Estate Clearing Secrets

timing and use of timelines are part of the relocation experience when using a Sr. move manager

Whether you are looking to declutter your own home or simply clearing your house in preparation for sale, the process is often tiring and emotionally consuming. It is even more challenging when you are clearing a deceased estate for settlement or sale with your loved ones items still left inside.

Besides these challenges, estate clearing is usually time-sensitive. Each project is different and has specific timelines and goals surrounding it. But with the right tips, you can manage the whole process without feeling emotionally drained.

Here are five estate clearing secrets

1. Formulate a plan

For an effective estate clearing, plan and start early. First, you should know when you will start and the time to finish each task. This will reduce the burden as settlement or sale days approach. Try to estimate the time needed to clear the whole house. Depending on the amount of possessions and size of the house, allocate at least a half a day for clearing each room. The process could take up to a week or even two weeks.

2. Find and keep aside all key documents

Before moving things in different rooms, it is crucial to find and secure key documents such as wills, bank statements, certificates of titles/property deeds, insurance policies, stocks certificates, tax returns, and receipts. Executors and solicitors of the estate may also use them in winding up any legal and financial matters related to the estate.

While searching for these documents, make sure to pay attention to details. Sometimes, people may store valuable items in unlikely places. It is, therefore, important to take time and search all the closets, including drawers, coat pockets, and high shelves.

3. Set aside wanted from unwanted

After finding the right documents, the next stage is to identify items that you want to keep and those that you would discard. The best way to simplify the process is to have family members identify the items they would like to have from the estate. This way, the remaining possessions can be removed more efficiently. On top of this, try to remove the wanted items first. It is also less burdensome to clear one room at a time. Clearing one completely before moving to the next will enable you to work methodically and stay on track.

With the items that you don’t want, categorize them into three subcategories: items to be given away, items to be sold, and items to be recycled. Selling some of the items will not only simplify the clearance process, but it will also bring in revenue, which you can use to offset some of the clearance costs.

4. Selling and donation process

Once you have sorted the items into different piles, you can then go ahead with the removal. It is better to have auctioneers or second-hand dealers come first. To speed up the process, engage a reputable firm to give you quotes for valuable items. After that you can donate what remains.

The good thing with items that go to charity is that companies usually come and collect the items from your property. Even if they can’t come, some local charities have small stores where you can take your donations. For the items that need to be disposed of, you can engage your local council to see if you can take advantage of their services before engaging a rubbish removal firm.

Alternatively, you can organize a garage sale. The only challenge with this approach is that it requires some planning.

5. Get professional help

If the estate has a substantial amount of valuable items, it is usually worthwhile to engage a credible estate clearing service. Apart from being physically and emotionally straining, some tasks are just time-consuming and monotonous. Other tasks such as moving furniture, cleaning, and hauling items require physical exertions. This is where professional estate clearing services could come in handy.

The main benefit of working with a property clearing firm is that it can offer its clients a customizable and comprehensive package that manages all the activities relating to this complex task. Trustworthy firms usually have a network of service providers who could offer useful support during the process. Moreover, they understand the logistical and emotional nightmares that come with estate clearance.

They will discuss with you about your priorities in the estate clearing process, determine if there is a need for maintenance, help you with selling valuable possessions, and may recommend a sales or rental agent.

Use A Clear Path as your estate clearing partner

If you are dealing with the daunting task of clearing an estate, you need a professional partner who is patient and understanding. With many years of experience helping our clients with estate clearing tasks, we understand the emotion and challenges that come with the process. Let our well-trained crew relieve you of these stresses.

Using a Checklist before downsizing will create an easier less stressful move

6 innovative in-house storage ideas for homeowners

Easy to build shelves can store many different kinds of items

Meeting the storage needs of a growing family or a growing wardrobe can be tricky unless your square footage is growing too. But, where there’s a will, there’s a way! When working with limited space, a little creativity can go a long way when it comes to making your home look cleaner, bigger, and better organized. We have rounded up six genius in-house storage ideas that will help you get rid of clutter and maximize space in your house.

