Moving with kids is no small feat. Whether you’re relocating within San Diego or moving to a new home in Orange County, getting organized before moving can make all the difference. At Ready Set Organize, we’ve helped many young families simplify their moves – and we’re here to share our best tips. We’ll walk you through everything from decluttering before a move and smart packing to an essential moving day checklist tailored for families. Let’s turn the chaos of moving into an exciting fresh start!
Why Get Organized Before Moving?
Getting organized early isn’t just about neatness – it’s about making your move easier on you and your family. Here are some big benefits of organizing ahead of time:
Reduce Stress: Planning ahead means fewer last-minute surprises. When you have a clear moving plan, you’ll feel more in control and less overwhelmed (and your family will too!).
Save Time: Sorting and systematizing before you move saves time when it really counts. You won’t be scrambling to pack the house at midnight before moving day, and unpacking will go faster when boxes are clearly labeled and organized.
Save Money: The less you have to move, the less you’ll spend. By decluttering and only packing what you truly need, you’ll cut down on packing supplies, moving truck space, and even mover hours – saving you money.
Protect Your Belongings: Organized packing = safer packing. When you take the time to wrap fragile items properly and label boxes (“Kitchen – Fragile” or “Kids’ Room – Toys”), you greatly reduce the risk of things breaking in transit. Everything arrives safely at your new home, ready to be enjoyed.
Easier Unpacking: Ever get to a new home and feel lost in a sea of random boxes? Being organized on the front end prevents that. If you’ve labeled boxes by room and contents, you can settle in quickly. Your first night in your new place will be much cozier when you can immediately find the kids’ pajamas, the coffee maker, or the toilet paper!
A Fresh Start: Moving is the perfect time for a clean slate. By organizing and decluttering before a move, you’ll only bring what matters into your new home. It’s liberating to let go of old junk and start fresh with a lighter load. Plus, you can make a list of any new items you’ll need, so you’re not scrambling later (new curtains, anyone?).
Decluttering Before a Move: The Key to a Fresh Start
The first step in “how to organize before moving” is decluttering. Think of it as pre-packing – you’re deciding what not to bring. For young families, decluttering is crucial because over the years it’s easy to accumulate baby gear, toys, clothes, and more that your family no longer uses. Here’s how to tackle it:
Start Early & Go Room by Room: Begin sorting through your belongings as soon as you know a move is on the horizon. Take it one room at a time so it’s less overwhelming. Maybe start with the playroom or garage – often these are treasure troves of things you can live without.
Use the “Keep, Donate, Toss” Method: Give every item a destination: keep it (you love it or need it), donate it (someone else could use it), or toss/recycle it (it’s broken, outdated, or not worth moving). Set up three boxes or piles for this purpose. Get the kids involved too – they can help decide which toys they’ve outgrown to donate to local charities in San Diego or Orange County.
Focus on Bulky Items and Multiples: Families often have duplicates and big items that take up space. Think extra strollers, old cribs, outgrown bikes, or that spare coffee table in the garage. If you won’t need it in the new house, don’t pay to move it. Sell it, donate it, or give it away before moving day. Find your local Buy Nothing group to get rid of just about anything — even things you can’t necessarily donate to an organization.
Handle Special Keepsakes Separately: It’s okay to hold onto meaningful items, but be selective. Keep a small box for truly irreplaceable keepsakes (family photo albums, heirlooms, your child’s favorite artwork). You can organize these neatly so they’re safe during the move. Everything else that’s just taking up space – consider this your chance to let it go.
Need help with a serious purge? Our decluttering services at Ready Set Organize can be a lifesaver. We’ll send a friendly professional organizer to help sort through everything with you. We’ll even help coordinate donation drop-offs or eco-friendly disposal of items. Decluttering before the move not only lightens your load, but it also gives you and your kids a cleaner, calmer home to pack up.
Smart Packing Tips for an Organized Move
Once you’ve streamlined your stuff, it’s time to pack – the smart way. Packing isn’t just throwing things in boxes; a little strategy now will save you headaches later. Here are our top packing and organizing tips for moving:
Pack by Zone or Room: Pack one room at a time and keep items from the same room together. For example, all kitchen items go in boxes labeled “Kitchen.” All nursery items go in “Nursery.” This way, boxes land in the correct room at your new place. (Bonus: It makes unpacking so much easier when all the pieces of a room are together.)
