No matter the circumstances, moving is stressful. Aside from finding a new place to live, preparing your current home to move can be a time-consuming endeavor. With so many belongings to sort through and the daunting task of putting your home up for sale, it’s easy to feel like your to-do list is never ending.
But don’t worry — you don’t have to do it alone. Here’s a short list of tips to help make the process easier:
- Practice ruthless decluttering. Resist the urge to move belongings that you don’t need and haven’t used in years. Make trash and donation piles before packing even begins so you can start fresh at your new home with streamlined, organized belongings.
- Take small steps to improve the appearance of your home before putting it on the market. You don’t need to complete a kitchen renovation, but you do need to help your house put its best face forward in order to attract the right seller. Clean the carpets, wash the windows, and consider replacing scuffed and dented doors.
- Take it room by room. Try narrowing your focus to only one room at a time so you can avoid getting too overwhelmed. Pack rooms you don’t use as often first (like guest rooms or formal dining rooms) and save essential rooms (like the kitchen) for last. If you have an underused area of your home that can serve as “box central” as you get packed, that can help retain some normalcy in the other areas of your home until moving day arrives.
- Double check with your utility companies. Ideally, you want to experience a seamless utility transition from one home to the next. Double check that you have the correct turn off and turn on dates, so you won’t go without essentials like water and heat.
And one final tip? Take breaks and stay calm. Moving isn’t easy, but it will all be worth it when you are settled in your new home.