How to stay organized when moving house

You have probably heard that efficient organization is crucial when moving to a new home, regardless of your reasons for relocating. You may have an idea about how you might transport your belongings to your new place of residence. However, there are always some unfavorable contingencies that might occur and disrupt your relocation – and, consequently, your composure. For this reason, we will talk about how to stay organized when moving house. With our tips, you can make a viable plan that will enable you to come to grips with anything coming your way.

There are a few prominent challenges people usually face when they get into the process of moving to a new home. The first is the sheer number of important deadlines to meet. Also, they have to keep a considerable number of tasks in the back of their minds at all times. Therefore, taking steps to organize your relocation carefully beforehand is essential. It is the best way to maintain order in such a challenging and, at times, chaotic situation.

How do you stay organized when moving house then? 

In the process of relocating, it is always helpful to observe the larger picture. So, try to keep a mental image of your current and new home in your mind. Or, if you find this more practical, have an actual physical image in your sight. It will prove helpful when you start walking through the steps and stages of your relocation.

The same goes for organizing your time. A realistic moving schedule will help you delineate and keep tabs on the amount of time you have. Then you can allocate the necessary time for procuring supplies, packing, labeling, and other essential parts of the moving process. And you might also be in the final stages of getting your new home upgraded for the move-in. For that reason, you must devise and commit to the delineated moving schedule as faithfully as possible.

So, without further ado, let’s take an in-depth look at how you can organize your time, your space, and your belongings for the big move.

1. Create a moving timeline 

As mentioned, a moving timeline denoting the dates, deadlines, and time available to you for each phase of the relocation will provide a reliable guideline that should keep you in control of your relocation. Losing your nerves or your focus can happen all too easily at any step. This is why a moving timeline should be the very first thing you devise once you finally set your moving date.

Obviously, the timeline should be as detailed as possible. However, be prepared to edit it whenever you encounter the need to postpone or reschedule a specific task. This will allow you to monitor your progress without falling into the wormhole of juggling all the things you have to do for your relocation, home reparations, and day-to-day duties in your professional and family life.

Note down and describe your tasks 

So, take note of every single task that is ahead of you. This calls for a clear and comprehensive to-do list which should be accompanied by detailed information about them:

• relevant dates,
• necessary purchases for the task,
• approximate amount of money needed to finish the task,
• service numbers, such as home cleaning services.

Prioritize your tasks

Your moving schedule should serve not only as your personalized calendar and reminder but also as your guide. In other words, use your moving schedule to keep tabs about which tasks are more important or more urgent at any given moment.

Since every household has a different living dynamic, with many new things entering and changing your daily routine, the way you will prioritize your tasks according to their urgency, difficulty, and necessary time to complete them is bound to change as a result. This is why a good moving timeline is crucial for staying organized when moving house, as it allows you to stay focused and finish one task at a time.

2. Create a floor plan 

Depending on the size of your old and your new home, a (more or less) detailed floor plan is an excellent supplementary aid to your moving timeline. In fact, it is best if you already have a clear idea about the placement of your furniture, appliances, and personal belongings in your new residence. It is highly unlikely that the square footage of the rooms in your old and new home will be similar. Thus, you can use the floor plan to draw in the measures of your items and rearrange them if need be.

In this way, you will be able to make an informed decision about:

• what you might have to leave behind,
• what you might want to sell or give away,
• things you have to purchase in order to move into your new home.

The placement of furniture you finally settle on will be your organizational guide once you start moving in and placing your stuff into your new home. Since every second counts when you are moving house, sharing your floor plan with the moving crew should save you a significant amount of time (and money). The floor plan will serve as an explicit instruction as to where your movers need to place your belongings.

Furthermore, a floor plan combined with your moving timeline can include a description and order of activities, tasks, and other things to have in mind after the move itself. People tend to overlook the duties awaiting after the move because they tend to focus on the tasks before and during the move. Having a reminder about your post-relocation assignments, such as purchases that need to be done or cleaning supplies you need to buy, will be a lifesaver.

Pro tip: You can even create a floor plan of your current residence so that you can monitor the order in which you need to pack and ship the boxes from each room.

3. Create a moving inventory

A moving inventory sheet is an extremely useful organizational aid to have alongside your moving schedule and to-do list. It is especially true if you have a lot of things that you intend to move into your new home.

Labeling and numbering all the things you have in your possession might seem like a tedious and, ultimately, futile job. Nevertheless, there is a practical advantage to creating a moving inventory. Namely, you can get a more accurate assessment of the total moving costs from a number of moving companies. This will make it easier for you to choose a company that gives you the best offer.

Once you hire the moving crew, you can hand over the list. Instruct them to cross out the items and boxes that are packed, labeled, and shipped. In that way, you will always be able to stay organized when moving house.