Moving and storage have a lot in common, don’t they? They both involve looking through a bunch of your things, moments of feeling like you have way too much stuff, and making decisions about what to keep. It’s not a coincidence that we have both in our name either – Alliance Moving & Storage has the best movers and storage solutions in Chicago. Now that spring is here (kind of!), and summer is right around the corner, let’s think about what has to go, and store what to needs to stay!

By performing a big spring clean for your house, and sorting your stuff out before you plan to sell and move, you’ll not only save time and money, but also your sanity!

1. Now is the perfect time of year for a spring clean

Spring and Summer are prime moving seasons. With the days getting longer, and people getting more jobs done (jobs that accumulated over the long and dark winter), we start to set our sights on the coming months. The housing market now springs into action. When you reduce the clutter in your home, it can help you focus better. Having an untidy house can be distracting and the constant need to tidy can get in the way of productivity.

2. Don’t wait until the last minute, plan your cleaning in advance

If you are thinking of putting your house on the market, or you have already sold and are about to move out, it’s time to have a good tidy up and sort out your belongings. Cleaning before moving out could really help reduce stress on the day of your big move day. Planning is key; don’t leave the sorting out and packing for the day before you move, try and start a few weeks earlier. Ensure that you have the correct tools and cleaning products before starting your spring house clean. Ask yourself, do you have plenty of bin bags and multi-purpose cleaning products as well as enough dusters?

3. De-clutter, don’t waste time and money

Firstly, go through your house and try to work out what you don’t want to take with you to your new home. Don’t be tempted to just stuff your belongings into boxes and worry about sorting it out the other end. Instead clean before moving out and save time.

4. The big clean

Once you have sold, stored or thrown away all the clutter, it’s time to do the big clean before moving out! Ensure you have already bought all the products and tools you will need for the spring clean. Cleaning before moving is important, but it’s also worth thinking about arranging for your new property to have a thorough clean, before you move in. It might be the last thing on your mind, but once you are in, you will be busy with unpacking and arranging your belongings. To have time to clean the carpets will be hard to do properly without emptying the rooms again.

5. Don’t forget…

  • Don’t throw away old bed linens and towels – save them for when you move. They could be used as dust sheets, protective wrappings for furniture or covering the carpets if you need to do any painting.
  • Don’t throw it all away – many of your old belongings will still have a good sale value. Consider a garage sale, taking them to a car boot sale or using a good online marketplace to advertise them after your spring house clean.
  • Ventilate – when spring cleaning your house remember to work in well-ventilated rooms while using any cleaning chemicals and wear protective clothing where needed.

Once you’re done and ready to move, let Alliance Moving and Storage handle your moving and packing.