For most Americans, moving is an essential part of our lives. As complicated as it can be, there are ways to make the process easier—whether you’re moving to a new home in your city, state, across the country, or to a new one.

One of the best ways to make relocation easier for any moving project is to weed out the things you don’t need before packing. A lighter load means less to move, which can also translate to lower moving rates, faster packing times, and a smoother experience overall. 

As one of the largest full-service moving companies in Alaska, our team has been moving families near and far since 1983. Our passion is to make moving easy for our customers, which is why our long-distance movers are sharing our favorite tips on how to streamline your belongings for a more enjoyable moving experience.


Lighten Up Before You Pack

The first step in any moving project is to get started. We always recommend that our customers begin by getting organized with a moving calendar. Fill a calendar with important dates leading up to moving day, and include a packing schedule. Once you have your moving dates scheduled, you can start calling moving companies to compare rates on moving services in your area.

Include dates for streamlining your belongings before it’s time to pack. You’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to do this, perhaps a week or longer, depending on your availability. You’ll also need to allow for more time if you’re selling any of your belongings online, in the classified section of the newspaper, or in a garage sale. 

Once your moving plan is finalized, you can start focusing on sorting through your belongings. 

Getting Rid of Things You No Longer Need

Some of your belongings will be easy to get rid of, while others might be harder to let go of. Experts say that the best way to go about lightening your load is to evaluate your belongings based on how often they’re used. If they’ve never been used before, chances are you’re never going to need it again. Here’s a quick guide to some common items that we all have lying around to help you decide what to do with your belongings:

  • Clothing: Keep clothing that you’ve worn in the last year, but remove anything that you haven’t. Do the same for shoes, socks, accessories, and any other wearable items in your wardrobe.
  • Books, CDs, and DVDs: In this digital age, books, CDs, and DVDs can be easily found online—and physical copies aren’t as necessary as they used to be. Unless you need these items and use them regularly, or if they have real sentimental value or you like seeing them on your shelf, get rid of them.
  • Junk: Everyone has at least one junk drawer in the house. Go through your junk areas, and toss anything that you’re not going to use again. Bottle caps, plastic parts, random jigsaw puzzle pieces, empty glue containers, artwork from the kids, condiment packets—whatever it is you don’t need now, you’re not going to need later in your new home, so toss it out.
  • Old Toys: If you have kids, chances are you have old toys laying around that they don’t play with anymore. Donate these to charity, like Goodwill or the Salvation Army, or give them away to friends, neighbors, and family members with little ones. 

What to Do With Your Unwanted Items

Once you’ve successfully separated all of the things you no longer need, it’s time to figure out what to do with it all. Most people divide their belongings into three piles: donations, items they’re selling, and things they’re throwing away. I

f you’re selling your things online or in the classifieds, you might need extra time to list them. In this situation, you can take advantage of temporary storage options that will hold your items for as long as you need. Some moving companies will offer this option as a part of their moving package, so ask your movers whether they have storage facilities in your location. Placing these items in a secure storage area will make packing easier, and prevent you from taking these things to your new home.  It will also give you a safe place to show the items you’re selling instead of opening your door to strangers that you meet online.


Full-Service Packing and Other Specialized Moving Services in Alaska

At Allied Alaska, our mission is to make your move as easy and affordable as possible. We offer a customized approach to relocation, with specialized services designed to take the stress and hassle out of any moving project. Whether you’re moving within Alaska or across the Pacific to the Continental US, Canada, or anywhere else in the world, we’re here for you. 

To find out more about our full-service moving options, or for more moving tips on making relocation easier on you and your family, give our team a call now. Or, if you’d like to get started now with a free, in-home moving estimate with one of our moving coordinators, fill out our easy online form.