Every long-distance move is challenging and requires answers to questions like how to organize your move step-by-step. Even though it might look like a mission impossible, this task is quite feasible with proper organization. Whether you’re wondering How do you declutter and pack to move? or How do I begin to organize?, don’t worry. Our tips and tricks will help you find out all details related to the relocation process.
If your goal is to experience stress-free relocation, the answer is an excellent organization
When moving cross country, one of the most important things is to have a complete and clear picture of your prospective move. It’s not the same whether you’re going to pack only one room and several pieces of furniture, or your goal is to stow a three-bed apartment. That’s why you should avoid some of the most common moving mistakes and prevent anxiety about relocation. With the right moving hacks, you’ll better understand how to organize a move or how to unpack after a move stress-free.
First Step Is Making a Plan
So, what should be your first step after making a final decision of relocating to another state and start from scratch? You definitely need a plan – the good one. Besides the household inventory list, make sure to think about how to organize important papers and create and manage your budget. It’s many things to keep in mind, so be aware of potential risks during your journey. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to financial documents, school records, or floor plans, there are things to think about, like how to tell your friends you’re moving or how to find the cheapest way to move out of state. Actually, there’s only one reliable option when it comes to providing your own peace of mind – creating the moving binder. Whether you’re planning on a military move or moving in with a boyfriend, it helps you gain impeccable organizational skills.
In order to fill this cover with suitable material, you should have a basic plan or idea of what your relocation should look like and what it involves. Fortunately, whatever your reasons to move are, our packing tips and tricks can help you stay organized, efficient and deal with moving stress better.
What Is the Best Way to Start Packing to Move?
Packing is arduous work, and it requires a lot of strategic thought. So, before you start, make sure to have answers to these questions:
- When to start?
- Where to start?
The truth is – the earlier you begin packing, the better and easier it will be. Just try not to live among boxes for months. A month before the moving day will be an excellent starting point. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of items you won’t be using before the relocation, so start with these:
If you need excellent advice on organizing for a move, this one is on target – don’t pack your kitchen items at the end. Needless to say, the kitchen takes the longest to pack due to stowing all the fragile items and an endless variety of plates, dishes, and silverware.
Be Organized
If you want a flawless relocation process, consider several steps that should be performed:
Still, some things just cannot be packed into containers, plastic bins, or folded with bubble wrap. Paperwork related to your moving company, future home, mortgage, health records, and receipts needs to have their special and separate place. Those valuable documents should be stored properly in order, being available to you at any time. That being said, creating a moving binder is a must-to-do thing if you want your relocation to go smoothly.
What Is a Moving Binder?
Simply put, if you want to avoid the relocation chaos, create a moving binder. Having all your checklists, contracts, and documents among three-ring covers means stay organized and in high spirits during last-minute moving. All in all, it should be big and sturdy, with labeled dividers. Inside of them, you can store all important documents, even contacts, and keep track of the necessary paperwork.
Gathering all paperwork and keeping track of them is essential when planning the relocation
How to Create Your Moving Binder?
You can opt for one big binder for all relocation papers, or choose to have two binders – one for your old home and another for your new place. Maybe you prefer a three-ring binder with dividers? Or you find it much more convenient if it’s a pocket folder with tabs? These are details and depend on personal preference. Yet, no matter what type of binder you choose, try to follow these steps in order to create your own:
- Get all the necessary supplies (a three-ring binder, tabbed pocket dividers, sheet protectors, a binder zipper pouch,)
- Decide what to keep inside of it, and accordingly, determine how many sections your binder should have,
- Find the right covers, make the first page and index of sections, put all papers in plastic sleeves, separate them into sections, and label them.
Depending on your needs, choose the type of your binder
How to Arrange This Sturdy Binder?
When it comes to organizing papers, think about how you’re going to use your binder. Since you’re planning long-distance moving, this means you’ll frequently write on and edit papers. For that reason, it makes sense to store documents directly into the binder itself. After creating the sections, make sure to select an organization method that suits you the most. The most important thing is to keep frequently used documents or crucial ones towards the front of your binder.
