A MOVING MESSAGE

Recently we have been working with some clients who are getting ready to move to new residences. We have been organizing files, sorting items to keep and discard, suggesting storage alternatives and reviewing packing lists. We have been staging homes for sale and organizing selection of methods for storage and packing.

One client has given herself three weeks to move from a shared apartment to a new home several hundred miles away. Another client is planning to place their home for sale in the spring and hopefully sell by summer. They have to implement the improvements they want to make prior to sale and then find a buyer before they move thousands of miles to a another state.

Both of these clients are a little stressed with fitting the things they have to do in the time frame they have. We have developed plans to help them accomplish their goals and will give them the assistance they need to get the job done, but we have gotten a late start and have to compensate.

To be fair, we know that folks do not always have a long time to plan moves. A new job gets offered, an unexpected illness occurs, notices are given that require a quick getaway. We always find a way to get the basics done, but it requires diligence and commitment.

The moving message we want to give is this: When you have adequate time to plan, estimate the time it will take you to get everything done and double it. Life goes on while the move is being planned and work and family issues still need attending. Houses are staying on the market longer. In this area nine months is considered a quick sale. Consequently, the sooner the house is ready for showing, the more likely goals for sales and closing dates can be met.

Even if there is no sale required, having time to make the minor repairs to recoup retained deposits can make a difference in money available for the new digs.

No matter how much time you have to make your move, it is helpful to:

• Make a list of what you have to do. Work backwards from the moving date to set timelines. Don’t forget to include often overlooked items like picking up cleaning and making arrangements with the building supervisor to reserve the elevator and parking space for the moving van.


• Discard, sell, and give away anything you will not use at your new residence before you begin to pack.


• Keep important papers, moving documents and prescription drugs easily accessible and separate from packed items.


• Make arrangements to appropriately disconnect and package major appliances for transfer


• Keep an inventory of items packed for check off when your possessions arrive. This will allow easy identification of loss or damage.


• Do a complete walk-though before you leave. If possible ask someone to accompany you to provide an extra set of eyes to identify anything left behind.


• Take pictures of the premises as you leave it. These will come in handy if there is a dispute about the condition of rental property or the need to file insurance claims for vacant property.

A good professional organizer can be a valuable asset in helping you make the most of the time you dedicate to moving on to your next adventure.

Beverly & Kristen
http://www.keytransitions.net/

Moving into a New Space

A professional organizer can provide valuable help to people who are getting ready to occupy new space. Whether that new space is a condominium, a dormitory room, a new office, a refinished attic or a brand new house, the perspective of a third party with training in organizing can give a head start to saving time and living comfortably.

Small spaces are particularly challenging and ways to optimize storage with limited space was handled in a previous blog entitled “Too Little Space”. Up front consultation with a professional organizer can save a lot of hassle.

When Jane moved from home into a dormitory room which she shared with a roommate, there was no space for some of the things she brought with her to college. Her parents loaded four boxes of stuff which could not be crammed into the space and hauled it back home with them. Jane brought still more home with her when she visited. They had wasted valuable time and money purchasing items that were inappropriate for the space available.

Most colleges give lists of suggested items for purchase and dimensions for necessities like computers and refrigerators, but they fall short at suggestions for storage for other must-have items. An organizer will offer suggestions that can make the trip to college more pleasant. The hard decisions about what to take on that first trip can be made before the hectic event of actually moving in. That can save money and make those move-in trips a lot less stressful. Jane and her parents consulted with a professional organizer prior to her sophomore year. She was moving to an Honors dorm with even less space than her previous room, but no roommate. The organizer listened to the problems encountered the prior year, and made suggestions for storage and placement of Jane’s belongings. Jane’s mother reports the items that returned home with them were the tools they brought for installation of storage systems and one stuffed animal that gave up his space for a decorative pillow.
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Even when there is plenty of space, a professional organizer can be of help.

