Stuff. We all have it, and most of us have too much of it. Life is filled with belongings, some of it has an emotional attachment, some doesn’t. It’s easy to overlook the number of items we accumulate during our lives, but it becomes fairly obvious when it’s time to move. Perhaps you are moving to simplify your lifestyle or just want to reduce the upkeep and maintenance needed at your present home, or maybe the kids have grown and you want a fresh new start.
Regardless of the reason, you will need a plan to sort and pack your belongings. K. Hovnanian Homes have put together this list of tips that can help you tackle this sizable task.
1. Begin with Organization
You have to be prepared to sort your items, so get a few large plastic containers or moving boxes and label using the following categories:
Donate – gently used items that you no longer use or don’t wish to keep
Recycle – anything that can be recycled that isn’t in a condition to donate
Sell – items that you no longer want but perhaps have value to another
Keep – those items that you’ll have space for and will use in your new home
Trash - items that do not fit into any of the above categories
Once you set up your organization station, you can start sorting. As you go through items in each room place them into the correct category bin. Once a bin fills up, simply start a new one. This will be especially helpful for junk drawers, closets, basement storage rooms and other places where things you don’t use on an everyday basis are kept.
2. Reduce based on the size of your new home
If you currently live in a four-bedroom home and know that you are moving to a 2-3 bedroom home, that means you have a whole room of things that you won’t need. There is no need to pay to have an extra bed, nightstand, and dresser moved just to be stored in your new garage or basement. These items are usually in demand with groups such as churches, shelters and other community and non-profit groups - many of them offer free pick up too. You may want to consider getting these large items removed early in the packing process to make room for all of the boxes you be packing.
3. Getting overwhelmed and don’t know what to start - start small.
If the idea of having to sort through all of your belongings is daunting, start small. Pick a drawer in your kitchen and eliminate duplicates. You may not realize how many duplicates you have. Keep what you need and what you use, but there are certainly a few items in there that can be donated or given to a family member. When that drawer is finished, tackle the next drawer and so on. Before you know it you will have made great progress.
4. Allow time to walk down “memory lane”.
As you are cleaning out and sorting you will definitely come across personal items that stir up memories. Allow yourself time to look through the old drawings from grade school, the wrestling trophies, and the Girl Scout patches. Flip through the old photos from the camping trip you took when the kids were young and enjoy the memories. It’s important to acknowledge your feelings, and if you need to take a break and come back to those items - you can. It might even be a fun family activity to have others help sort these items - so your walk down memory lane is with the ones you love.
5. Give yourself plenty of time
If possible, start as early as you can to allow plenty of time. There will always time commitments that you need to take into account when preparing to move - holidays, work, events with family and friends. Start as early as you are able to help mitigate any of these so you are able to still enjoy life and tend to your commitments while packing and getting ready to start your new adventure.
Now that you are armed with these helpful tips, why not stop by Brunswick Crossing to tour the Westminster model by K. Hovnanian Homes. The Westminster villa is the perfect blend of style and convenience. Click below to get more information about the Westminster today.
