Organizing a Move for the Disorganized

All of us have varying levels of organizing abilities.  Whether the task at hand is sorting bills, medical paperwork, or your child’s schoolwork, some of us have it down while others struggle to even know where to begin.  There is no greater test of your organizing skills than moving.  Fortunately, we can change and grow in every area of life by enlisting the help of those who have paved the way before us.

Here are a few tips to grow your organizational skills during your move.

1. Print Checklists

There is a copious amount of tasks to do when packing up one house and moving to another.  There are projects for your prior house, items to complete for your new house, and some tasks that are required in both places.  A checklist allows you to keep track of each and every necessity in one place, and then check off each as they are completed.  This visual tool will allow you to plan, track progress, and guide your day-to-day tasks.

2. Color Code Moving Boxes

While the number of moving boxes can be overwhelming to look at, a color-coded method for boxes can place your mind at ease.  Not only does this allow you to pack the moving truck in a systematic way, even more, it ensures boxes will be unloaded and placed into your new home in an organized manner. For example, all living room boxes may contain a blue label, while all boxes containing kitchen items contain an orange label, and so on.

 3. Catalog Moving Boxes

As you pack your boxes, make a general list of what each box contains. Then, number each box and assign each list the corresponding number. These lists can remain in a notebook and will be an easy reference when locating personal belongings in your new home.

 4. Pack a Moving Essentials Bag

There are items that we must have in our possession at all times during a move.  These may include a marriage certificate, social security cards, birth certificates, home buying paperwork or rental lease paperwork. Rather than packing them in a box or container that may not get unpacked for weeks, put together an “essentials bag” to keep with you while you relocate.