Perhaps you are thrilled to finally put your Tampa home up for sale as you have an exciting career waiting for you in another city. Your realtor told you that you are bound to get multiple offers and will most likely close a deal in a few weeks. Within this period, you have to complete all your pending work assignments, say goodbye to everyone, and pack your belongings before the buyer comes and takes possession of your home.
While it is tempting to wait for the last minute to start packing, it is best to start the process before buyers come knocking and start making offers. Securing all your stuff before the moving company arrives requires time, patience, and the right strategy. To help you navigate this stressful and overwhelming task, you may want to consider the following pointers:
Consider Getting Help from Professional Packers
Take an honest look at your schedule and see if you truly have the time and energy to sort through all your stuff, segregate them into categories, and box them accordingly. If you are barely functioning because you have too much on your plate, keep in mind that you can always make use of packing services in Tampa.
Before you discount the idea of hiring professional packers because it will cost additional money, you should first assess the benefits they bring to the table. Think about how convenient it is to have highly skilled and experienced people handle the job for you. You can spend your free time resting, instead of boxing things in the middle of the night.
Relying on packing services also allows you to focus on more important tasks, like managing your office affairs or getting your new home ready. More importantly, knowing that you have a professional team working for you can make moving less stressful and burdensome. Isn’t your peace of mind worth much more than a few hundred dollars?
Organize a Team of Helpers
If you choose to lead the packing yourself, you should at least tap the help of family and friends to lighten your load and get things done a lot faster. Get creative and make the day fun for everyone who volunteered by promising unlimited pizza and drinks.
You can also play upbeat music to pump up your team of helpers and make them more productive. Nothing motivates a group like creating a playlist of upbeat songs that everyone can listen to while packing. In fact, a study published in 1972 by Applied Ergonomics stated that music can help improve the productivity of people who are doing repetitive tasks.
Make sure that no time is wasted by planning the activities for the day. Make a list of the things you need to get done and who will be responsible for each task. Do not forget that while you want everyone to have a good time, your primary goal is to have several moving boxes packed and ready to go.
Declutter Your Home
Before you start putting all your things in moving boxes, it is best to declutter your home first. The process may require additional work, but it offers numerous advantages. For one, you can get rid of all the things you no longer want, need, and use. With fewer items, you can pack more easily and even save on moving expenses since you will be transporting fewer boxes.
Decluttering can also make you feel better as the process of throwing things may be symbolic of leaving all negativity behind and a starting on a better journey. As you go through this process, consider the following pointers:
- Examine each item and decide whether to keep, sell, or donate the item to charity.
- Sell or donate furniture pieces that are too big for your new place.
- Organize a garage sale or a pre-move gathering for family friends to dispose of your “for sale” items
- Consider donating to charities that will pick-up your donations like Salvation Army and Goodwill to save time and energy.
Avoid Overextending Yourself
Make the packing process more palatable and less stressful by giving yourself time to breathe. Instead of packing the night before the move, start doing it several weeks before by allotting an hour each day. Set your timer, play your favourite music or audiobook, and get to work. Stop everything you are doing as soon as the alarm goes off, and do the same the following day.
You can finish one room at a time so that you can readily track your progress. You can also designate a “packing area” where you can do the work and keep necessary supplies and boxes. Apart from having a place to store your packing essentials, this strategy will also minimize messiness and chaos in your home as you try to finish boxing your belongings.
While you cannot completely avoid the stress and anxiety of getting everything organized and ready in time for your big move, you can, at the very least, make the process more manageable. Breathe, ask for help, and consider the packing tips above, and you will surely make the most of your time and energy, and keep your sanity.
