Staying Clean and Organized After Your Move
Now that you’ve tackled your packing tasks as well as the move itself, you have to start unpacking and organizing. Getting organized after a move — and making sure it’s done right — can ensure a lifetime of clean, comfortable organization that will make you feel happy in your home for a long time. Check out these tips.
1. Understand Your Habits…Start Small
Your cleaning habits will ensure success for organizing in the years to come, not just now. But first, you have to assess your current organizational habits. Are you prone to tidying up each day for a couple of minutes, or are you more likely to allow stuff to build and build, cluttering up your space and overwhelming you with a huge mess?
What about your closets: do you shut the door and let them get piled up with stuff, or do you thrive on neat rows with all clothing in its place? For the things you aren’t keen on regarding those habits, make small, incremental, easy changes first. Instead of letting your dishes congregate in the sink for days on end, wash and dry them right after using them.
2. Declutter the Clutter
Your new place will look very disorganized very fast if you allow piles of clutter to slowly occur. Nip this in the bud so that documents, bills, clothing, toys and boxes don’t take over every surface and countertop in your home. Studies reveal that your house affects your joy level greatly. Translation: cleaning boosts your mood!
Rather than face a frustrating de-cluttering chore every several weeks, why not get organized right from the start? Put things in their proper place after you use them. Clear off countertops, and clean your cupboards. Keep an eye on that junk drawer, and don’t let it overflow. Sort mail as you get it to avoid those stressful piles later.
Kids and teens can handle their own responsibilities. For example, give your children their own laundry baskets to fill with used toys at night. They can take the basket back to their rooms and put the toys away. This can be a part of their evening routine.
3. Unpacking: Take Your Time
If you really want to become organized efficiently after your move, you’ll have to take it slow and not rush. If possible, hire a babysitter for the kids during the day so you can concentrate on the task at hand. Set aside big swaths of time so you can switch to thinking strategically about where to store items and how they should best be organized. To cut down on the rush and keep your spirits up, take your time and just keep plugging away. Everything will get done eventually. If you do it right, and have some patience, you will thank yourself later for your diligence.
4. Start With Basics
Don’t over-analyze regarding organizing after your big move. To do this, begin with the basics and necessities, then move on from there. The beds should be made up first so you can just fall into bed after a long day’s work. The bathroom should also be set up with toiletries, towels and toilet paper so you can refresh when needed. Next, make sure your kitchen is set up with your main dishes, utensils, wipes, and only the appliances you really need.
Tackle all these basics prior to unpacking things that can wait, such as your books, and before you start going through your closets.
5. Craft a Cleaning Schedule You Will Actually Abide By
There’s no use in coming up with a cleaning schedule if you’re not going to stick with it for the long haul. Once you figure how best to stay organized after your move, you have to commit to making it stay clean for as long as possible. Develop a cleaning schedule and come back to it regularly so you are always reminded of the tasks that must be done to keep your household fueled.
For deep-cleaning, remove the cushions from the couch and vacuum them, then launder all linens, pillows and blankets. For daily tasks, such as sanitizing counters, cleaning the toilets or scrubbing the kitchen floor, get organized with a color coded chart.
Contact Olde World Movers
For our help in packing or unpacking in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, along with a seamless move in between, contact us in Euless, Frisco or Fort Worth as soon as possible to schedule your moving day.
