How to Stay Organized During a Move

May 10, 2022

Los Angeles is huge, often unpredictable, and at times, chaotic. It’s the kind of city where you learn to adapt quickly and moving into (or within) this city can feel overwhelming.

To thrive in Los Angeles, it helps to have a plan. If you’re at a loss for where to begin your moving process, look no further! In this article, we will provide you with some helpful tips on how to keep yourself organized while moving to a new home. If you do it right, you will end up loving the charm of this big city and find your place within our melting pot.

Suggestions for a Smooth Move

1. Start Preparing Early

Before you start throwing your belongings into boxes, you will need to do some prep – charts, lists, phone numbers, emails, and price ranges. I’ll be honest, it can be a hassle, but in order for things to go smoothly, you’ll want to have a properly ordered to-do list.

Additionally, you’ll need adequate tools. There are tons of useful apps that can help you with different phases of your moving process.

Next, you will want to set up a proper moving budget. Moving anywhere can be expensive, so decide in advance how much you are willing and able to spend on this process. It may help to create a “moving binder”, along with several folders containing important information (different move companies, important dates, your budget, and more). You can store all relevant paperwork in these covers, which helps immensely with further planning.

2. DIY or Movers?

Regarding how you want to move, there are two options: either hire professionals or do it yourself!

DIY moving is actually quite popular nowadays. With movers’ prices going up, it’s a cost-effective method of transporting all of your things from point A to point B. Unfortunately, some issues are bound to arise since it’s you vs the entire contents of your home. And the process will last longer than it would with professionals doing all the packing. However, this is a totally do-able option if it is what works best for your lifestyle.

Luckily, finding a good moving company in Los Angeles * isn’t difficult if you know where to look. Moving companies might charge you a hefty sum, but they will get the job done in no time flat. Furthermore, these companies can provide you with an estimated moving rate early on, so you can figure out whether they’re a match for your needs (and budget) or not.

3. Keep an Inventory

Moving inventories are pretty straightforward. You merely input what you’re taking and what you’re leaving behind (donating, throwing away, etc.) In this example inventory, all you need to do is print the inventory list and fill in the blanks. In fact, by using your smart device, you can streamline the process even further and copy/paste or delete anything as the move progresses.

When deciding on what you won’t be bringing to your new home, it’s a good idea to keep a few separate inventories. For example:

  • Landfill inventory
  • Charity inventory
  • An inventory for items you intend to sell
  • An inventory for items you intend to give away
  • Items which need to be returned to the original owners

4. Declutter the Unnecessary Stuff

With all of the inventory-taking out of the way, it’s time to get rid of anything you don’t need. Clutter will make your moving experience difficult, and you probably don’t want to take everything with you regardless of where your new home is located. So, make sure to sell, donate, or return anything you don’t plan to take along. It is important to be thoughtful with how you discard your items, i.e. don’t immediately go for the trash can. Instead, check your local recycling facility or donation center and give them as much as you can.

5. Prepare a Packing Plan

A packing plan is separate from your overall moving plan, and it’s just as crucial. It involves a few key elements:

  • Packing should start as soon as possible (immediately after decluttering)
  • Packing should have a clear timeline so you don’t miss anything
  • You need to know where to start packing (i.e., a decent lineup of your rooms, from first to last)
  • You need to get the right packing supplies.

6. Find Cheap or Free Packing Materials

If you can, try and find some free packing materials on your local NextDoor or Facebook Marketplace. They are relatively easy to come by, and they’ll save you hundreds of dollars!

7. Label Everything in Advance

Labeling everything is crucial, even after you’ve decluttered your entire house. That way, you will know exactly where each box goes, saving you lots of effort when unloading the many boxes in your new home. Of course, if you have transparent plastic bins, that can save you the trouble of having to label them, but you will definitely need specific labels with regular boxes.

8. Prepare an “Essentials” Bag

An “essentials” bag will come last. It will include everything you need access to during the move, basically – stuff that cannot be packed into a box. Of course, I recommend planing out in advance what the essentials bag will contain (be sure to add the perishables and the toiletries last). Typically, this bag will have the following items:

  • Food and drink
  • Money, credit cards, checks, etc.
  • Medication
  • Toiletries
  • A first aid kit
  • Food and drink for pets
  • Electronic devices
  • House and car keys
  • Some necessary unpacking tools (scissors, cutters, duct tape, etc.).

9. Lastly: Be Sure To Take It All In

One step that many people leave out of this process is to relax at the end of all your planning and packing. Instead, take some time to bask in your old home for a few more days and appreciate the memories that you’ve made there. It will offer a nice feeling of closure, which may be much-needed before beginning your new chapter in a new place.

Hopefully, these tips will help you find the best way to maintain a sense of order during your move to a different home.

It’s okay to ask for help, everyone needs it from time to time and I am here for you.
If you are in need of organizing or additional help with clutter free design to enhance productivity, please call me directly at 310.904.9720 or contact me.

*This is not an endorsement from LA Move Consultants.