Label Boxes Clearly: Don’t skimp on labels! Write the room and a few key contents on at least two sides of each box. Pro tip: Color-code your labels or use colored tape – e.g., blue for bathroom, green for kitchen, etc. – so that even at a glance, you know what goes where. Your movers (and your family helpers) will appreciate the clarity.
Prioritize Essentials: Pack an “Open First” box (or two). These are the must-haves for the first day and night in your new home. For a family, this might include: toiletries, a shower curtain, toilet paper, basic tools, phone chargers, a few favorite toys or books for the kids, diapers and baby supplies if you have a little one, and a couple of pots/pans and snacks. Keep these essentials boxes with you in the car if possible, so they don’t get buried in the moving truck.
Use Quality Packing Materials: It’s worth getting sturdy boxes and bubble wrap or paper for fragile items. Wrap dishes, picture frames, and electronics carefully. If it’s breakable, give it padding and mark the box as “Fragile”. (At Ready Set Organize, our packing services include providing high-quality packing materials and wrapping everything for maximum protection. We treat your belongings like our own!)
Seal and Stack Smartly: Don’t overpack big boxes (they become too heavy) – put heavy items like books in smaller boxes. Conversely, fill large boxes with lighter things like linens or plush toys. Make sure every box is well-sealed with tape. If you want to save time, the best tape is Uhaul tape — easy to rip with your hands so there’s no need for scissors. And for safety, keep the weight of each box reasonable – you don’t want anyone throwing out their back on moving day.
By packing with organization in mind, you set your family up for success. You’ll be able to find what you need when you need it, and your movers will handle clearly labeled boxes with care. And remember, if packing up the whole house feels daunting, Ready Set Organize offers professional packing and unpacking services – we can do the heavy lifting while you focus on your family.
Moving Day Checklist for Families
The big day is here! Moving day can be a whirlwind, but a simple checklist can keep your family organized and calm. Below is a helpful moving day checklist tailored for families to ensure nothing important gets overlooked:
✅ Arrange Child and Pet Care: If possible, have a family member or sitter watch young children and pets on moving day. It’s easier to focus on the move when you know the kiddos and furry friends are safe and occupied. If that’s not an option, set up a secure, kid-friendly area with some toys, books, and snacks so little ones are entertained while the heavy lifting happens.
✅ Do a Final Walk-Through: Before the movers or your moving truck departs, do one last sweep of your old home. Open every closet, cabinet, and drawer. It’s easy to leave behind a box of holiday decorations in the garage or your child’s favorite jacket in a closet.
✅ Keep Important Items With You: Set aside a bag or box of essentials that stay with you during the move. This includes vital documents (IDs, passports, moving contracts), medications, a first-aid kit, a change of clothes for everyone, phone chargers, and maybe the kids’ beloved stuffed animals (for comfort). Having these items on hand will give you peace of mind – you won’t have to dig through boxes if anyone needs something urgently.
- ✅ Use Clear Totes for Anything You Want Immediate Access To: For us, music is essential for unpacking. Keep your speakers (and anything else you want immediate access to — like toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels) in clear totes. This makes is super easy to locate
✅ Snacks and Hydration: Moving is hard work, and little ones (and adults!) get hungry. Pack a cooler or easy-access bag with water bottles, juice boxes, and quick snacks like granola bars, fruit, and sandwiches. Take planned snack breaks to keep everyone’s energy and spirits up. Nobody wants a case of the “hangry” on moving day.
✅ Essentials for Kids: If you have infants or toddlers, make sure you’ve got plenty of diapers, wipes, formula, sippy cups, and a favorite toy or two handy throughout the day. For older kids, have some activities within reach (a tablet with movies, coloring books, or travel games). These small comforts go a long way toward keeping kids content during the move.
