Making a Major Move More Manageable

About 27 million people changed primary residences last year in the United States, according to Move.org, and one-fifth of those #moves were out-of-state. With the job market still competitive and real estate activity starting to slow, more people will likely be on the move this season.

A move is rarely easy, and supply chain dirsruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic made things more difficult. But you can make a major move more manageable if you make a timeline and spread the work out over a period of days, weeks or months.

If you hire a moving company to transport your #stuff (as 80% of people do) there’s a financial incentive to #packing as little as possible. That’s why the first step in any move is to #declutter and #organize your possessions. “If you don’t love it, need it, [or] use it regularly, or if it’s broken, get rid of it!” says Living Well Spending Less. “There’s nothing worse than unpacking boxes of stuff later on only to realize you don’t really need any of it.”

Edit your stuff well ahead of time to give yourself time to sell some of it, or #purge as you #pack. Either way, you’ll have less to transport and integrate into your new home when the move is complete. Assuming you find lightly used items things that you won’t need in the new home, contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, contactless #donation #pickup — or schedule multiple #pickups during your pre-move #packing period and another in your new location.

Moving long-distance is particularly challenging. While couple of friends with a UHaul may be able to handle small moves, that may not be sufficient for families with houses full of stuff. Architectural Digest offers a guide to the moving companies adept at facilitating relocation across the country or another part of the world.

Near or far, a major move is a great opportunity to reinvent your lifestyle and revisit the things you truly value, use and need. It may not be easy, simple or cheap, but you can start fresh in a new place — without the #clutter that weighed you down in the last one. #MovingTips

Donation Pickups Continue

ClothingDonations.org had to temporarily suspend #donation #pickups early in the #pandemic, but we’re back and better than ever! You can still donate your extra clothing, baby items, small appliances, kitchenware, furniture and electronics from the comfort and safety of your home. Just schedule a contactless pickup online and place the boxed and bagged items in the designated location that morning. A masked driver will collect your extra stuff and leave a receipt for your records.

Wash Clothing Before Donating

The #coronavirus is thought to have a lifespan of less than one day on porous surfaces such as fabrics, according to epidemiologists. But if you wish to #donate lightly used clothing and are concerned that your items could be contaminated with #COVID-19, Best Life says you should wash them before #donating. Use regular detergent and the warmest washer and dryer settings you can safely use on the items, then bag them up and contact ClothingDonations.org for a free, contactless #donation pickup.

Surfaces No Longer of Great Concern

Scientists have learned a lot in the year since COVID-19 first began to spread in the United States. For one thing, the coronavirus doesn’t last very long on hard surfaces, Nature says, so the risk of catching it through touch is low. That means you can safely #donate clothing, books and household goods to a #charity like you did before the #pandemic. And pickups are safer than ever; when you schedule ClothingDonations.org, a masked driver will collect your used goods from your porch with a free, contactless pickup.

Use Extra Time at Home to Declutter

Stuck spending lots of time at home? instead of binge-watching Netflix (again), consider doing a good #decluttering. It not only make your space more liveable, but you can take any lightly used clothing and household items that you no longer need and #donate them to help veterans get through the #COVID-19 #pandemic. Just visit ClothingDonations.org to schedule a #pickup online. Donation pickups are easy, contactless and tax-deductible way to get rid of that extra stuff.