Advice for Our Clients


It’s time to move! Whether you’ve lived in your home for only a few years or many decades, it’s guaranteed that you have acquired way more than your realized and many of your belongings represent a special memory for you. But some things do not.  So, where to begin to sort through and identify which are keepers? 

 

Our advice is to decide ahead of time what you want to take with you and not spend the time and money to pack up things you don’t want.  Create a window of time for a Tidying Festival.  Your load will be lighter and happier because you have selected the belongings that give you real pleasure. Your home will be beautiful and clutter free – filled only with the things that delight you the most.

 

We highly recommend the following suggestions:

 

 

  • Give yourself the gift of a Tidying Festival.  Take the time to truly reconsider your belongings in the following order:

 

    • Clothes

    • Books

    • Paper

    • Kimono (miscellaneous items that do not hold sentimental attachment)

    • Sentimental items

 

Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy.

 

  • Sort through and decide which clothes and shoes bring you enough joy that they will move forward with you. Be sure to look at overcoats and raincoats. Those clothes and shoes that are worn out, outdated, or never worn should find a new home- perhaps bringing joy to someone else. (Note: be sure to go through all pockets and purses before donating.)

 

 

  • Next, go through your books. Take each book off the shelf and hold each one to determine its joy-factor. Decide which absolutely need to go with you to your new home. (Note: books must be in excellent condition and very special to be considered for resale.)

 

  • Sort through your papers. Go through all your papers and determine which can be trashed, which are available online (thus you can destroy the hard copies), and which are important enough to move with you. Keep the important files in a box to go with you on moving day.  Review all papers for sensitive information before shredding.  Depending on the number of boxes to be shred, a shredding company can be called to your home.

 

  • Look at all your furniture – what sparks joy?  What must you take with you to your new home? Are you willing to gift anything to family members, friends or to a donation site? Discuss with family or friends what things you are offering and take pictures of each and add the date.  It’s helpful is to give the history of the piece on the back of the photo, or in the email for future reference. (Note: be sure to keep an inventory of all you are donating, and to whom, before giving them away.)

 

·      Another point: some things cannot be given away – sectional sofas, pool tables, armoires, gym equipment, ping pong tables, freezers, old trunks, entertainment centers, pianos and organs. Try Craig’s List or Freecycle. 

 

  • Go through all your drawers- living room, family room, bedroom, bathroom, dining room. Determine what you want to keep and what can be donated or, in some cases, trashed. 

 

  • Most kitchens have loads of things that can be discarded – expired labeled cans and jars of food, opened packages, expired spices and ratty plastic containers, chipped glasses and dishes. (Say thank you to these items for their service before discarding. That sense of gratitude only deepens your appreciation for all you have.)

 

  • Next, inventory the cleaning supplies under the sink, the basement and in the laundry room. Chances are, you’ll want to start fresh in your new home.

 

  • Regarding sentimental items, consider these last since decision-making can be difficult. By this point, you have become better tuned to what sparks joy for you. If they still spark joy for you, then by all means keep them.  If they are a burden, reconsider whether you want to keep them in your life. 

 

  • If there are years of accumulated items in an attic, basement, shed or garage, schedule a pickup from a non-profit home improvement center, or arrange for the delivery of a dumpster and the manpower to clear out those hard to tackle areas.

                                                                                           

  • Maryland Move Managers will help guide you in the sorting process. We can arrange for donations to be donated, things to be sold, if possible (Disclaimer – the market is flooded with nice things!). Working with us makes the packing and unpacking so much easier and faster. Usually, packing takes place a number of days prior to the actual move date and, depending on the amount to be packed, will determine the number of days needed.  We can inventory and number each box, which ensures all your belongings are accounted for, thus making the unpacking simple, fast and convenient. 

Madeline Darrell