1 Stair storage
Your staircase can serve more than one purpose. The first in-house storage hack on our list is converting your staircase into storage units while keeping their primary purpose. You can transform the original staircase by converting the side of the stairs into a cupboard or a series of drawers that will help you declutter your living space. This project requires some skill, so you might want to consider hiring a professional. This storage solution isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s definitely an investment that pays off. You can also use the wall alongside the staircase to create more storage space with additional shelving.

2 Pegboards

Pegboards are a great alternative to individual shelves that often look cluttered and messy. When it comes to wall-mounted storage, pegboards are probably the most versatile option. They have

small holes that allow for adding hooks, crates, shelves, and other attachments. Pegboards come in all sizes and colors, so they can fit any space and design. This in-house storage idea provides an abundance of adjustable storage space and allows for easy re-arranging whenever you get bored with one look. Plus, you can always see where everything is.

With this inexpensive addition, your purses, hats, and scarves won’t be cluttering up your coat rack or end up on the floor. You can hang a pegboard above your desk and use it to store office supplies. You can also use it to store plants, mirrors, vases, and other decorative items. To declutter your kitchen, you can add hooks to hang cooking utensils on the pegboard. In the bathroom, you can add attachments to store your toiletries. Finally, you can install a pegboard wall in your basement, storage room or garage to hang your tools, skis, bicycles, etc. and save some precious space.

3 Iron grids
Iron grids (or frames) are similar to pegboards but they have wider holes, typically square-shaped. They are also functional additions that provide much-needed storage space you can attach to the wall. You can use them to declutter and organize any room in your house. Their wide holes make iron grids perfect for displaying large earrings and other chunky jewelry. You can also display family photos, store keys and other small items by attaching hooks. If you don’t like the aesthetic of an iron grid, if it looks too rough and industrial, you can decorate it to make it more appealing. For example, you can wrap some string lights around your frame to enhance the beauty of your display.

4 Raised platform

A raised platform is a genius way to squeeze even more space out of your room. If your ceiling is high enough, you can add a raised platform to a room or part of a room and turn that space into something useful. A raised floor with hidden storage space can be used to store linens, suitcases, winter clothes, or even larger items like a spare mattress. You could even hide an entire slide out bed underneath.

Alternatively, you can invest in a raised platform bed. If you’re looking for simpler in-house storage ideas with a similar result, attach higher legs to your existing bed frame to make room for organizing products such as drawers or boxes underneath.

Raised platforms 1 of 6 innovative in-house storage ideas for homeowners

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5 PVC racks

PVC racks are one of the best in-house storage ideas for storing smaller items. It is a simple, inexpensive DIY project that will keep your belongings neatly organized and make it easy to locate what you are looking for. For example, if you have lots of shoes lying on the floor and it takes ages to find the pair you want to wear, PVS racks can help you clear out your shoe clutter.

Here’s how you can make your own PVC rack.

Get large PVC pipes at your local hardware store.
Cut the PVC into pieces of matching length. You can have the PVC cut in the hardware store or do it yourself at home using a table saw.
Sand down any rough edges.
If you don’t like the standard color, paint your PVC.
Glue the pieces together with PVC glue. First, glue several pieces together a base. Then, start stacking the pipes to create any shape you want.
Once the glue dries, mount the racks wherever you see fit.

6 Above-door in-house storage ideas

If you think you don’t have enough storage space in your house, maybe you forgot to look up. There must be at least one doorway with unused space above it. In most homes, the space between the door and the ceiling is completely overlooked. Add some storage shelves or cabinets to this part of your room and use them to store towels, books, and other less frequently used items, or even grow an above-door-garden. The shelf can be as wide as the door frame, but it can also go from wall to wall. Above-door storage is barely noticeable, which can be a pro or a con, depending on what you use it for. If there is a vent above the door frame, make sure the shelf is narrow enough to allow for airflow and ventilation.

3rd Edition of Psychic Debris, Crowded Closets by Regina F Lark, Ph. D.

You might be interested in a free copy of the Table of Contents and 1st Chapter of my Book

Download a complimentary copy of the 1st Chapter of Regina’s 3rd Edition of her book, Psychic Debris

Dr. Regina Lark

regina@aclearpath.net

Is Virtual Staging the Solution to Your Home Sale?

staging is an important task for preparing a home for sale

Image via Unsplash

Whether you’re looking for a safer way to sell your home during the coronavirus pandemic, selling property from out of state, or selling a vacant home, virtual staging can help you show off your home’s best side. Not only that, but virtual staging can be much more affordable than traditional home staging. Want to learn more? Read on to learn all about virtually staging your home to sell.

