Ten Tips to Downsize and De-Stress Your Move
This blog post was written by Julie Bagg, Chief Moving Officer at Senior Move Masters.
A recent survey conducted by OnePoll showed that nearly half (45%) of its respondents found moving to be more stressful than breakups. Fortunately, there are abundant ways to make moving a less stressful experience. We turn to colleagues at Senior Move Masters to share their downsizing tips and secrets.
1. Start Early – End Happy
It’s never too early to begin the downsizing process. Begin by focusing on typical problem areas such as the attic, basement, garage, closets, file cabinets.
2. Get Generous
Since you can’t take everything you own to your new home, now is the time to make arrangements to “gift” some of your treasures to special people in your life including, and especially family, helpful neighbors, friends, favorite organizations, or a church/synagogue.
3. Save Your Memories
You may have boxes of old photos from every holiday, vacation and birthday party. What do you do with them? Ask your Move Manager about digitizing your photos and videos in a format easily shared on any device.
4. New Looks for Books
If you own large quantities of books, you need to spend time downsizing your collections. Books occupy lots of space and are heavy to move. Consider donations to libraries or senior centers, or sales to used bookstores. Call on a book dealer for older books with potential value.
5. Use It Up…Don’t Move It Out
Take an inventory of your canned goods, frozen foods, and paper products. Plan to use as many of these products as you can before moving. If you simply have too many of these items, think about passing them on to a local food pantry. Check to see if the Move Manager you hire participates in NASMM’s Move For Hunger Initiative.
6. Recycle the Toxins
Take time to put together a box or two of household, yard, and automotive cleaning products, as well as paint, that are considered hazardous. Visit Earth911.org for more information on hazardous collection in your area.
7. Don’t Lose Touch
Create a list of people, places, and utilities/services that need to be notified of your upcoming change in address.
8. Space Plan Ahead
Most Move Managers can provide you with a customized floor plan of your new residence. A floor plan will help you determine the pieces of furniture that will fit in your new home, and the best location of each. Knowing which pieces will fit in your new space will help you in your rightsizing process.
9. Pack a Survival Bag
Put together a survival bag for move day. It might include personal needs (medications, eyeglasses, toiletries, change of clothes, important papers, etc); kitchen needs (snacks, drinks, folding chair, disposable cups plates); basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, flashlight, tape, etc.); cleaning supplies (sponge, roll of paper towels, soap, etc.); and payment for mover – be sure you know which form of payment they accept.
10. Ask For Help
Don’t be too shy to ask for help. Moving is not easy and you shouldn’t do it all yourself. But don’t wait until the last minute to ask for help. Some of these downsizing steps require weeks to months to accomplish. The best place to find help is through the National Association of Specialty & Senior Move Managers®.
Which one of these could you start doing this week? Tackling these downsizing tasks early and routinely will not only de-stress your upcoming move but also keep your home decluttered and more enjoyable.
For more downsizing suggestions, be sure to check out the Daily Downsize tips on Senior Move Master’s social channels.
or call 760-942-4525 for a free consultation. Let Senior Move Masters do the heavy lifting!
