The majority of individuals and families look at moving as one of the most stressful things that they will experience in their lives. Choosing a professional moving company will certainly help deter a good percentage of this stress, but let’s face it, there is still the herculean task of organizing. The larger the family, the larger the task, one would presume, but surveys prove that moving is just as stressful for an individual as a family of 8!
How then to make this task a bit easier, even rewarding?
As a moving consultant, I personally think (and suggest to my clients) that moving is great time to “trim the fat”, so to speak, or to take assessment of what one truly needs and what can be eliminated from the moving process. Not only will this make your packing (and, consequently, your unpacking) process much easier but it will also save you money! Remember, the less weight you are shipping the lower your overall costs will be! Whether you intend to sell unwanted items or donate to your local charity, assess your own possessions first (it always helps to set an example) and then talk to your family to see what they can part with. Ask your family, whether they be adults, toddlers or teens, to make a list of the things that they can’t bear to part with (obviously this will require assistance for the very young) and those things they just might not need any more or have out grown. In my personal experience, helping my brother move his family of six, I discovered that making “suggestions” is fine, but making demands removes the “participation” and the “willingness” to be cooperative, so be patient and you will soon be surprised at how quickly your family will respond to your plans.
If you plan on having a yard sale to sell off unwanted items, letting children keep what is earned from their donations to the sale is not only rewarding, but a great lesson in economics. As a suggestion, tell them the money will be held in a family “escrow” until you arrive at your new home as this will avoid having “new” items to ship. This will also give your family an opportunity to explore the shops in your new neighborhood! If you plan on donating to charity, this can be just as rewarding as material gain (if not more), and most families (especially children) tend to find more that they can part with (remember, not only is this rewarding in a conscientious way, but it is also tax write off). It is certainly not uncommon to opt to both sell items and donate to charity.
As for the individual moving, a good rule of thumb is- if you haven’t thought about it, looked at it or used it in the last year; you don’t need it!
However you choose to “lighten your load”, making your family and Condor Moving Systems part of the process can be rewarding and save you money!