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DE-CLUTTERING ROSIE BARRON IS THE TIDY COO
Rosie Barron is The Tidy Coo, a Professional Organiser. A Master KonMari Consultant and member of APDO (the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers). She helps overwhelmed people to create space and peace in their homes and lives. Rosie lives in Aberdeenshire with her husband, four Home Educated children, eight ponies, six dogs, three cats, two bunnies, chickens, ducks and fish which all bring joy.
Images: Laura Walter Photography
Organising a home move
Moving home can be a super stressful time, but there are some steps that you can take to make it easier. I’ve put together this little guide for you.
Of course, my first piece of advice is going to be (you guessed it!) to DECLUTTER. If you are moving home, I really urge you to declutter beforeyou move as it will make all the difference. If you are considering moving home in the near future, do start the decluttering process as much as 6 months before your planned move. If you are selling rather than moving out of a rental, this is even more important as a decluttered (and staged) home often sells faster and for more money than one that hasn’t been. One of my 12 Weeks To Tidy participants on my most recent course joined in order to declutter for a move and has been raving about what a difference it has made, not just to the photos, but because it is so much easier to keep clean and tidy for viewings too.
Start by considering what you would like your life to look like in your new home. Are you moving into a bigger home, or downsizing? Vision is very important for both, but particularly if you are downsizing as it can be hard to let go of things if you don’t have a strong vision.
Then work through your belongings – if you are unsure where to start, look through previous copies of Lifestyle for my
I am usually totally anti using storage units, but I do make an exception when decluttering for a move. On our last move we were selling our cottage in Berkshire and moving up to Aberdeenshire, and knowing how important staging can be, before we even put our home on the market, I had started to pack away some things that I knew that we could do without for a few months, particularly off-season clothing. Rather than stashing these in the shed (which was our only storage space as we lacked a loft or garage), I rented a storage unit. When the time came for us to move (having sold the decluttered and staged cottage quickly), we were able to put these boxes directly on the moving truck.
Once you know when and where you are moving, it’s time to hit the checklist!
6 weeks before the move
Make a moving folder with all the details in it that you need.
Download an app such as Trello to get organised. You can share tasks to be done with other people involved.
Book a moving company or van if you are using one. Consider if there are any parking restrictions to your property that you need to organise.
If you haven’t already, DECLUTTER NOW! Sell and donate anything that you’re not taking.
3-4 weeks before the move
Collect Packing Supplies.
Menu Plan so that you are eating up the food in your Fridge and Freezer.
Organise care for Pets/Children for the day of the move. Contact Post Office for forwarding. Organise cleaning if appropriate.
Packing
Start packing up anything that you don’t need.
Make sure that boxes are well taped.
Use the right size boxes for the job – you don’t want empty spaces in the boxes, but equally, they need to be light enough to be carried. (Often people have spares that they are happy to give away, do check on your local Social Media.)
Clearly label box for the room that it is going into.
Clothes can be left in drawers and wrapped in place. Depending on the weight, they may be able to be left in the shell.
Clothes can be left on hangers – wrap them together before taking them down.
Continue packing. Get Laundry up to date. Create an essentials box to travel with you Essentials box:
• Toilet paper • Tea/Snacks • Kettle
• Scissors/pocket knife • Garbage bags • Change of clothes • Washing up bowl and liquid • Pet food
• Torch/bulbs • Small tool kit
• First aid kit
• Towels
• Multipurpose cleaner • Hoover if it fits • Mugs/plates • Important records • Champagne • Jewellery • Irreplaceable items • Favourite teddy for children
Day Before
Get those last bits packed up and pack a suitcase for yourself. Unplug TV and other electricals so that they are cold.
Moving Day!
Ideally you want all the packing to be done before moving day, so that on the day, all you have to do is to load the van and go. If you can get the van pre-loaded the day before, so much the better! Take pictures if appropriate. Meter readings. Turn lights off. Drop keys off.
New Home
Meter readings.
Unpack Kettle!
Hoover if you can before unpacking the van. Put together and make up the beds first!
Who you should notify of change of address:
• The local council for council tax purposes • Your employer • Your utility companies (Gas & Electric) • Your GP & Dentist
• Your phone and internet providers • Your bank(s) • The DVLA
• TV licensing • Inland Revenue
• Electoral Roll (updating your registration) • Your insurance providers (including pets, car and travel insurance)
Unpacking
I like to unpack all the boxes as soon as possible (I’m a bit of an unpacking Ninja) as it then forces me to put things away. One thing I often find in my clients’ homes is packed boxes from previous moves, so I always think it’s a good idea to get rid of the boxes as soon as possible.
