When do you start preparing for a move?  NOW.  Whether you know you’re moving, are considering moving OR you just know that the time in your current home is limited, start now.  It’s really never too early to start.

The earlier you start, the less stressful and yes, maybe even more enjoyable, your transition will go.  Planning and preparedness is EVERYTHING to take your move from a Top 5 Stressor to a Top 5 Blessing.  Or, as Ali Wenzke, author of The Art of Happy Moving, calls it a “fresh start!”  Here are 3 things you can do now:

Only What You Love aka Declutter
Beloveds…PLEASE don’t pay to move things you don’t love, things that are bogging you down, things that need doing so they can go away, etc.  When time is on your side, do the tasks ahead of time and save yourself the monetary investment of schlepping that stuff around for yet another move or having to pay to store them.  HINT: Storing includes paying more money for a larger space because you need more space for stuff.  What could you do with that money saved – travel, invest, give to charity, buy new furniture, get regular massages?

Another benefit of early move decluttering – it FEELS and LOOKS better!  I promise you, you will NOT miss those boxes in the closet, the piles in the corner or that piece of furniture you don’t love.  Your biggest challenge may be wanting to fill the empty spaces.  Do yourself a favor  – sit with the empty space for a while to see if you REALLY need to fill it.

New Home Vision
As you live in your current home, take note of what you love, what is working and what is not.  Actual notes, not just mental notes – because the mind is prone to forget the annoying.  I mean, who really wants to remember what is annoying?  And when you’re in the throws of moving, you may also forget what was fantastic and working in your current home.

  • Create a file, digital or paper:  My Home Vision.
  • Add to it as ideas come up – Pictures, notes, color and fabric swatches.
  • This is also the place to note what you need in a neighborhood.  We love being walkable to a café, restaurants and preferably, a grocery mart.  In our current space we settled for a short drive because the space, price and commute location are just right!

Note Services
It’s so much easier to change all your addresses if you have a list ahead of time.  So rather than sorting thru all your paper or online files when the time comes, start making a list now and as mail comes in.  You can even snap photos of the return addresses and store them on your phone.

It’s easy to forget the infrequent stuff like publications, membership renewals, etc.  and forwarding is fantastic but not flawless, and only lasts for a limited time.

Take charge of ensuring everything you need and love will arrive to your new home without going thru the time-delayed forwarding process!