With spring finally here my team and I have been doing a lot of organized moves. Recently, we moved a growing family into their brand new forever home. We were able to get them in and completely organized in three days. Yes three days! How did we do it? By following some simple guidelines that I’ve listed below.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A MOVE

1. Declutter before you pack. Before you pack, go through every room in the house and categorize all items: KEEP, DONATE, CONSIGN, and TRASH. Set a "donation date" every week during the last month leading up to the move. Schedule for a donation pick-up or carve time out of your schedule to drop off items at a local donation center. The less ‘stuff’ you have to pack the less stuff you have to move!

2. Plan out your new space. Think about your future space and what will fit. Will your future living room fit your existing couch? Will your utility shelving unit fit in your new garage? Are you downsizing and no longer need guest bedroom furniture? Make a plan to dispose of or sell these items so you aren't stuck dealing with it on the other end if space is limited.

3. Create storage solutions. In the home I mentioned above we designed storage solutions for each space with their specific needs in mind. We kept cleaning items in the pantry high off the floor out of reach of little hands, established a gift wrapping station in a downstairs office (with future toys secreted away!), and moved rarely used entertainment items to the basement bar. Think about your lifestyle and what storage solutions will work best for you and your family.

4. Pack and bring essentials with you. In order to make your life easier the day you move, pack a bag with a few essentials like toiletries, PJ’s, an outfit, toilet paper, and towels. Also make sure you have a set of clean sheets ready to put on your bed and your favorite carry out place on speed dial! These little touches make all the difference when getting settled the first night in your new home.