If you are moving soon, then decluttering before or after you move will make everything much easier - but even if you're not, with the holiday season approaching you are more likely to have a lot more items and a lot less space.

There are numerous ways you can choose to declutter your home.

Liffey Moving has put together this guide with five ways to declutter your home.

You can choose to do this before a big move or simply to free up some space before the holiday season kicks in.

5 ways to declutter your home before the holidays

Garage sales

Selling items at garage sales is an excellent method to declutter your home fast and put some money back in your pocket. When planning a garage sale, be sure you advertise widely to reach as many potential customers as possible.

Aside from that, do not make your rates so expensive that neighbours cannot afford your items. Always be prepared to bargain for a lesser price when selling a prized possession.

Take any leftover items to your local donation centre when the sales are complete.

Remember that the aim is to declutter your home - profit is a nice runner up.

Charity drive

Place all of your unwanted clothing in a bag and drop them off at your local charity or thrift shop. Someone is bound to find some nice stylish ideas from your unwanted clothing.

A wide variety of charities accept gifts of household products, each of which utilizes the items uniquely or attempts to distribute them to a different group of people (or animals) in need.

To quickly declutter your house, it may be easier just to mail your contributions to a charity that takes a broad range of items rather than bringing them yourself.

This is a great way to give back at a time of the year when many families will be struggling to provide. We have a few recommendations here at Liffey Moving so feel free to ask should you be stumped for suggestions.

Donations

It is impossible to gauge just how many items you have accumulated over time until the time comes to relocate. In addition, if you have been living in your apartment or home for a long time, the number of things you have might be pretty intimidating. Donating your stuff before you move is an excellent opportunity to start over in your new home and get rid of things you don't need.

You should only move what you need into your new house, donating your old belongings to a nonprofit organization is an excellent opportunity to give back to the community. If you are not moving out and but you want to declutter your home, you might consider making frequent charitable donations.

Basement and kitchen storage

If you realize that most of the items in your home are quite useful, it might be best to store them properly. Clean your basement, get moving boxes and place these useful items in them before moving them to the basement storage.

You can also build racks and cupboards in the kitchen to help you store more items. Remember to maximize your use of the wall spaces while you are there.

Slowly declutter your home

It might be challenging to get into the habit of decluttering. Start by picking one or two things to give away or put aside for a yard sale each day to ease yourself into the decluttering attitude.

Don't attempt to clean and rearrange your house in one day. You need to declutter your home in tiny increments rather than doing it all in one chunk. It is a chore that is best accomplished over many days or weeks.

The length of time will be determined by the amount of waste you need to remove. Set aside a few five-minute chunks each day to make these judgments if you find cleaning to be excessively stressful.

When you choose to declutter your home, you make your living space more peaceful, you can give to the less fortunate and help the environment.

However, it is a vital aspect of any relocation. Some mistakes - particularly when moving house or office - are unavoidable.

Whether using Liffey Moving or another moving company to relocate, you expose your belongings to some risk. You need to ensure your belongings are safe and secure by having a backup plan in place.

In this article, we will guide you through some of the basics of moving insurance and what you need to know.

Moving insurance and what you need to know

Among the most common problems during a move, incurring losses due to damages tops them all. To avoid such losses, having reliable moving insurance is a great idea. Moving companies offer different moving insurance packages, and in some cases, you may need to outsource additional coverage.

If you are moving cross country and are concerned about your sentimental items, additional insurance coverage comes in handy.

Feel free to ask Liffey Moving about our insurance packages and additional coverage that we can provide or recommend.

Types of moving insurance

The purpose of moving insurance is to ensure that you will be compensated in case of any damages to your items on transit. There are different types of moving insurance covers, but they all serve one primary purpose. The most common types of moving insurance include:

1. The basic carrier package.
2. Declared value protection.
3. Full-coverage insurance

Of all the basics of moving insurance and what you need to know, understanding these three is crucial.

The basic carrier package

The basic carrier package is the lowest coverage you can purchase and is common among most moving companies. Moving companies will often provide this form of insurance for free. However, you can only expect a small return for your goods in case of any damage.

Declared values protection

This is an averagely priced coverage based on the depreciated value of the damaged item. You will need to declare the value of your goods to the insurance company to keep a record of the costs of your belongings. As much as you will require to pay an extra cost for this package, your goods will be well protected.

In this instance perhaps you should enquire about our white glove moving services.

Full coverage insurance

This type of insurance package is the most inclusive and ideal for people with luxurious or sentimental value items. It is the most expensive type of insurance, but it guarantees full compensation if the items are lost or damaged.

Consider all factors, including your moving budget, before settling any of the above moving insurance packages. Any professional moving company should be able to guide you appropriately.

How important is moving insurance?

The answer to this question depends on various factors. One is the moving distance, the value of your belongings, and the number of belongings you plan to move.  Moving is a risky process, and even after hiring the best movers, accidents can still happen, which can be very frustrating.

