Here are three quick tips to help you de-clutter and get ready for Spring.

1. Make Time Each Day for De-Cluttering

This falls in the “don’t take such big bites” category – if you try to do all your cleaning and de-cluttering in one morning or afternoon, you will really burn out. Instead, set aside an hour in the evening for “organizing” or straightening up. This does NOT take the place of your weekly cleaning – this time, just focus on the PILES. By weeding through slowly, methodically, you will see results and you will keep yourself from throwing in the towel.

2. Concentrate On One Place

One big mistake is to move from room to room. Instead, focus on getting one place completely cleared and organized; this will give you an instant motivational boost! (This is like the idea of creating a debt snowball, where you pay off the smallest debts first in order to gather momentum before tackling the larger ones.) A great place to start is your desk, as a cluttered desk will drag your mood down whenever you’re working at it. In an hour you could:

• Empty out all the desk drawers.
  • Throw away unwanted/unneeded receipts and bits of paper, old notes
  • Put items you haven’t used in over two months into storage
  • File important papers, such as invoices and receipts.
  • Make sure all the drawers are clean (wipe them out and replace old liners with new)
  • Take everything from the top of the desk and find a home for it
  • File important papers in appropriate folders, especially any which have been piled up for days.

This will give you a great sense of accomplishment and renewed energy the next time you go to use your desk!

3. Tackle Something Each Day

Once you’ve sorted out your desk, try moving on to some of these areas, most of which should take only 30-60 minutes to sort out:

• Your closet and drawers of clothing. Rule of thumb: if it doesn’t fit, get rid of it. And – if you haven’t worn it for two years, ditch it – let someone else enjoy it!
• Storage space under your bed – clear this immediately!  What you don’t toss can go into storage or in the attic.
• Your kitchen cupboards (get rid of out of date foods and donate canned goods you wont eat or don’t want to your local food pantry)
• Your bathroom – how many bottles do you really need around the bath or shower?

Keep up the momentum by doing some tidying each day. Even if you’re really short of time, you can manage ten minutes to declutter a drawer. All this and keep up your energy – once you see how far you’ve come – you’ll be excited to keep going!

1. Plan your storage space. Keep items you want access to up front so you won’t have to dig through to find what you’re looking for.
2. When you pack your space, keep heaviest items on the bottom, the lightest ones on top. Example: lampshades should always be kept on the top of other boxes to keep them from being crushed.
3. Use the tables as part of the storage space – or if you want them folded down, wrap the tops of the tables in packing tarps to keep the edges of the tables from becoming scratched.
4. Label all your boxes and keep an inventory sheet on a clipboard at the storage location for easy reference.
5. Even when you are storing your belongings in an inside storage facility, it’s smart to use pallets to elevate each box off the cement floor. Dampness can destroy your clothes and furniture quickly.
6. Make sure you know what your storage facility will allow you to keep in your area — ask for a list.
7. Pack boxes tightly together to prevent moisture.
8. Make sure you stand mattresses on pallets and lean them on a wall to allow some air to circulate. Wrap each mattress with moving tarps.

We’ve seen some crazy stuff over the years. After 80 years in business, we always think we’ve seen it all but every now and then, someone surprises us. Sitterly Movers likes to get it right from the start – and in a perfect world, there would never be a reason to call us to bail out a new mover who doesn’t know how to estimate your move – or one who can’t tell a crate from coco vin…. But it happens. Just take a look…..and if you can top it, by all means, send your photos and stories to us at mjcranmore@sitterlymovers.com. If it’s the best of the worst, you win. And, we’re sorry you had to go through that in the first place.

This is a job for a professional. Is there any doubt that you may have, at one time in your mis-spent youth, participated in such a debacle? Be honest, now.  I’ve had more than one apartment (or dorm) moved much in this fashion. There are, frankly, too many things wrong with this picture to really do it all justice – but essentially Tip #1 is – it’s important to estimate exactly how much stuff you have to move, get the correct number of boxes or crates, and then find the right vehicle for the job. Sitterly makes that easy with free estimates always available.

Look out …above! This is just one of those times when “measure twice, cut once” could have really come in handy. Sometimes the truck you have simply won’t fit the bill – in any number of ways. Sitterly always comes out to your location to take a look at where the movers and trucks will have to negotiate. We’ve been up steep hills, in major cities and on country roads. Don’t try this at home.

This is just one of those days. In moving, we always say: “expect the unexpected”. Plenty of movers do not really think accidents or damage – or hurricanes – can happen when they’re out on the road. It just happens too often for us not to plan for all eventualities. That means it’s not unexpected for us. Sitterly takes the most precautions and has 80 years of experience to back it up when we say, “we take care of you first.”

