Hi! I’m Sayaka Minami, a Japanese minimalist, and a professional organizer.

I have moved twelve times in my life, so I feel that I’m an experienced mover. In this issue, I am sharing four useful tips for moving.

1. Pack By Location

When it’s time to pack your belongings into moving boxes, I recommend packing “by location” rather than “by items”.
Look into the floor plan of the new house and pack by location.

A good example is when you pack clothes.
If you have a family with children, packing adult and children’s clothes together as “clothes” will become a hassle later, since you will need to separate the clothes that go in the children’s room and the master bedroom.
You will have to sort through them again when you unpack the boxes.
Take note of each room in your new house and pack your boxes “by location”.

2. Label The Location with Large Letters

After packing the items by location, label each box with its designated location. (Example: bedroom closet, kitchen, children’s room, etc.) in large letters.

By labeling your boxes, movers will be able to know at a glance where to go without asking you.
When moving, you will need to take care of many things, such as walking through the previous house, utility cancellations, and signing new contracts.
To reduce the burden on yourself, label the boxes in large letters on at least two sides of a box.

3. Let Go of Things

Moving is a great opportunity to reduce your things.
Let’s take this opportunity to let go of unnecessary things and start a new life with a clean slate!
For example, if you find the following items, ask yourself if you really need them in your new home.

✔ Clothes you haven’t worn for 2 years, shoes you can’t walk in for long periods, bags you don’t use

✔ Interior accessories that do not fit in the new room

✔ An excess of paper bags, newspapers, and empty bottles that you thought you could use for something

4. Unpack The Boxes As Soon As Possible

Moving boxes are an easy size to transport, strong enough to prevent damage, and quite handy as they are.
Moving is hard work, and some of you cannot be bothered to unpack your boxes and will leave them in your closet… for months.

It is a waste of space in your new home having mysterious boxes with no idea what is inside!
Try to unpack the moving boxes as soon as possible after you move in.

 
I hope these four tips help you reduce the burden of moving, and you can have a fresh start in your new house.

Author
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Minimalist & Professional Organizer
SAYAKA MINAMI
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