Are you in New York and planning to move soon, but you don’t know where to start with packing and organizing? Thankfully, we’ve put together an easy six-step guide on how to get organized and ready for your big move. Whether you’re going across the country or just down the street, this packing and organizing guide will help you get your life ready to go so that you can start enjoying your new place without regrets!
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Take Inventory of Your Belongings
First things first, you need to know what you have. To make a list of your belongings, go through each room in your house (starting with your closet) and write down everything you own—furniture, clothing, gadgets, appliances, linens. Look in every drawer; open every closet door. It’s essential to be thorough here: consider how much space each item takes up and how much it weighs. If it’s not on your list, it doesn’t exist.
Once you’ve compiled a comprehensive inventory of your possessions, take stock of how much stuff you use regularly. You might be surprised by what makes its way onto your keep list versus what gets crossed off as excess baggage. An inventory can help determine how much it can cost you to move and will also come in handy when it comes time to file taxes or insurance claims after a disaster. A professional mover like Molloy Bros. Moving company will be able to offer you a reasonable quote based on your inventory.
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Purge, Purge, Purge
It’s tempting to hold on to old stuff, especially when you think you might have a use for it someday. But in most cases, you can conquer that urge by a quick trip through your space with a marker to identify those things you haven’t used in six months or more. Remember: If you haven’t used it in six months or longer, the chances are good that you won’t miss it. And if you do, there’s always Craigslist or eBay.
So go ahead—make it like Marie Kondo and get rid of it! Make sure you check with friends and family first to see if they want any of your stuff before listing it online. Once you succeed in purging, you will experience the joy of having an organized home. You’ll also be able to pack up quickly and efficiently because you know what to pack and where. Plus, you won’t need as much storage space as you once did, so renting a storage unit could become cheaper.
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Keep Like with Like
Start by sorting your items into logical groups. For example, clothing could be separated into summer, winter, activewear, formalwear, etc. Or you might divide foodstuffs according to expiration date or ingredients. Whatever method you choose, make sure it’s easy for you to understand and follow. Once you have a reliable strategy, use it consistently—otherwise, you risk losing track of what goes where.
The strategy also helps keep your fragile and other items safe by quickly identifying which boxes they should go in. If you need to repack at some point, you can return all of an item’s boxes together. As the common saying goes, birds of a feather flock together! Let similar items be near each other during transit. It will save time when unpacking since you won’t have to dig through multiple boxes looking for one thing
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Create a Packing List
No matter what you’re moving, start by writing a list of items you plan to pack (and keep adding items as you think of them). Organizing your stuff will likely be arduous, but having a clear idea of what belongs in your new place from day one will help make packing easier. Note: Some stuff is better left behind.
A packing list will help you stick to a schedule that allows ample time to pack, acquire supplies, and be organized without rushing at the last minute. If you know that all your clothes are going into boxes on Tuesday and all your books on Wednesday, you can allocate more time to major or complex tasks during those days. Assemble containers and label them accordingly so they’ll be easy to unpack later.
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Put Things in Labeled Containers or Boxes
Label every box or bag with a name, date, destination address, description of what’s inside, and any other information that may be relevant for someone handling your stuff. Choose boxes big enough so you can store things flat instead of having to fold them. A label maker is a good investment for those on a budget—it allows you to write big, which will make it easier for those handling your belongings at their end.
Additional stickers may be necessary if you have many items in storage. If multiple people are moving out together, consider purchasing pre-printed labels to save time and effort. However, it’s crucial to conceal some valuables using coded phrases like winter sweaters rather than listing brand names. Otherwise, you might make it easy for thieves to target your possessions.
Conclusion
If you need to move, organizing and packing your stuff can be fun if you break it into steps. It’s a lot of work, but with some planning and elbow grease, you can get through it in no time. And once you pack everything and move it out of your old place successfully, you’ll feel a sense of relief knowing that you won’t have to do it again for a long time. Plus, when you unpack at your new place, all of your things will be organized and easy to find! However, never underestimate the power of having a professional moving company in New York to help you with your next move without you experiencing much hassle