I think this counts as “our worst nightmare”, don’t you agree? This situation has happened to thousands of people across the country in the past few years. Tip #4 is to reach out to those in your community who can help when you’re in a tight spot. We are members of “Pioneer Valley Buy Local” and we believe in helping out when it’s needed. If this happens to you, by all means, get in touch and we’ll work on your plan of attack.

Let’s not go there, shall we? OK, so maybe you don’t have a million items to move, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of each and every item you have during a move. Tip #5 is to wrap all your items in tarps or in pads and secure them inside a truck or van. Better yet, give us a call and we’ll handle it for you.

There’s no “trying” in moving! This is NOT what you want to see on moving day. It may not look bad to you, but trust us, this is going to take you a long time to move – and even longer to sort out afterward. Tip #6 is to organize and sort before you box; have a system to write what is in each box and in what room the box should be moved to. This way, when you finally arrive at your new home, you’re not floating in a sea of unlabeled – and unpacked – boxes for longer than necessary,

“It’s not that far away….really. This will be fine.” Honestly, no, it won’t. Not only are you going to damage your car by taking this route, you are going to really do some damage to wooden furniture and perhaps yourself! I don’t care if it’s around the block – Tip # 7 is you should always treat your furniture with extra care during a move. The money you save on not renting a truck or a team to move it will be spent on new furniture!

Pets are our families. This is not just another piece of cargo – moving pets takes some skill and knowledge so they arrive in good shape and in good spirits. Some of the best pet moving tips we have developed are based on protecting them from weather – hot and cold – and really keeping them safe during the move (both in and out). Tip #8 is to give your pet a small area that is just theirs during and after the move, complete with a favorite blanket and toys, a bed, a bowl for water and food. This space doesn’t get disturbed until the last moment!

Where are the…..keys?? This is just too common not to mention in this type of disaster list. The first thing you should do – before you pack anything – is set aside your house keys (existing home and your new home, if you have them), car keys, wallets, phone numbers and cell phones. Keep all of these very important items in one specific location and do not pack them. Ever. Designate a separate travel bag that will hold these items. Never move them to another part of the house – consistency is key here. Pun intended.

I guess as number 10, this would qualify as OUR worst nightmare. Not calling a mover at all to get a quote and not really planning ahead for the day. We recommend you plan at least a month in advance (the farther ahead you plan, the smoother things will go – or the more money you’re going to need to make it all go smoothly).

1. Try to minimize how much change will happen. Moving twice – once to a temporary place and then into a new home – may be too overwhelming. If you have the room and a temporary space is necessary, your parent might feel safer with family. Otherwise, see if the timing can match up a bit better for your parent. Also – staying in the same town or familiar area (with the same church, pharmacy, community) would also be an easier move than to a different state or part of the country.

2. Be realistic and very patient when preparing for the move. Your parent’s timeline is not your timeline. Be aware that as people age, they take more time to absorb new things in their lives. They also want to move at their own pace. Be calm and give yourself (and most especially your parent) plenty of time to adjust. Perhaps tackle one room at a time instead of going through everything in one or two days.

3. Take care to respect their needs and possessions. You may have a major downsizing ahead of you if your parent has lived in the same home for 30 or more years. All of your childhood toys and school work take on a special meaning for a parent and they may not take kindly to “just pitching” things. Give your parents choices and honor their decisions. Example. The entire dining room set will not fit in your new home. You can take the china hutch and get a smaller table or you can take the table and get a smaller china hutch. Which would you like to do?

4. Separate sentimental treasures from those with monetary value. If there are lots of sentimental items that your parent would like to keep, but their new space won’t allow for the storage, consider dispersing the sentimental items among the family members, assuring your parent the items will be cherished and honored.

5. Get items of monetary value appraised – and consider auctions and donations to clear the volume of possessions. It’s always a good idea to have a sense of the value of silver, gold, artwork, fine furniture for insurance and moving purposes, but also to make sure your parent can reap their true value, particularly if they can use the additional cash. Appraisers and auction houses can provide extra funds that may come in handy, particularly if the items are not sentimental and will merely be collecting dust in a new home.

6. Have a plan. Be specific and identify what is to be moved, where it is gong to go. and who is going to be responsible for all the details. Be more concerned about the function and safety of things verses the beauty.

7. Seek outside professional help. Be realistic of your parent’s capabilities and your own. If you haven’t moved in 30 plus years, you are not an expert at relocation. Seek the support of a professional senior move expert.

8. Be prepared to take the time – and extra time – to support your parents during this critical time. Your parents will need emotional and physical support throughout the moving process and for at least 90 days thereafter through the adjustment process.

9. Take care of each other. Be patient and calm and allow your parent to take their time when shedding their old life and preparing for the next stage.

