Moving can be a stressful task, especially when you realize how much stuff you have, the many phone calls, and the trips to the ward office. Organizing your belongings should be first on your to-do list, since it takes the most time and you will need to plan accordingly. The following is some common ways to organize yours belongings, courtesy of Village House.

Packing List

Making a packing list will help the moving process stay organized! This should be the first step in the moving process. A packing list will help you to be fully aware of each step needed for the moving process and what items are have in your home. While there are many different ways to structure a packing list, here are some recommended ways that you should structure yours for clear organization.

1. Take Inventory

Before you can start sorting items and how to pack them, make a list of all the things that you need to pack. This can be an overwhelming task depending on the amount of stuff you have but it is a key step in keeping organized and making sure all items are where they need to be.

2. Categorizing Types of Items

Keeping track of all the types of items you have on-hand will be helpful in tracking the materials you may need to pack them with. Some types or categories that will be useful to keep track of are perishables, clothing, fragile items, bulky furniture, heavy objects, and more.

3. Packing Materials

Once your items have been categorized, the next step would be to figure out what materials you need to pack your belongings. For example, for fragile items, bubble wrap is a must have while heavy items should be packed in reinforced boxes while making it easy to carry or move around. Having a list of these packing materials will make it easy to go shopping for essential moving items and prepare for the big move.

Overall, making a packing list serves numerous benefits. Aside from being organized, a list can tell you other necessary information such as the amount of boxes needed to move, the estimated cost of moving, as well as being more aware of what belongings you want to keep versus what you want to get rid of. Not all belongings are packed the same way when moving so be sure to make a packing list to make the moving process easier for you.

How to Categorize your Belongings Based on your Packing List

One great method to categorize your belongings is to highlight and number them. To start, get a bunch of different colored highlighters or other pens and start sorting all the items on the lists into categories: purpose/use, seasonal; essentials (what can only be packed nearer to moving out date), non-essentials (what can be packed now). This is the time when to sort your items by usage or size to help make packing more efficient.

This is the time to really evaluate what items you own and what you would like to keep during your move. You can (and should!) also categorize your belongings into things you want to keep, sell, donate, or throw. Keeping similar items together can help make packing quick as well as your future move-in smooth.

Packaging and Labeling

It’s important to label all your boxes, since you can’t see inside and they all look the same. Labelling your boxes will help to make the forthcoming move in process a lot faster. This tip will make it easier to find items after moving. Take advantage of Japan’s numerous 100 yen shops and buy yourself a pack of colored markers and/or colored packing tape. Assign a color to a room and label your boxes carefully. You can also pack your room list inside of the box so that when you open it up, you’ll know exactly what the box’s contents are.

Donation

Have you ever felt like throwing away some of your belongings is wasteful so you keep them? Well, you can find another great home for your belongings through donation. By looking at your belongings with an objective eye as you organize them for packing, there will be things that won’t be needed anymore after your move. What haven’t you used in ages that are still in relatively good condition? Can it be donated? If so, why not? Things like clothes and furniture can be donated to a variety of recycling shops (“OFF” shops), charity organizations (Red Cross; Salvation Army), and textile companies (Uniqlo). You can also donate things for free online (think Tokyo Craigslist, Mercari, Classifieds, etc.).

There are many other ways to decrease the number of items you have before moving. If you are interested in learning more, feel free to check out our article here for more options.

Residential and Commercial Moving Service

Japan has an abundance of quality moving companies that make moving much easier. There are many options for moving services and it really comes down to your needs – do you have a lot of stuff, especially big furniture, household appliances, and gadgets? Well, then you may want to look into a moving service since they specialize in moving large furniture items or full comprehensive packing services.

If you’re on a budget, moving services can still help make moving easier by simply sending a few items through a moving service. By simply sending large appliances or heavy furniture first, it helps to make your move more hassle-free and keep the moving process efficient so you don’t have to worry about it later. If you’re moving into a Village House property, they provide moving support service, so why not ask one of their staff about what kind(s) of moving companies best suit your needs?