Pack Smart – Relocating Done Right
You’ve prepared for money problems, health problems, and any other life problems you can think of, but now you’re sitting in the middle of your new living room surrounded by boxes and you don’t know where to start. Relocating can be stressful, and when all is said and done, you don’t want to have to worry about finding an outfit to wear the next day because you don’t know where anything is. I provide you with some good tips and advice to give you a boost!
First, it is important to decide what you need to bring. Moving is an opportunity to sort through some f the clutter you have accumulated. I recommend a three-pronged approach: Give, Throw, Pack. Sort your items based on what you can/should give away, throw away, and pack up for you new life. Not everything has to be saved and you can often capture the memories of the item without having to keep it by taking a picture of it. Photos, especially digital, take up a lot less room than your favorite sweater from college that you will never wear again; there may be someone out there who could really use that sweater and by giving it away, you are giving it new life. If you have kids, try to work with them on this same process. They may not need every toy they have and not every adorable outfit that they’ve ever worn to be kept.
Now that everything is sorted, manage your time well so that you don’t end up packing half of your stuff in random boxes just to get it done; a box labeled miscellaneous never helped anyone. Give yourself a time limit for packing a box then double it. Set aside a certain amount of time each day for packing and make it your priority. Don’t check your email, phone, and delegate to ensure no other distractions pop up. Figure out how many boxes you can pack in that allocated amount of time, then plan the number of days it will take to accomplish packing all your belongings. Also, make a list of the things you cannot live without during this process and make sure to pack those items last; do the same for any other family members that may be a part of the move.
If your relocation is not permanent and you won’t be taking all of your belongs with you or you know you won’t have access to all of your belongings until a few days or weeks into the move, it is important to know what to pack so you don’t end up having to buy everything you need, wasting time and money. Recently, I spoke with an attendant on a private jet about what she brings with her for each short-term relocation. This information is valuable to anyone travelling by plane and can be applied to numerous relocation scenarios. Bring only three bags, your Carry-on, your personal luggage, and your checked item.
The carry-on should contain all the things necessary to your day-to-day life: three to seven days’ worth of medication, valuables, important documents, one clean out fit (or at the very least, clean socks and underwear), two to four meals worth of non-perishable food items, any electronic devices, and chargers and universal adapters needed for your electronics. If you carry a purse, try to pack it into your carry-on or reorganize your purse so it can be your carry-on.
Your personal luggage should include the important yet non critical items that will last you for a couple weeks such as your clothes, toiletries, shoes, grooming appliances, concentrated laundry detergent, a traveler’s laundry line and ten pegs (you may not have access to a washer and dryer), an any other item that will fit within the size limit you deem necessary.
The final bag is not mandatory (especially if you don’t want to pay to check something), but it can make the difference between the type of experience you have those first few days in the new location. The checked bag should include items that will help you feel more at home in your new place. You can pack a set of linens, your favorite cereal bowl, or some books and games, anything that will help you feel like you are not too far from your home.
If you pack wisely you will be able to enjoy getting settled into your new place and won’t have to deal with the unwanted stress of putting your home together. So pack smart and enjoy the rewards!