Moving can be an overwhelming task, but help is on the way! Although our Professional Relocation Organization team specializes in luxury home relocations, we have a special process to prepare homes of any size for a move.
The steps we take prior to moving day make unpacking and organizing your new home more efficient. By handling the details for you, we make every effort to uncomplicate your move. This allows you to focus on getting yourself and your family prepared to relocate with as little disruption as possible.
Our 7-step moving plan summarizes how we get you ready, moved, settled, and organized in your new home.
Phase 1: Prepping Your Home for a Move
When someone has lived in the same house for a while, there is always a build-up of unused or unwanted items. These are usually tucked away in attics, garages, closets, and playrooms. Since they aren’t currently being used, they are most likely being ignored. However, during the moving process, everything starts to come out of these “hidden” spaces. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ve accumulated over time!
During this initial phase, our team starts packing the items that aren’t critical for everyday life. We also focus on going through the storage spaces to cull out unused or broken items, or items you don’t necessarily want to take to the new home. We’ll go through each room and storage space to consolidate like items with like so they can be packed together (crafts with crafts, books with books, toys with toys, etc.). In the process, things become more organized. You’ll find this beneficial on the other end of the move.
We create a spot for “suggested” items to consider for donation. If you can provide us with any guidelines for your preferences, that is also very helpful to speed things along. For example, we’ve had clients tell us if we run across any old VHS movies, they are an automatic donate.
Our team won’t take anything out of your home that you haven’t reviewed and given the “ok” to do so. Upon your approval, we’ll take them to a donation spot of your choosing.
Phase 2: Packing Up Your Home
Our systematic packing process is essential for a smooth transition to your new home. We have a very specific way of boxing and labeling that facilitates efficient unpacking. It also prevents having to frantically search through a mountain of boxes for essential items.
Our team minimizes the disorder that comes with boxing and storing by setting up zones. Once we start the packing phase, we’ll designate a “no pack” zone for those things you need to have available during the move.
These items may include:
- Important papers or projects
- Computers/small electronics
- Sports uniforms
- Back-packs and schoolwork
- Clothing (leave what’s needed for about a week)
- Make-up & toiletries
- Paper plates, plastic utensils
- Some essential kitchen items that can be boxed up last minute
- Pantry & fridge items can be the last to move over
When we have a scheduled move date, we usually back that up about a week to five days for the final packing process. If we’re able to pack most non-critical items during Phase 1, then this may decrease the number of days needed for the final pack. This is also the time when we’ll bring movers in to help pack certain areas of the home.
Phase 3: Moving Materials & Services
The Totally Organized team provides all boxes, packing materials, tape, etc. We charge you our cost and don’t upcharge on packing materials.
If you need something crated or if you have a priceless object to move, let us know and we will discuss the best options for getting those safely to your new home. We generally like the client to manage the move for fragile or priceless items to limit our liability. For example, our movers can move the piano that you have, but if you have a baby grand piano, we suggest a company that specializes in moving pianos.
If you have jewelry or valuables around your home, let us know ahead of time, and/or secure them safely for your peace of mind. Our team, and the movers we work with, operate with the utmost integrity, but it helps us to know if we need to be looking out for important items or valuables.
Phase 4: Lining New Cabinets & Drawers
As soon as you have keys to your new home, we begin the cabinet and drawer lining process. Lining protects your cabinets and drawers from scratches, stains, dirt, and water damage for many years to come. We primarily use Plast-O-Mat liner from Container Store, which is a clear, durable liner that can be removed, washed, and reinserted. The liner is expertly cut to fit the space exactly with square corners. We normally line the kitchen, pantry, all bathrooms, and laundry room at minimum.
Phase 5: Moving Day
On the big day, we’re happy to handle as much or as little as you’d like. We are prepared to oversee every detail of your move, including hiring the movers and managing the moving process. However, some clients just ask us to help with certain areas of the home. Whatever you have in mind, we can tailor a program to meet your needs.
Phase 6: Unpacking and Organizing
On the day of the move, we usually have the movers bring over the kitchen items first, so that we can get that unpacked and set up quickly. From there, we focus on getting everyone’s closets and bathrooms unpacked and making essential items accessible. Then we move to utility areas like the laundry room, toys/crafts, and prioritize from there.
Later, we come back and fine tune – for example, adding organizing products to take it to the next level. Our goal is to get you functional quickly, and then circle back to implement the design and fine tune the organizing systems so they’re easy to maintain.
Phase 7: Designing Your New Storage Spaces
We want you to have an organized home as quickly as possible. But we also want you to feel good about your storage spaces when you use them. We find that clients put a lot of time and money into the design of the home, but how their items are going to be organized is often an afterthought. Over time, they still cannot enjoy their new home, because the mess at the old house has migrated over to the new house. Investing in the organization of your home will only enhance the design and function of what you have already curated, and lead to an overall lifestyle change.
Why Us for Professional Relocation Organization?
If you’ve ever moved, you know that the process can be downright stressful. Our goal is to make the separate phases of relocating as smooth as possible. Maybe you travel for work, have small children, or can’t physically pack up your home. Maybe you just want to outsource the hassle of it all. No matter the reason, we’re here to help with your move.
Totally Organized Life offers a full range of pre-move organizing services. We can handle everything from packing, to coordinating movers, unpacking, and then organizing your new home. Or, if you’d prefer, you can choose services a la carte. Regardless of the size of your home or budget, we have a moving plan that is right for you.