In fact, moving your company may be more stressful than moving your home or your family. Given that most people don’t move all that often (average time spent in one location: 7 years*), this process can easily get overwhelming very quickly. That is, unless you have done your preparation and followed these tips:

1. As soon as you know you’re going to move, start planning.

In all seriousness, especially when moving your livelihood, it’s really impossible to plan too far ahead. If it’s a minor move, then you should know in advance where the cubicles will get set up and where the Ethernet connections will get wired through. Leave nothing to chance. Tip: With careful planning, and depending on the size of your business, you can ensure that the actual move happens over a weekend. That gives you enough time to install and troubleshoot any technology that has migrated. If there’s any down time, it will be on Sunday and Monday, minimizing the impact to your clients and customers.

2. Encourage Clutter Cleanup

How do YOU define clutter? It’s kind of a personal thing, but at a business location, clutter is anything in the workplace that is not essential to keeping the business in operation.  Personal office decorations should be cleared out of the office before moving day and carried to the new location by the people who bought them. That way, you won’t be adding to your costs by storing or transporting everyone’s Beanie Babies.

3. Get a Pro to Assess Your Move.

As soon as you know you’re going to move, bring in as many experts as possible to assess your costs and give you some help. Even though this is an expense to your business, all movers are NOT alike and simply choosing the low-cost mover is very likely to cost you more in the long run. Especially when there are computers, accounting offices, data and client work hanging in the balance. You want an experienced office/commercial mover.

4. Data, data and more data.

Many employees of private businesses retain physical documents they don’t actually need.  Encourage employees to go through their files and destroy the non-essential.

5. Be prepared for the unexpected.

A move of any kind forces you to think on your feet, to be ready for anything. If you travel frequently, you probably already know how to do that. For example: Where will you find files, IT, and your trash can? What if you need to make copies, but don’t have any of your machines set up? It forces you to take nothing for granted, even little things like power and phone service.

6. Anticipate down time, even if you expect none.

Moving can be unpredictable. Even with the most professional movers, things can still happen. Trust me. A good way to troubleshoot is to sit down and roll through all the “holes” in your plan with a disinterested – albeit savvy – colleague who is good at logistics. These types of people will be the first to pipe up and see problems – and this is the best time to listen – and PLAN accordingly. Just in case.

7. Clearly Label Everything.

Even if your mover says they have this covered – go over their plan with them. Plain boxes and blank labels can create an organizational nightmare.  Color coding should be used wherever possible.  If office equipment is typically assigned to a single person, that person should clearly label the location in the new facility where the equipment should be delivered.

8. Stick to Your Move Plan
Once you have done all your pre-planning and data-mined your mover and your team for all the bad things that can happen (and planned ahead) – stick to your time schedule and your plan. If you start going down a new road the day of the move, it can get very messy, very quickly.

Sitterly Movers

 Top Tips for Summer Moving

June 16, 2011

To help keep your summer move from feeling like one long, hot and difficult punishment, we’ve put together some tips that will keep you cool – and on track – no matter how things heat up.

Packing Tips

• Reinforce the bottom of all boxes.
• Pack one room at a time and label each box with room and contents.
• Fill unused space in boxes with paper or filler to prevent shifting.
• Mark boxes containing fragile items clearly with “Fragile”. Load these boxes on top and secure in place.
• Disassemble any items you can.
• Wrap sharp corners to prevent them from puncturing or scratching other items.
• Move valuables, houseplants, swim gear, and necessities with you, not in the truck.

Furniture

• Protect furniture by padding with bubble wrap or blankets and securing firmly. Remove furniture legs when possible. Place wing nuts or screws in bags taped to underside of furniture. To protect against scratches, coat fine wood furnishings with wax.
• Stand sofas on end and secure to minimize space used. Place loose cushions in bags and use as filler between pieces. Move dressers with drawers full to avoid repacking. Secure drawers from opening during transit.

Electronics

• Use original boxes for computers, stereos or televisions whenever possible and follow manufacturer’s instructions for moving.
• Wrap each piece with bubble wrap or foam packing material. Immobilize any moving parts.
• Remove all cables and cords and label for easier reinstallation.
• Tape electrical cords to backs to prevent plug damage.
• Compact discs, video and cassette tapes will warp in a moving truck in hot weather.

Major Appliances

• Defrost, clean and dry refrigerators/freezers days before moving. Utilize the interior space for lightweight or crushable items.
• Disconnect and empty hoses for washing machines and place in the tub. Immobilize the tub with a moving brace or by placing towels/blankets between the tub and sidewall.
• Tape electrical cords to backs of machines to prevent damage.

Glassware / Dishes

• Individually wrap each piece in sturdy boxes. Plates should be packed on edge not flat.
• Purchase “dish packs” for best protection. Wrap fine silver in cloth or silver paper.

Wall Hangings/Lamps

• Wrap wall hangings individually with bubble wrap, blankets or towels.
• Place on edge in protective cartons.
• Remove shades and bulbs before packing lamps and place them in sturdy cartons, loading them on top.