For this reason, it is advisable to have reliable moving insurance coverage whenever you’re relocating your goods. Moreover, it is more important to hire a trustworthy moving company with a good reputation, check out our reviews to see why we have been in business for so long.

If you feel you may need to outsource your insurance, Liffey Moving have several reliable contacts that we can recommend to you.

It is vital to understand insurance and what you need to know about your move. Talk to the team at Liffey Moving and get all the information you need. Should you have additional questions or wish to learn more about the moving process, check out our blog or contact us today. The decision to have moving insurance is up to you, but as always, prevention is better than cure.

Moving throughout New York City means you often deal with switching utilities when moving. It can be an often-overlooked role throughout the moving process.

The pre-move phase of moving can be stressful, complete with to-do lists as long as our arms. Setting up and switching utilities when moving is just one task that always appears on your to-do list.

If you’re unsure of where to start with switching utilities when moving, Liffey Moving are here to help.

Switching utilities - What you need to have

Electricity

You must have electricity before moving into your new, New York home, be it Brooklyn or another Neighborhood. Without it, you’ll be left in the dark, without heat, and without any form of entertainment since your outlets won’t have a power source to charge your phone, tablet, laptop, or DVD player. Yikes!

Ideally, you’ll want to have your electricity up and running a few days before you move in. This way you can rest assured that they’re good to go for move-in day and your first night in your new home.

Contact your supplier in advance and let them know of the move.  This will also make night moves possible should that be a requirement.

Natural Gas

If you’re moving into a home that is all-electric, you can skip this step. If your new residence has a combination of electric and gas fixtures, you’ll need to make sure that your natural gas account is up and in good standing.

Many buildings use gas for heat, as well as to heat your water, and power your range and stove. We say buildings here because most of the time, residences that use gas are apartment buildings or very old houses.

Check in with your apartment or property manager to ensure your heating is up and running before looking at switching utilities. This is especially true for the winter months. switching your utilities when moving is crucial especially if you are going to be new services you are unfamiliar with.

Water

You’re going to need water!

It’s quite amazing how much water we use in a day without really thinking about it -- that is until we forget to get the water turned on at our new place because we forgot about switching utilities!

So, don’t forget to get the water hooked up! Again, turning it on a day or two before you move in is the best idea. Then, when you get there, turn the faucet on and let it run for a minute or two to rinse the pipes out and make sure that the water heats up and flows properly.

To open your water account, call the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. It should be a simple process, switching utilities when moving but always call in advance just in case.

Trash

Some apartments require tenants to have their own accounts for trash services. If this is the case for you, be sure to have it set up within a day or two of relocating.

This is great to have for your move-in day to help get rid of all your packing supplies. We recommend recycling as much as possible, but if that is not possible have your thrash account set up can help.

Additional utilities to consider

Phone Services

While phone service isn’t technically a utility, it is quite important for many of us.

If you like to have a home phone you might need to start a new account or make an adjustment to your existing plan so that the service can be added or moved to your new home. You’ll likely be able to do this online for free.

Internet:

Having a home internet connection can help with entertainment and work. Get this set up along with your phone and electricity connections and ensure everything is in working order.

Having a stable internet connection will make the first few days in your new home a bit more comfortable.

Save yourself money

Switching your utilities and providers and notifying existing providers should be done in advance of your move. It is one of the great ways to reduce your bills and costs during your move as it will save on penalties.

Though this is not an exhaustive list of things to remember when switching utilities when moving we certainly hope it helps with some of your planning. For other tips and ideas for moving, check out our blog at Liffey Moving.

Moving involves a lot of different parts and it's not uncommon to misplace or lose items when moving. At Liffey Moving we have put together a list of commonly lost items so maybe this time you won’t forget them.

What are the commonly lost items that you need to remember on moving day?

1.    Your Important Documents

Most individuals will focus on loading their furniture, electrical appliances, and clothes and forget about the vital documents that they will require in their new home. This ranges from everything including driving licenses, insurance documents, bank details etc.

You will also need your new home's documents. Mortgage details, title deeds, or tenant contracts are some of the most critical. You do not want to miss any of these after your move. Ensure you place them in a folder before your move.

Whatever you do ensure this folder does not become one of your lost items.

2.    Medication

Medicines are another commonly lost item during a move. The day of relocating to your new home can be busy. It is easy to not check some of your drawers, especially for items you had to leave out of your packing boxes.

We recommend putting your medicines into an area that is safe from children but still within eyesight, so you remember to pick them up.

At Liffey Moving we will often do a final quick sweep of your home to ensure each room is free, but we often recommend our customers do it also to keep lost items to a minimum.

3.    Seasonal Items

Chances are that you store your seasonal items in areas where you won’t see them most of the time, such as the attic or other storage locations.

Seasonal items including holiday decorations and costumes for Halloween etc are often forgotten. Chances are that after you have relocated, you will need them when the time comes and must go back for them if possible.

