When you live in the same place for a while, your home can get more cluttered as time goes by. It can be daunting to try to organize your home once it's become messy, or maybe you didn't even notice because the buildup of disorganization was so gradual. Whatever the case may be, since you'll be going through all your stuff anyway while you're packing, moving provides a great opportunity for you to get organized.
Packing
The best way to reduce the amount of clutter you have in your new home is to prevent it from ever getting there in the first place. You can employ a preemptive strike during the packing process by getting rid of anything you won't need in your new home. Here are some clutter reduction tips for the packing process:
- Plan out what you want to take with you. If you map out where things will go in your new home, you'll be able to more easily identify which items you want to get rid of.
- Have a garage sale for your unwanted items.
- Donate items to charity. You might have clothes or furniture that are in good condition, but you just don't want them in your new home. You can give them away to those who need them.
- Throw things away. Don't be afraid to trash items that aren't in good condition
- Try to take only the things that are most useful or most important to you.
- Store anything that you want to keep, but won't need in your new home at a storage facility.
Unpacking
The unpacking process is just as important as the packing process when trying to get organized in your new home. Here are some ideas for organizing while you unpack:
- Take it slow. Once you've unpacked your essentials, take your time unpacking the rest. Tackle one room at a time, so that you don't get overwhelmed and so all of your belongings end up where you want them.
- Clean your new home before you unpack. If your home hasn't been cleaned for you before you move in, now's a great time to do it. You'll be able to get into every little corner that you wouldn't normally be able to reach.
- Install any necessary shelving, storage hooks, and other storage devices before you unpack.
- Arrange documents into files.
- Buy containers for any other items that will be stored.
- Buy tool boxes and anything else you need for garage organization.
- Designate certain places for certain goods and belongings before you start to unpack. For example, set aside a specific cabinet for canned goods and a specific shelf or drawer for the bills. Setting the precedent right away will make it easier to keep using that space for the appropriate items. Also, you'll always know right where to find the things you need.
- Delegate unpacking duties to the rest of your family. For example, you can let your kids help unpack their own rooms, so their belongings will be right where they want them to be. They'll be more likely to keep things organized if their stuff is where they want it to be in the first place.
Planning ahead and organizing your belongings right off the bat can go a long way toward making your life a little easier in your new home. Remember, once everything is organized it's much easier to keep it that way.
Photo by: Nenetus (Freedigitalphotos.net)