Moving and Downsizing Tips

1. Ask For Help

Don't be too shy to ask for help. Moving is not easy and you shouldn't do it all yourself. But don't wait until the last minute to ask for help. Some of these downsizing steps require weeks to months to accomplish. The best place to find help is through the National Association of Specialty & Senior Move Managers® (www.nasmm.org).

2. Pack a Survival Bag

Put together a survival bag for move day. It might include personal needs (medications, eyeglasses, toiletries, change of clothes, important papers, etc); kitchen needs (snacks, drinks, folding chair, disposable cups, and plates); basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, flashlight, tape, etc.); cleaning supplies (sponge, roll of paper towels, soap, etc.); and payment for mover be sure you know which form of payment they accept.

3. Space Plan Ahead

Most Move Managers can provide you with a customized floor plan of your new residence. A floor plan will help you determine the pieces of furniture that will fit in your new home, and the best location of each. Knowing which pieces will fit in your new space will help you in your rightsizing process.

4. Don't Lose Touch

Create a list of people, places, and utilities/services that need to be notified of your upcoming change in address.

5. Recycle the Toxins

Take time to put together a box or two of household, yard, and automotive cleaning products, as well as paint, that are considered hazardous. Visit Earth911.org for more information on hazardous collection in your area.

6. Use It Up..Don't Move It Out

Take an inventory of your canned goods, frozen foods, and paper products. Plan to use as many of these products as you can before moving. If you simply have too many of these items, think about passing them on to a local food pantry. Check to see if the Move Manager you hire participates in NASMM's Move For Hunger Initiative.

7. New Looks for Books

If you own large quantities of books, you need to spend time downsizing your collections. Books occupy lots of space and are heavy to move. Consider donations to libraries or senior centers, or sales to used bookstores. Call on a book dealer for older books with potential value.

8. Save Your Memories

You may have boxes of old photos from every holiday, vacation and birthday party. What do you do with them? Ask your Move Manager about digitizing your photos and videos in a format easily shared on any device.

9. Get Generous

Since you can't take everything you own to your new home, now is the time to make arrangements to "gift" some of your treasures to special people in your life including, and especially family, helpful neighbors, friends, favorite organizations, or a church/ synagogue.

10. Start Early - End Happy

It's never too early to begin the downsizing process. Begin by focusing on typical problem areas such as the attic, basement, garage, closets, file cabinets.