AN ORGANIZED MOVE IS A HAPPY MOVE!
By Patty
Kreamer, CPO®
When you
take on the task of moving, just about every aspect
of your life is in for a change. This does not have
to be so dramatic if you take the time to PLAN &
ORGANIZE your move in advance. 60-70% of your efforts
are done on the front end of the move, including setting
a budget, deciding what to take, opening and closing
accounts, setting up utilities, etc. Here are a few
tips to make your move easier:
1) BEFORE
you have your items packed for your move, be sure
to go through everything so you are ONLY taking things
that:
a) You will
definitely need at your new destination
b) Have
a defined home at your new destination
Making clear
decisions on the front end will make life easier on
the back end.
2) A great
way to make great decisions on what to do with your
possessions, sort them into different categories,
such as:
- a) Trash (get lots
of trash bags)
- b) Keep
- c) Sell
- d) Donate
You can
use boxes to catch the items so when you are done,
you can pack the KEEP, contain the SELL, and put the
DONATIONS in your car and take them to your charity
of choice.
3) Be clear
of the names of the rooms on both ends for the movers.
This can eliminate a lot of confusion when labeling
boxes and when delivering. If the movers know the
plan, it allows them to be more independent on the
job.
4) To help
the movers, draw a sketch of the layout of each room
and tape it on the do another visible area. This way,
the movers can place your furniture in the proper
place without pulling you away from another task.
Remember,
the more you plan, the better your move!
How
to stay organized when the move is over!
Moving
can be a pleasant experience if done right. It takes
a lot of planning, execution and time. Once you move
into your new environment, one of the greatest challenges
is staying organized. It is the norm to leave things
where they are put when you moved in rather than thinking
through what may be logical.
Here
are a few tips for getting and staying organized!
THINK
BEFORE YOU PUT…
Before
you put something in it’s new home, be sure that
it is sensible. Is that where you will think to look
for it? Remember, it’s not where you put it,
but where you’ll look for it that counts.
LEARN
TO LET GO...
Ask yourself
a few quick questions to rid your life of a lot of
clutter. Do I REALLY need this? When was the last
time I used this? Could someone else benefit from
this more than me? Why am I keeping this? Can I get
it somewhere else? Be honest with yourself and you'll
see that letting go is not so hard.
HALF-TIME
RULE
Spend
the first half of your allotted time to SORTING and
the second half PUTTING AWAY. What normally happens
is you start with 3 piles, sort for the whole time
and before you know it, you have 70 piles and it's
time to stop.
STAY
PUT!
Prepare
to stay confined to the room or area that you are
organizing—at least for the first half of your
allotted time as you sort. You will be distracted
by things in other areas and lose valuable time. Put
items that belong somewhere else by the door and deliver
them later.
REWARD
YOURSELF...
Motivate
yourself by placing a reward at the end of the session.
Something as simple as a bubble bath, a walk, 9 holes
of golf, ˝-hour of reading...or whatever makes YOU
happy.
DECIDE
TO MAKE DECISIONS...
You are
going to be making a series of decisions. Be in a
decisive mood or you'll never get anywhere. Instead,
you'll be pondering over old stuff, moving it from
one place to another.
BE READY
Make
sure you are in the frame of mind to declutter your
life. If you are not ready to purge and let go, it
will be a waste your time.
ELIMINATE
DISTRACTIONS...
Don’t
answer the phone, make any calls, check your email,
write any emails, have anyone around for whom you
are responsible. Let people know that you are not
available for the time that you are going to organize.
MAKE
IT FUN!
Look
at organizing as an exciting adventure on the way
to organizational bliss. Envision the end results...No
more stress, no more piles, setting a good example
for others, being able to find things when you need
them, not by accident 3 days later.
Patty Kreamer, CPO®, owner of Kreamer
Connect, Inc., is a Certified Professional Organizer®, speaker,
and author of “…But I Might Need It Someday!”
and “The Power of Simplicity” available at
www.ByeByeClutter.com.
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