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		Get Organized Debbie Williams is an organizing strategist and founder of OrganizedTimes.com. She is the author of  "Home Management 101" from Champion Press. Get organized before a move Question: I'm moving next month and figured now is the perfect time to get organized. Things are cluttered in my current house, but our next home is bigger and has more closet space. Do you have any suggestions for before we pack and how to organize things when we unpack? Julie Answer: Good for you! Getting organized BEFORE your move makes unpacking so much easier. You'll be amazed at how little storage space you will really need in your new place once you declutter and purge the unused stuff you've accumulated. The first thing you need to do is make a plan. Write down or sketch out your floor plan- sit on the floor of your empty home if you need to, or do it from memory. Decide what goes where BEFORE you are getting dirty looks from a tired mover on moving day! Pack things by location, clearly label them, and don't hesitate to make a master list of your boxes and their locations if you're moving yourself. If this move is being handled by a moving company, your mover will do this for you. Now is the time to simplify those closets! Clothes closets in the bedroom, hall, mudroom, and kids rooms can easily be purged, pulling items that haven't been worn in a year. If you find clothes needing repairs, cleaning, or alterations, put those in a large milk crate or small cardboard box so you can take care of them before packing them away. Be sure to get the kids to help you with decluttering their closets. Let them learn the art of charity by helping you box up items for donations, or Recycling 101 by taking quality toys and clothes to the local resale shop (don't hesitate to bribe them with the promise of keeping any earned monies from sold items-- hey, whatever works, right?) Try not to keep old unusable clothing as "rags"-- most of us never use these and it's just moving clutter from the closet to the garage anyway. And of course, broken and items with missing parts go into the trash. Use these same principles for cleaning out drawers, cabinets and under the beds. As you pack, try to group or organize items together by location, rather than type. That means instead of packing ALL your linens together, try using smaller boxes grouped by where they will be stored. For example, pack your towels, toiletries, and organizers for the master suite in a box, then label MASTER BATHROOM. Include things you use on a regular basis in this area, and store other things less used, or used by your kids, in the GUEST BATHROOM. Sometimes it's easier to store sheets in the bedroom in under-the-bed-storage rather than finding a small space in your already crowded guest or half bath. Do the same for all the items in your home, grouping by room: kitchen, living room, kids rooms, etc. Tips from a frequent mover I've moved an average of once each three years, and I've learned a few tricks to keep things running smoothly from one house to the next: * Pack a Survival Kit for your first night in your new home. If you need to toss a few things into a dufflebag or suitcase, then stash in the car, do it! Your survival kit might include 2 changes of clothing for work and for play, sheets or sleeping bags, pillows, towels, toiletries, toilet tissue, bill paying items (bills, envelopes, stamps, pen, and checkbook), maps, snacks, address book, and contact information for utility hookups. If you're a cook and are very optimistic, pack a small box or milk crate with a couple of knives, forks, spoons, bowls, plates, bowls, chef knife, spatula, skillet and pot. Don't forget the paper towels! Put aside a group of items to be packed last, either in a locked closet or in your car, so that you can have them as you move. Snacks, eating utensils, paper goods, mop and vacuum. If a company is moving your household items, label the vacuum "pack last/unpack first" to make it easy to see just where and when this item should be loaded. Grab your kids' favorite toy, pillow, or stuffed animal and your sense of humor, and hit the road! Best of luck to you in your new home. Good luck, Debbie Williams Also see: More ideas on containing kid clutter Ask Debbie your questions Recently answered questions		Search BlueSuitMom.com Email this page to a friend    C a r e e r   C o r n e r • Join BlueSuitMom on   Facebook • In a Man's World • Professional Organizations • Company Seminars • Career Archive • Small Business Advice • Online Job Search • Entrepreneur's Corner • Sign Up For Our Newsletter Ask an Expert • Image Consultant • Career Coach • Work/Life Coach • Business Coach • Work at Home • Professional Organizer • Emotional Wellness • Business Advisor    C a r e e r   P o l l What is the most important benefit your employer can offer you? Flexible work hours Extended hours/shortened work week Job sharing Telecommuting On-site daycare Take home meals On site dry cleaning View results
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