To avoid such problems ensure you look through all your storage location before you move.

4.    Valuables

Usually, most individuals store their valuables in secret areas that can easily be forgotten during a move. Be sure to pack them in your essential boxes before your move to avoid forgetting them.

Although we can move anything put in front of us, we understand the need for safety when it comes to valuables such as jewellery or money.

Be sure that these items do not make it onto your lost items list. Carry them on your person or place them into a safe storage location during your move.

5.    Chargers

Perhaps the most well-known and troublesome item to forget is chargers and cables. Be they for mobiles or your computer forgetting a cable or misplacing them during a move can be a major headache.

Try to offset this by placing all your important chargers into one box. If you have spares, keep them separate just in case the worst does eventually happen.

6.    Clothing

With each room being packed individually, it may come as no surprise that clothing becomes a major issue when moving home. We recommend sorting clothing in each room by what you will keep what is going into the garbage and what will be donated. Ensure each box is properly labelled and placed in the right area.

The last thing you want is to pack all your designer gear into one bag and leave it out for the garbage man.

To save any arguments with your kids, perhaps help them pack their clothes also. It will also be a great time to lose some items on purpose if given the opportunity.

What should you do if you have a lost item:

Lost items during a move can be a nerve-racking experience and probably one that most people think about the most. If you have noticed that you have lost an item, be sure to contact your moving company immediately, often lost items have been misplaced or you are simply looking in the wrong room.

If you are sure then the items are lost then file a complaint with your moving company, they will usually have a system in place for such an event.

If you need to avail of storage solution’s during your move, Liffey Moving are happy to assist with whatever you need. From short term to long term solutions, we have you covered.

It can be difficult to keep track of everything. At Liffey Moving we have been in business for over 20 years. We have helped individuals and families move across the state and to new cities such as Chicago and LA. Because of this we know what you should be looking out for any because of that we have put together this list of moving mistakes to avoid.

Common Moving mistakes to avoid

1.Hiring the Wrong Moving Company

Choosing a moving company can be challenging but it is vital during your New York move. Different moving companies provide diverse moving services with unique pricing. Failing to do an appropriate background check on your moving company, can leave you with more problems than necessary. Thankfully, you can rely on Liffey Moving to not make any moving mistakes.

You just must look at our online reviews and the services we offer to understand that we are the right choice for you.

2.Postponing Tasks

Procrastination is the thief of time. If you have plenty of time to pack and get everything ready for the move is a big mistake. It makes you overlook certain tasks.

Relocating to a new home involves a lot of work. These tasks are tedious and need to be planned for in advance. The best way to go about it is to come up with a well-detailed checklist—a checklist aids in prioritizing tasks given the timeline for the move.

Start with the small mundane tasks and get them out of the way first. Remember to give yourself a break also. Avoid moving mistakes by taking plenty of rest also.

3.Opting to Move by Yourself

Some people think relocating without the help of a moving company is a cheaper option than hiring a professional mover. This is not necessarily true.

A DIY move is often not only expensive but also not safe. Unlike a reliable moving company, you may not have the necessary tools or resources for a smooth and easy move.

Doing it yourself may take longer and result in a lot of added stress that is not needed. Sure, help you moving company by packing and labelling correctly, but let the professionals take care of the rest.

We have seen the most moving mistakes when people decide to do it themselves. Just call us, we are happy to help.

4.Forgetting to Clear Out Waste

Not only does overpacking increase the cost of relocation, but it is also a waste of time and energy. As you plan to shift to your new home, this is the ideal time to get rid of what you will not need.

As you load items into their respective boxes, sort out what you no longer need and dispose of either through donation or a yard sale.

Have a yard sale or donate unwanted items to charity. Those old clothes and children’s toys will be much appreciated by someone else.

5.Using the wrong Packing Boxes

Using the appropriate moving boxes makes it easier to package items for your move. You do not want to be in a position where you realize you have the wrong box sizes on the day of the move. It will only make the whole moving process more exhausting.

Ensure you get the sizes of all your household items and pack them in the appropriate boxes beforehand.

Liffey Moving can supply you with a lot of the items you need for your move. Let us know what you need and what items you will be packing, and we can either supply or recommend the correct items for you.

6.Forgetting to Pack Your Essentials Bag

One of the most common moving mistakes is forgetting to pack a moving day essentials bag. You should do this before the D-day to avoid missing out on any essentials. Essentials include vital documents, medication, phone cables and chargers, jewellery, an extra pair of clothes, keys, and toiletries.  

7.Insurance

Failing to get insurance for your valuable household items or buying the wrong insurance is another common moving mishap. Getting insurance for your items is vital if any of them is damaged or lost during the move. While selecting a moving company, be sure to enquire about their insurance coverage and opt for the one with a full cover.

Moving mistakes can be costly and time-consuming, let us take care of it for you.