Bye-Bye Downsizing and Moving Headaches: Professional Packing/Unpacking to the Rescue

You never really cared for that stemware you got from your mother-in-law for your wedding — 30, 40, or 50 years ago. It has sat, unused, in your china closet next to your aunt’s gravy boat and the porcelain vase from that trip to France in the 1970s.

Now that you have decided to downsize, how do you decide what china, artwork, books, and even clothing to take to your new space?

One of the biggest parts of my business is to help people who have lived in their homes for decades sort through their many belongings to determine what they need when they move. 

Even though you may like to keep it all, downsizing does not mean jamming everything you have into less square footage; it means being mindful about what you bring, so that you can feel less encumbered and use the new space efficiently and comfortably.  

Well, how the heck do you do that?

We will divide the topic into two blog posts. This one will look at the sorting and packing process, and next time we will delve into the unpacking and setting up.

A Game Plan

On a job I did recently, the client had been in her home for 53 years. 

The first thing I did was to learn about the space she would be moving to. What is the square footage? How many kitchen cabinets? How many closets? How big? 

From there we were able to go room-by-room through her possessions  to determine exactly how much she could — and should — take, down to the number of salad plates and cereal bowls. 

The rest of the stuff that she would not be able to take was divided into several categories: donate, sell, toss. 

A Simpler Life Now will handle it all, taking all of the hassle and aggravation out of the moving process for you. 

We professionally pack up and label all of your boxes, and will either bring the items you don’t want anymore to a donation site, or will arrange for them to be picked up. We can run an online auction for you, or, if you have high-end items like sterling and artwork, we can bring in an auctioneer. We can do a complete clean out for you. 

We can arrange for a professional mover to relocate your boxes and furniture. 

Next comes the wiping down and sweeping of the house, or, if necessary, arranging for professional cleaners to come in. 

Any outside professional we recommend or secure for you has been vetted by us so that you can trust them. I have wonderful connections to companies who provide all of these services, and they have all performed consistently, efficiently, responsibly, and cost-effectively. I will oversee their involvement every step of the way so you can rest assured that your possessions are treated with the respect and care they deserve. 

Not Just for Seniors

These services are not just for seniors who are downsizing. I am happy to help organize your home so you can stay there, and live more comfortably. I can sort and pack for families who have pregnancies, small children, injuries, or are just too busy to do it all themselves. 

It’s hard to move, and even harder to downsize. I know how important your possessions are, and how much sentimental attachment you have to them. We will work through the process together so that you can have a simpler life, now.

The second part of this discussion will focus on setting up your new place.