What Tabs to Include
Whether you’re moving a business to another state or just relocating to a smaller home, expect to deal with tons of paperwork. So, why not consider arranging all of them as categories and add some tabs to your binder. We’ve narrowed down some suggestions, and you can easily expand the list and tabs as well:
- Your long-distance movers’ invoices and contact info,
- House plans,
- Information on your new prospective neighborhoods or cities,
- Relocation checklists,
- Moving budget,
- Builder information,
- Estimates and bids,
- Calendar,
- Contact list,
- Rental search notes,
- Items to purchase – all those relocation essentials needed before you move,
- Health-related papers,
- Receipts.
Arrange your paperwork neatly by tabs and sections
How to Organize Your Move Properly? Just Stay Organized When Moving
When moving cross country, know that your organizational abilities will be put to the test. That said, staying organized throughout the entire relocation process is a must if you want to ensure your smooth move and avoid relocation depression. In addition to some helpful relocation apps, such as those to help you inventory your belongings or tools to check how safe is your neighborhood, make sure to gather all your papers in one place. They need to be sorted out and organized practically and logically. Of course, a binder will do that for you. However, its functionality comes to the fore only if it stays with you all the time. Since it usually contains plenty of different receipts, be careful not to lose those you receive for donating your furniture before you move because they are tax-deductible. Why not reduce costs when relocating if possible?
Why Is a Family Binder a Must When Organizing for a Move
If you’re moving with kids, your binder will be a perfect place for things pertaining to kids’ activities and school. Also, if you and your spouse pay the bills, it’s very handy to create a tab for various accounts and bills to find policy numbers or service providers. It’s needless to say, a section in your binder with all photocopies of your wallet’s contents will make your life easier in case of theft or loss of your documents. So, if you’re not sure what to keep in your family binder, here is the list of the most important documents (copies, not originals – they should be stored in a filing cabinet) you should store before your moving day:
- Birth certificates,
- Bank statements,
- Bank card information,
- Passports/visas/immigration information,
- Savings account info,
- Automobile information,
- Photo inventory for moving insurance,
- Mortgage or rent info,
- Will and testaments,
- SSN cards,
- Driver’s license,
- Home business docs.
What Every Family Emergency Binder Should Have
In case of emergencies, it’s good to be prepared. For that reason, emergency binders are a great solution in the event of difficult or frightening times. You never know when a fire, flood, or earthquake can occur – sometimes, even before your relocation date. So, how to organize for a move and be prepared in time if you can?
We’ve put down several types of documents every family emergency binder should contain:
- Copies of identification papers,
- Insurance papers,
- Medical information,
- Emergency contact list,
- Recent ID photos.
If you’re relocating with children, you have plenty of documents that need to be stored
With Professional Long Distance Moving Services, You’ll Pack Your House Smoothly
It’s always good to have the right plan and vision related to moving cross country. It gives you a dose of calmness and the feel that everything is achievable. Putting down all relocation issues into your big and sturdy binder can save you stressful situations. All in all, by creating it, you make a decision about your move – it will be straightforward and hassle-free. Still, an organization without assistance cannot fulfill your expectations. Only with professional and skilled help, your relocation will be on the right track.
In order to accomplish all tasks on your checklists and to-do lists, reliance on a cross country moving services is your best bet. Choose trustworthy experts, and your plans will come true sooner than you imagine. Whether you need packing services, or storage units, or auto shipping, you’ll have it all with a cross country moving company. Entrusting your valuable possessions into good hands means they will reach your new address intact. So make sure to choose dependable cross country movers and surrender yourself to a stress-free journey.
Cross Country Movers Provide You With All Necessary Supplies From Your Binder’s Checklist
How to organize moving when it comes to packing supplies? One of the most important things on your to-do list is to find strong boxes, packing paper, and other supplies for the relocation. Some of these you can get from your local liquor stores or bookstores, but the question of their quality arises. You definitely don’t want to pack your glassware or electronics to relocate into a box with a weak bottom. That’s why you need strong and sturdy boxes, even corrugated ones, with the double thickness of tops and bottoms. Luckily, by hiring your cross country moving company, you don’t need to worry about boxes and packing supplies. They can provide you with all types of materials and different sized-boxes to meet all your requirements. After completing this task on your checklist in the relocation section, you can check out this item in your binder and pat yourself on the back.