✅ Coordinate with Movers or Helpers: Communicate clearly with your moving crew or the friends and family helping out. Let them know which boxes or furniture need special care. If you’ve hired professionals, walk them through any instructions (e.g., “TV is fragile, please wrap extra” or “crib needs to be disassembled carefully”). With everyone on the same page, the move will go smoother.
✅ Last-Minute Cleaning and Keys: As you empty each room, have a quick cleanup plan. Keep a few cleaning supplies accessible (paper towels, all-purpose cleaner, trash bags) to wipe up dust bunnies or spills. After everything’s out, toss any last trash and don’t forget to lock up! Make sure you have turned off lights, secured windows/doors, and have left any necessary keys or garage door openers for the next occupant.
By checking off these items, you’ll ensure your moving day in San Diego or Orange County goes as smoothly as possible. Pro tip: If you’ve enlisted Ready Set Organize or other professionals for packing/unpacking, let us handle the logistics of boxes and setup – that frees you up to tend to your family and keep everyone calm and happy.
Settling In: Unpacking and Organizing Your New Home
You made it to your new home – congrats! But the journey isn’t over once the moving trucks unload. Now it’s time to unpack and organize your new home so your family can settle in comfortably. Here’s how to approach it (without feeling totally overwhelmed):
Start with the Kids’ Rooms & Essentials: Tackle your children’s bedrooms or the nursery first. Getting the kids’ beds set up and their favorite things in place will help them feel at home and sleep easier that first night. Next, make sure you unpack some bathroom essentials and the kitchen basics so the family’s routine can resume (coffee for the parents is a must, breakfast cereal for the kids!).
Unpack Systematically: Just like you packed room by room, unpack the same way. Focus on one space at a time rather than scattering your efforts. It can be tempting to open all the boxes at once, but you’ll feel saner if you fully set up, say, the living room, before moving on to the bedrooms. Enlist the whole family: even young kids can help match toys to shelves or put books in a bookcase, making them part of the process.
Organize As You Go: Moving into a new house is a golden opportunity to get organized from the get-go. As you’re putting things away, think about the best homes for each item. Maybe in the old house the arts and crafts were crammed in the kitchen junk drawer, but here you have a hall closet that can neatly store craft supplies in clear bins. Set up systems that make sense for your family’s routines. (And if you need inspiration or an extra hand, our home organizing services are ready to assist – we love creating functional, family-friendly spaces like organized playrooms, kitchens, and closets!)
Break Down Boxes & Tidy Up: As you empty boxes, break them down and gather packing materials in one spot. The quicker you clear out empty boxes, the more calm and spacious your new home will feel. You don’t want to be tripping over cardboard for weeks. Celebrate small wins – each room done is a reason to cheer! Consider rewarding the family with a treat after a big day of unpacking, like a pizza night picnic on the living room floor amid the boxes (fun memory alert).
Remember, you don’t have to unpack everything in one day. Prioritize what your family needs first and take it at a pace that keeps everyone sane. If unpacking is consuming too much time or energy, Ready Set Organize’s unpacking team can whip your house into shape efficiently, so you can spend your time exploring the new neighborhood or having a beach day instead of wrestling with boxes.
Make Your Move Easier with Ready Set Organize
Feeling excited (and maybe a little more relaxed) about your upcoming move now? With a solid game plan – decluttering, organized packing, a moving day checklist, and thoughtful unpacking – you’re well on your way to a smoother, stress-free moving experience. And you don’t have to do it alone!
Ready Set Organize is here to help San Diego and South Orange County families every step of the way. We offer professional decluttering, packing, unpacking, and home organizing services to take the load off your shoulders. Imagine having experts sort through that overflowing garage, carefully pack up your kitchen and kids’ rooms, and even set up and organize your new home so it’s functional from day one. Our team has helped countless local families turn the chaos of moving into the joy of a fresh start.
Ready to make your move the easiest one yet? Let our friendly team at Ready Set Organize do the heavy lifting (literally and figuratively) so you can focus on your family. Book a consultation or call us at 619-609-7077 today to chat about your moving needs. Together, we’ll get you organized before moving and set for success in your new home. Here’s to new beginnings – let’s get you ready, set, organized! 🎉