Downsizing is a major task for most people. And the closer one gets to moving day, the more difficult it can be to leave behind the former house. We get it. We have helped countless numbers of people downsize and move over the years. Each case is unique in one way or the other. The one thing they all have in common is the fact that the client is leaving behind a place where memories were made and lives were lived.
Our goal is to make the downsizing and moving processes as stress-free as possible. We offer our clients advice on how to prepare to leave the home they have sold, based on their individual circumstances. Below is a list of four things you may have to consider in your case.
1. Repairs and Renovations
A typical closing in the U.S. takes about three months. That gives you plenty of time to handle any repairs and renovations stipulated in the sales contract you signed. The best advice we can give in this regard is to start working on those things as soon as you have agreed to sell. Three months may seem like a long time, but it can catch up to you pretty quickly.
Get the bigger jobs done first. That way, you will have less to do as moving day approaches. Along the way, you might handle a few smaller things that were not mentioned in the sales contract. It is just a way of being nice and leaving behind a good impression on your way out the door.
2. Gradually Pack Your Belongings
It has been our experience that gradually packing over several weeks is a lot less stressful than trying to cram it into a single weekend. We understand that you might be different. You might work better under a three-day deadline. For everyone else though, gradual packing is a better way to go.
We recommend starting with items you know for sure you will not be using until after you move. We are talking things like seasonal decorations, seasonal clothing, and those kitchen appliances that only come out of the cupboard once or twice per year. Your packing plan should be such that you wind up having to pack only those items essential for daily living on moving day.
3. Check Your Cleaning Products Inventory
Be sure to check your inventory of cleaning products a few weeks before moving day. You are going to need an all-purpose cleaner, some paper towels or rags, maybe some window cleaner, and any other products necessary to leave the home in good shape. Remember that it is your responsibility to leave the home in broom-clean condition unless otherwise stipulated in the sales contract.
4. Clear Out Individual Rooms
We assume there are some rooms in your home that don’t get used all that much, hence the fact that you are downsizing. You can make moving day a little bit easier by packing the belongings in those rooms and then clearing the rooms by moving the items to another room closer to the door you’ll be using on moving day. This accomplishes two things.
First, there will be less distance to carry things on the day you pack the truck. Moving all the boxes and furniture as close to the door as possible increases efficiency. Second, clearing rooms offers you the opportunity to clean them ahead of time. That way you will not be doing a top-to-bottom cleaning of the house on moving day. Those rooms you have already cleaned can be closed off and left alone.
The more you can do to get ready for moving day, the smoother moving day will go. Always remember that My Divine Concierge is here to help. We are downsizing and moving specialists.