other features of the house.

7.     Make it spotless: Make sure to do a good clean on the entire house. Sometimes a good clean on an old glass shower door or a window can make a huge difference on how the bathroom or kitchen looks, so you don’t have to go to the time and money to replace old fixtures.

8.     Even small details matter: Check for burnt out lightbulbs, scratched or banged up walls, and add new towels or linens, fresh flowers, or other small touches that will make your home look like it can be lived in.

9.     Space is everything: If you have large furniture items in a smaller room, try moving them to another part of the house or taking them out when staging. The larger items could make the overall space seem even smaller, which isn’t a good selling feature for many potential buyers.

10.  Make the outside look as good as the inside: The outside is the first impression potential buyers will have of the house, so make sure the yard is tidy, the grass is cut, and the front porch and sidewalk are swept off. Don’t focus all of your energy on revamping the inside of your home.