How Virtual Staging Works

Virtual staging eliminates the need for expensive rental furniture by using digital applications to insert furniture, artwork, and other staging elements into real estate photographs. Virtual staging apps let agents choose from a gallery of furniture and décor options in order to decorate a home to appeal to a specific set of buyers.

While virtual staging is simpler and cheaper than traditional home staging, it’s not a DIY solution. Designing a space that appeals to buyers takes skill. That’s why agents use apps and software that let them upload photos and receive professionally staged rooms in return. Luckily, the costs are much lower than traditional home staging: Even the most high-end staging apps are only around $120 per photo.

Virtual Staging and Your Selling Strategy

Staging is just one part of your home-selling strategy. If you’re opting for virtual staging due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, you also need to consider how you’ll show your home safely.

Live video chat tours have exploded in popularity during COVID-19. With a live agent leading a virtual tour, buyers get all the benefits of an in-person walkthrough minus any health risk.

Video tours are beneficial outside the current climate as well. Out-of-state buyers in particular may opt for a live video tour rather than traveling to view a property in person. 3D walkthroughs are also popular with both local and out-of-state buyers. By including a 3D walkthrough on their listing, sellers ensure only serious buyers schedule tours. In some cases, a 3D tour can eliminate the need for an open house.

Whether sellers opt for a 3D walkthrough or not, they shouldn’t skimp on real estate photos. Professional photography is the curb appeal of modern home buying, and without it, you’ll have trouble getting buyers to take a closer look at your listing.

Preparing Your Home for Virtual Staging

Virtual staging works best on vacant homes. With rooms already bare, it’s easy for staging professionals to add furniture and décor.

That doesn’t mean you can’t virtually stage your home while living in it, however. It’s possible to virtually stage furnished homes by first editing out furniture, clutter, and cosmetic flaws. Keep in mind, however, that this adds to the cost of virtual staging. Sellers who occupy their home while selling still need to spend time preparing the property in order to avoid overpaying for virtual staging.

Take these steps to prepare for virtual home staging:

1. Declutter

The less in your home, the better. Sellers should eliminate any and all clutter as well as move bulky furniture into storage. While storing items in closets and cupboards can work for virtual staging, keep in mind that buyers will see inside these areas during a home tour.

2. Depersonalize

Don’t forget family photos, unique artwork, and other personal decor when decluttering your home for virtual staging. If you plan on offering in-person home tours, be sure to secure personal items, too.

3. Repaint

Virtual staging is all about creating a clean look. However, that’s hard to do when a home’s interior is painted in unusual colors. Create a neutral backdrop by repainting rooms with shades of white, beige, or another popular paint color.

4. Rethink window treatments

Dirty or dated window treatments can also get in the way of virtual staging. If your window treatments have seen better days, consider removing them for your real estate photography session.

5. Make repairs

Don’t think you can hide problems through virtual staging. Whether they’re viewing virtually staged photos or taking a 3D walkthrough, buyers notice little problems like missing outlet covers, water stains, and cabinets that don’t close. Take care of minor repairs like these before investing in staging.

6. Deep clean

Finally, ensure your home is spotlessly clean before virtual staging. Many buyers opt to hire a professional cleaning crew to handle this step rather than deep clean themselves. If you do opt to DIY a deep clean, use a checklist to ensure you don’t miss anything important.

Virtual staging is an easy and cost-effective way to get your home market-ready. However, it’s not a free pass for sellers. Even with virtual staging, home sellers should expect to spend time and money getting their house ready to sell. By transforming their homes into a blank slate, sellers can get the best results possible from their virtual staging experience.

Thanks for reading!

3rd Edition of Psychic Debris, Crowded Closets by Regina F Lark, Ph. D.

You might be interested in a free copy of the Table of Contents and 1st Chapter of my Book

Download a complimentary copy of the 1st Chapter of Regina’s 3rd Edition of her book, Psychic Debris

Dr. Regina Lark

regina@aclearpath.net

De-Cluttering a Kitchen – Top Ten Tips

The Kitchen! OY!!