Todd and Jean were moving their family to their dream house. Todd’s mother was joining them and looking forward to occupying the mother-in-law suite built especially for her. The family had moved twice in the past five years and both times had resulted in continuation of storage problems they had lived with in previous houses. Everyone agreed they wanted this time to be different.

The professional organizer met with the family and suggested storage systems for the garage and closets, as well as placement of some items for efficient living. She assisted them in organizing the move so that items were ready for unpacking and storage when they arrived at their new home. Todd says it is the smoothest move they have ever had and the garage looks terrific even with both cars parked inside.

Moving time requires thought, planning and execution, as well as plenty of patience and hard work. A professional organizer can be helpful in all phases of the process.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organizing Homes for Sale

One of the times folks find themselves overwhelmed is when they are getting ready to sell a home. Even when a highly trained and competent real estate agent is working with the homeowner, there are many things that homeowners have to handle on their own. Among the most problematic is how to get the house ready for showing- especially if you have to continue to live in it. This is one of those times a professional organizer can provide an unbiased assessment of the property and develop a plan that meets the individual and family needs. Getting a home ready for showing is referred to as “staging” in the Realty industry and many professional organizers, including Key Transitions, offer staging services.

Here are a few examples of people who have found these services helpful.

Tasha, a young single professional, loved the first house she purchased but had to leave it when she accepted a promotion in a city three hours away. She initially rented the house but in the ensuing six months she had difficulty with tenants who did not pay rent on time and who damaged the house. She decided to sell and had only 5 days and a budget of $800 to get the property ready for showing. The professional organizer assessed the property and made a plan for the highest priority items that would increase the homes appeal to the widest number of buyers while remaining within the client’s limited budget. Tasha recruited family and friends to implement the plan. The organizer did a final walk through with Tasha and made suggestions to further enhance the appearance of the home.

We were delighted when Tasha reported she had an interested buyer within the first week her house was listed and closed on the property in less than 30 days.

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Harry owned a small home before he married Hannah and they lived there for three years after the wedding. Now they were ready to move to a larger home. They were counting on the equity in the home they owned for part of the down payment on the house they planned to buy. They needed to ready the house for sale and show it while they prepared for the move to their new home.

The professional organizer developed a plan that allowed them to keep their home available for showing while they lived in it. The plan dealt with the repair and painting of designated areas, placement of furnishings, organization of items that remained in the home, and the packing, storage and distribution of belongings. The plan offered step by step direction for dealing with the staging process. The organizer worked side by side with the couple to get the house ready on time for the first showing.

They had several interested buyers and closed with one of them within 30 days. They are now enjoying their new home and their new baby.

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Diane and Jessie contacted a professional organizer because they needed to clean out and prepare for sale a house occupied for forty years by their now deceased parents. This was a physically and emotionally challenging task for them and they did not know where to begin.

The professional organizer developed a plan for the organization of the belongings and prepared the home interior for an estate sale prior to the home sale. The organizer carried out the implementation of the plan with guidance and decision making by the family members. Because Key Transitions has a certified mediator on staff, we were also able to successfully mediate family disagreements regarding distribution of property.

The family was able to distribute the parent’s possessions with limited disagreement and readied the house for showing in the established time frame.

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Tom and Jane, a senior couple, were preparing to move from their long-time family home to a smaller condominium with less upkeep. The living space was decreasing from a four bedroom home with over 3000 square feet to a two bedroom home with 1900 square ft.

The professional organizer implemented a plan that sorted and downsized items in the old residence to ready for the move and designed systems for placing furniture and storage in the new residence that were safe and convenient for older owners.

The clients and their family were extremely pleased with the storage and safety considerations for the new space. They were able to retain most of their favorite furnishings and find storage options in their new home for many of their treasured possessions. Tom and Jane are enjoying their independence and the convenience the new space offers.

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Staging a house for sale is a stressful occurrence. A professional organizer can provide an unbiased assessment and plan of action that can be the key to a little peace of mind and a quicker sale.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.com