Make the Most of Storage Areas when Moving

If you are moving and your new home has a garage and/or basement, consider yourself lucky. These areas offer a treasure trove of storage space and make it much easier to keep things organized before, during and after your move. Here are some tips to make the most of these storage areas.

The Strategy

When you move, you need a strategic plan that will make it easier get settled. For most people this means setting up your essential furniture first: This includes the bed, bedroom storage and a place to eat. The bathroom is also high priority as is the kitchen. If you work from home, your home office is also important. Once the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom are functional, you can start unpacking other rooms and less essential boxes but it’s nice to have them out of the way until you need them and the garage or basement are perfect for this.

The Garage

If you are moving locally and have access to the garage days before your move, take some time to install heavy duty shelving and wall organizers before your things are moved to the house. This will help you keep the garage open and usable because you can tuck boxes and containers up on the shelves and keep them off the floor. You can also mount things like rakes and shovels right on wall organizers or peg board so your garage doesn’t become a cluttered mess before you even settle in. Of course, to make the most of this area, you need to be organized when you pack. Use large plastic containers for items like liquid items like garden fertilizers; cardboard boxes should be avoided for any items that could potentially leak. Label both the top and sides of all containers so that you can see what is in them even if they are on the shelf. Install bike hooks to get those off the floor as well. If your garage has space overhead or an attic, use it to store bulky seasonal items like patio furniture or outdoor Christmas decorations until you need them.

The Basement

The basement is the perfect place to store low-priority boxes until you have time to unpack and sort them. This would include decorative items like wall art and accessories, Christmas decorations, books, CDs and DVDs, extra towels and linens, non-essential pantry items and small appliances, sporting equipment, seasonal clothing and so on.

A Long Term Plan

Avoid the temptation to let boxes and unused items sit for months in these areas or you will be living in a perpetual state of clutter and disorganization. If you find there are items in your storage area that you no longer want or need, set them aside for a garage sale or donate them to a charity. Make a goal to have these areas unpacked and organized by the six month anniversary of your move date, then work backwards from that date with attainable goals for each month, such as unpacking and sorting 6 boxes each week, or whatever it takes. Before you know it, your new digs will be perfectly decorated and clutter free, and you’ll feel right at home!