Some places in our kitchen resemble caverns – dark and deep. We’ve got stuff tucked way, way back that haven’t seen the light of day for years (heck, we could say the same about refrigerators!). In addition, many of us no longer entertain as we once did but our bulky serving trays and bowls are also stuck in time. From my observation, most kitchens have more than one junk drawer (and if it’s junk why do you throw it in a drawer?). Old table napkins take up space, and a birds-eye view indicates more than enough wooden spoons, potato mashers, garlic presses, and spatulas.

The task of clearing the kitchen of superfluous items seems daunting. Planned well, the job may be performed relatively easily. I can’t overemphasize the importance of using your calendar to schedule time to get the work done. If it’s not on the calendar, the likelihood that you will reach your goal of tackling your kitchen is decreased.

Our Top Ten Tips to de-clutter your kitchen provides a good start to creating better flow in the room you use several times a day. For more advice, send an email to me with photos. I can help assess and offer suggestions.

Happy June!

June Top 10 Tips: An Organized Kitchen

1. Start by getting rid of expired or unused items (yes, even spices and tea expire eventually). Discard items that you haven’t used, or don’t plan to use. How many toasters do you have? How many do you or your family use on a regular basis?

2. Take everything that does not belong in the kitchen out of kitchen. Oftentimes, the kitchen serves as a catch all for all activities for all members of the family.

3. If you’re short on space, think vertically and stack items. Hang pots and pans to free up storage space.

4. Avoid counter top clutter by using a cake stand to store salt and pepper and other frequently used items when your cake stand isn’t housing a cake, think of it as a Lazier Susan.

5. Evaluate your cookbooks. Which ones have you used and what is decoration? Are your cookbooks near grease or humidity? Consider taking out the recipes you use and putting them in a binder. Better yet, use a tablet instead of a cookbook to save space.

6. If you don’t have much space and entertain often, consider purchasing a rolling cart. Not only can you easily transport and store heavy dishes, but you will also get extra counter space.

7. Save money by purchasing in bulk and storing in large glass containers or mason jars.

8. Take inventory regularly, Hang a whiteboard near the refrigerator to help keep track of what items you need and what items you have.

9. Get rid of items that are missing their partners. For example, if you have one chopstick but are missing the other, get rid of it. Same thing applies for Tupperware lids and bowls. Mark your calendar to spend some time with the plastic-ware and match everything up!

10. Corral loose flavor packets, tea packets, personal size condiments, etc. into small bins and containers. Bins can also be used to store bigger items like reusable water bottles.

Relocating your home office

Has your business outgrown your home office? When should you consider relocating your home office?

It can be quite rewarding for startup businesses to work at home because it’s a good way to save on expenses. Not only do you save money on rent, utilities, office supplies and personnel expenses, but since you don’t have to commute, you save on fuel and vehicle maintenance. However, the business could grow to an extent where you need more space, but how can you tell if it’s the right time to move?

Reasons to Consider Relocating Your Home Office

You Need More Employees

When you need to hire employees to work at your office, you may not want them entering your home every day. Depending on your business, it could be possible to have them work remotely, but for some, supervision may be crucial. For this reason, if your business has grown and you want to have employees working in the office while you are away, it’s time to think about relocating out of your home.

You Are Running Out of Space

As your business grows, you might be forced to accumulate inventory or technology to enhance your operations. If you find your home office space is getting smaller by the day, then it’s time to consider other options. You could rent a storage space for your product inventory, if that is your only concern. However, if you need to upgrade equipment, such as an industrial printer, and it’s larger than the space available at your home office, you’ll need to move.

Present a Professional Appearance

For businesses where clients need to visit the office before they decide whether to purchase your product, renting an office space can help to improve your business image. The more professional your business looks, the more moving with the help of a certified professional organizer like Regina Lark can ease the stress of any move attractive it will be to customers, and therefore earn more money. If the estimated increase in the customer base or sales is higher than the expenses incurred when renting an office space, relocating might actually help your business to grow.

Finding a reason and deciding to relocate your home office can be quite straightforward, but when it comes to deciding where to relocate to, well, it may not be easy. Here are a few tips:

Proximity to Your Home

If you can find an office space close to home, you’ll save a lot of time by having a short commute. The more time you spend commuting to work, the less time you have for work. However, if your clientele is location-specific, you may need to strike a balance on the distance.

