3 vital tips for sorting your belongings before moving
Moving houses or cities is a significant step, and it involves undergoing many tasks to get yourself ready for the experience. While there can be a lot to organise, moving can be an incredibly rewarding experience providing new opportunities and a new outlook.
That doesn't mean it doesn't come without a little work! From deciding which belongings to take to figuring out what to do with items you're leaving behind, there's a lot to think about. However, if you take it step-by-step, the process becomes a whole lot easier. Make moving simpler for yourself by making a plan and ensuring you've handled those little things before you move.
With that in mind, here are three vital tips for sorting your belongings before a big move, whether to another suburb or even a city.
1 - Take an inventory
Write a list of all your belongings. From items of clothing to books and appliances, writing a list will help you really get a handle on just how much it is you own.
When you take into account items like fridges, washing machines, toasters, microwaves and kettles, it's likely you have a lot more than you think!
To make it easier, go through and list your items a room at a time. Bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, study room - whatever you have.
Once you have a comprehensive list spanning each room of your home, you can go about deciding what you can take with you.
"Make moving simpler for yourself by making a plan and ensuring you've handled those little things before you move. "
2 - Mark off the essential items
Some items you might simply know you need to bring with you to your new home, such as a bed, chest of drawers and a number of clothing items.
Other items, such as your microwave, might be slightly more negotiable. At this point, it also pays to plan where your long term accommodation is going to be. Will the house be furnished? Are there appliances or do you need to bring everything with you?
In some cases, you may want to consider leaving some items behind and picking up new ones at your destination. This may be help if you are moving long distances across the country and transporting items might be more expensive than buying the basics once you arrive. Objects such as kitchenware can easily be found anywhere at good prices, so it could be tempting to leave yours behind and buy the essentials upon arrival.
3 - Decide how you are going to store items you leave behind
Once you've decided what you definitely need to bring with you on your move, you will need to decide what you are going to do with anything you leave behind.
Renting out a storage unit can be expensive, but if you have a lot of belongings, particularly those of value, this can be a good option.
Then there is the question of storing items at the home of a family or friend. While this can be convenient, make sure everybody is happy with the arrangement and that your items will be secure. Only leave your belongings with somebody you trust, where you know they will be safe and well-looked after.
As you go through the process of sorting through your personal items, you may also realise you have excess items you don't want or need. This is a good time to figure out what you are going to do with these. Can you pass them on to a friend or family member, sell the item to an op shop or online, or could you donate it to a good cause?