Consider a Shared Office

You can save on rent and curb any loneliness by opting for an open office. In this situation, you share the office cost with others, as well as employees, such as the receptionist. The opportunity for community conferences can also come in handy.

Hire a Moving Company

Since your home office is a source of income for the household, you need to give it the utmost attention when moving out. With the heavy and sensitive equipment around the office, such as desks, electronics, computers, printers, and books, it’s always a good idea to hire a reputable moving company. This will ensure that all of your items are handled with care, and that what would have been an overwhelming experience goes smoothly.

Upon moving, be sure to notify your clients that you’ve changed your address. You can do this by email, phone, with business cards, or put it on your website.

Good luck in your new office!

May and June Speaking Engagements for Regina Lark, Ph.D. CPO®

5/24/16:
Speaker – “Strategies for De-Cluttering your Life”
Brandeis University Alumni Knosh & Knowledge
Rustico’s Ristorante Italiano
11:30 – 2:00
1125 Lindero Canyon Rd., Westlake Village
Closed to Alumni and their guests

6/1/16:
Speaker – “Psychic Debris and crowded Closets – the Relationship Between the Stuff In Your Head and the Stuff Under Your Bed”
Jewish Family Services Life Program at Park LaBrea
Park La Brea Activity Center Theater – 535 S. Curson Avenue, Los Angeles
1:00-2:00pm

6/2/16:
Speaker – “Help for Hoarding: It Takes a Village”
21st Annual Professional Fiduciary Association of California Educational Conference
Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa
2:30-4:00pm
PFACMeeting.org

6/8/16:
Panelist – “People who Hoard and those Who Help Them”
LA County Department of Mental Health Hoarding Forum
8:00-4:00pm
1000 North Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Free

6/9/16:
Speaker – “Help for Hoarding: It Takes a Village”
Silverado Beach Cities | Memory Care Community
11:00-1:00pm
514 N Prospect Ave | Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Free – but RSVP Tel (310) 896-3100

6/10/16:
Speaker – “Strategies for De-Cluttering your Life”
Benjamin Center Cancer Support Community
3:00-4:30pm
1990 S Bundy Dr #100, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Free

Relocating Your Business

Businesses move for a variety of reasons, and moving can often be a logistical challenge, with unexpected pitfalls. There are many approaches to take when uprooting your company, but certain tenets remain the same. You should always be realistic about what you can afford, do your homework, and plan until you cannot plan anymore.

Whether you are moving to accommodate growth, to save money, or to be closer to your market, these steps will help you stay on track:

Assessment

Prior to moving, make an inventory of everything you have. Highlight items you plan to keep, and decide where these items should go. Before you uproot your business, write a list of requirements for your new location. This includes taking into consideration things like price per square foot, lease terms, build-out costs, and space for growth.

It is important to have the essential supplies before moving day. Be sure to have:

Duct tape/Packing tape
Professional quality boxes of differing sizes
Bubble wrap
Packing peanuts
Markers
First-aid kit
Utility knife

Declutter

The cost of moving items is based on weight and volume; sorting through your items to weed out nonessential items now will save money later. You may donate or discard anything you deem expendable. Here are some places to start:

Items that are no longer suitable: Anything you have not used in a while, outdated items, and things you have replacements for. cluttered-desk

Expired items: This pertains mostly to food, but can also apply to items like cleaning supplies; check the expiration date on anything that has one!

Items still packed: if you still have items packed from your last move, then you do not need them.

Books and Magazines: as any reader can tell you, these items are like trophies. But what is the use of an outdated magazine from 10 years ago? If you have to ask, it goes in the trash!

Different items have different disposal requirements. The type of item, its condition, and reusability, will determine these requirements. Here are some key ways to properly dispose of unwanted items:

Burning/Shredding: Anything with your name, address, and social security number should be destroyed. This is the only way to ensure any identity theft or fraud will not result from your move.

Selling: Craigslist and eBay are excellent places to list your unwanted items.

Donation: Ask your family, friends, and neighbors to help themselves to any items you are not taking with you, or reselling. The Salvation Army or another local charity may accept office supplies or other items.

Packing

Once you have everything decluttered, it is time to box it up. You should have all packing materials on-site, and ready, the day before. Depending on the size of your business, this process can take anywhere from 1-3 days, so plan your work schedule accordingly. Be sure to label everything properly; this streamlines the unpacking process. Once you are packed up, it is time to move into your new space!

Moving a business requires more planning than actual production. With the proper tools, game plan, and extra hands, you should have no problem establishing yourself in a brand new space!

We can help! Call Now (213) 798-4748

• The Must-Have supplies for Moving Day

Whether you are moving across town or across the country, moving can be stressful. As a matter of fact, it’s rated as one of life’s most stressful events. However, you can reduce the stress of the ordeal by being prepared and equipped with the following must-have supplies for moving day:

Duct Tape and Packing Tape

Preparing and finishing a move using an organizer makes life worth celebrating

The joy of having the right supplies

There are at least 1001 uses of duct tape, but when you are moving, the possibilities are endless. The most common use of tape is to prevent your belongings from spilling out of containers. However, you can write on duct tape and even use it to prevent certain items from shifting during the move. Make sure you don’t cut corners and choose a lesser-known name brand. Use high quality duct tape to secure your belongings and always keep it handy.

Boxes, Boxes, and More Boxes

When moving, you will undoubtedly need boxes of varying sizes. However, not all boxes are created equally. Make sure you choose professional-quality boxes in convenient shapes and sizes. Look for:

Moving kits that have a predetermined mixture of supplies and boxes
Picture frame and mirror boxes that are exclusively designed to keep fragile keepsakes safe
Dish boxes that are heavyweight and highly durable, designed for fragile items
Wardrobe boxes are ideal for your jackets, coats, suits, dresses, and trousers. Many wardrobe boxes are designed to support clothes hangers, so unpacking is a cinch.
Large boxes are great for large items, such as bedding and other lightweight bulky items
Medium boxes are excellent solutions for toys, gadgets, and knick-knacks
Small boxes are perfect for heavier items, like books

Bubble Wrap

Protect your keepsakes and keep fragile items safe by carefully wrapping them in this protective material. Bubble wrap will protect your delicate items from the jolts and jostles common with any move. Make sure to keep the bubbles faced in and to seal the ends of the bubble wrap with a piece of tape.

Packing Peanuts

In addition to your bubble wrap, packing peanuts can be the difference between broken delicates and a successful move. Pack your belongings snugly around your packing peanuts to keep them in place. While some people choose to use newspaper, the ink can rub off and destroy items.

reduce, reuse, recycle word cloud on a vintage blackboard

Markers

As one of the most versatile packing supplies, markers are highly useful for labeling boxes, but you will surely find a vast range of additional uses. As a result, always keep your markers handy because they are only useful if you can easily find them.

First-Aid Kit

When it comes to moving day, bumps and bruises are as common as frustrations. As a result, you should always keep your first-aid kit handy. You never know when someone might slip, pull a muscle, get a serious scrape, or become injured in another way. By keeping a first-aid kit handy, you will generally be ready for whatever the arduous move throws at you.

Utility Knife

Keeping a knife handy at all times is a relatively good everyday practice. However, when you are moving, a utility knife is a must-have item. You can use it to cut rope, tape, or cardboard during the packing and unpacking.

Contact Silk Touch Moves for a Silky Smooth Move!

Even the most comprehensive list of must-have moving supplies won’t cover everything. Undoubtedly, the most important must-have supply for moving day is experience, and the professionals at Silk Touch Moves bring decades of it. Trust Silk Touch Moves to manage every facet of your move while you manage more pressing matters.

Contact Silk Touch Moves for a silky smooth move today!

Organizing your home before the move

People move for different reasons, but one thing they all have in common is that they must organize their homes beforehand. Getting rid of clutter in your home is just as important as organizing and packing up items for the move. Don’t just pack all items in one box if you want a fresh and organized start in your new home. You have to distinguish between unwanted or unused items and valuable items that you’ll pack for the move. You need to be cautious and orderly to avoid getting rid of items you may need in the future. Use the following to classify items you should dispose of:

Items that are not suitable anymore

These are items that you haven’t used for a long time simply because you don’t want or need them anymore. In some cases, you might have already found their replacements. Examples of these items are clothes, electronics and furniture.

Expired items

Food items fall under this category. If they’ve already hit the expiration date or if they’re close to it, don’t hesitate to dispose of them. You can also donate or sell food items that have not expired yet if you don’t think you’ll be consuming them.

Items that are still packed since your last move

If there are items you haven’t unpacked since your last move, chances are that you won’t unpack them in your new home. Think about whether or not you really need these items.

Gifts you’ve never used

You’ve probably received a number of gifts from friends and family over the years. Unfortunately, some of them are not much use, but you might feel obligated to keep them as a sign of gratitude. However, you shouldn’t let such items use up the space in your new home.

Books, magazines and journals

If you love reading, you might find yourself with a stack of reading materials. Don’t feel obligated to bring them with you if you really don’t need them.

How do you handle these items?

When you have gathered all of your unwanted or unneeded items, pack them in storage boxes that are separate from your moving boxes. Make sure to label the storage boxes so that you’ll know what’s in each of them in order to avoid possible mix-ups. Here are possible actions you can take for the items you won’t need in your next home:

Burning or shredding

You can’t leave unwanted private documents in your current home, since this can increase your risk of identity theft. Burn or shred these documents in order to avoid having them land in the wrong hands.

Selling

For electronics and other valuable items, you can list them on trade websites, such as Craigslist or eBay. They may take long to sell, but at least you’ll make extra bucks from items you would have just thrown away.

Donating

Some items may be essential, but they wouldn’t give you much value if you sold them. Items like food and clothing can be donated to the nearest charity.

Giving to friends and neighbors

Instead of burning up your books or magazines, ask your immediate neighbors if they’re interested. Let them have anything they think is useful to them.

If de-cluttering is not an easy task for you, you can trust Silk Touch to do it for you. Using our 4-step formula, we guarantee the safest move, with all your items in tact like they were before the move. Contact us today for your moving needs.

5 Mistakes to avoid when moving

Mistakes to Avoid When Moving

Are you looking to move out of your existing home and into a new one? If so, you are faced with the massive task of packing up all of your belongings and having them moved to your new location. This can be a very frustrating process that can make you want to pull your hair out in the end. But all hope is not lost. Today, we are going to go over some moving mistakes to avoid that will help your next move to go as smooth as possible. If you are a real estate agent, these tips will also help your clients so make sure to pay close attention to the information below.

Five Moving Mistakes to Avoid

1. Hiring the wrong moving company: This can be a huge mistake and you might not even realize you have made it until it is too late. Not all moving companies are the same and some will take you for a ride. To ensure that you are dealing only with a professional moving company, do your homework. Ask to see references from past clients and check to see if they are both licensed and bonded for your protection.

2. Packing too much stuff: Over the years, most homeowners build up a lot of things. Many of these items that we collect we simply never use. When preparing to move, you A happy family fully pack waiting for the movers to take the last box should ask yourself, “Do I really need to take everything with me?” Most of the time the answer is no. A great way to de-clutter and only take the items you need is by hiring someone to help you. A professional de-clutter expert can come in and help you weed out those unused items. You can then give them to a charity of your choice and get a nice tax deduction.

3. Forgetting to label your boxes: This is a common mistake that many people make while moving. The hurry to move can make you forget to label boxes and when you get to your new home, it can make things really confusing. To save time after the move, make sure to label each box with what’s inside and which room the movers should place it in.

4. Waiting too long to schedule your move: Especially during the summer months, many moving companies and truck rental companies will be incredibly busy. If you wait too long to schedule your move, you might find yourself out of luck. Make sure to schedule your move at least a few weeks before the moving date. This will allow you time to plan and ensure that you will have the help you need come moving day.

5. Not having enough insurance for valuable items: Depending on your homeowner’s policy, your more valuable items might not be covered completely. Fine art and other valuables that are easily broken will need to be completely insured to protect your investment. Before your move, make sure to make a list of all your higher valued items and shop around for full coverage insurance.

Hire a Professional Moving Company

Moving can be a difficult task, but when you are prepared and have the right moving team on your side, your move can go much smoother than you thought possible. To find out more about how Silk Touch Moves can take the stress out of moving, contact us today!