This series, Selling Your Home Made Easy: Minimize Your Stress, Maximize Your Profit, is your step-by-step guide to selling your home in today’s market. From hiring a real estate agent to crossing the finish line on settlement day, you’ll find everything you need to know right here.

Let’s be honest—moving can feel like a lot. It’s a mix of excitement, nerves, and probably a few piles of half-packed boxes. Even if you’ve done this before, today’s article will give you some fresh ideas to help you stay ahead of the chaos.

This week’s article, Get Organized for the Big Move and Beyond covers the best strategies to reduce stress, how to use a 4-zone system to declutter and sell for more, and tips to make your move as seamless as possible.

Whether your move is across town or out of state, here are a few key takeaways to keep you sane, focused, and ready:

Find a System That Works for You

Choose one place to keep everything—whether that’s a trusty binder or your favorite app. Store your checklists, receipts, moving estimates, and even an inventory of what’s going in each box. This one habit can take a lot of stress off your plate.

Use the Four-Zone Organizing Method

This simple approach makes downsizing easy and efficient. Label items in each room with one of the following:

• Store
• Donate
• Sell
• Throw away

Going through this before you list your home helps in two ways. First, you won’t be paying movers to move things you don’t want. Second, buyers are more drawn to clean, clutter-free homes.

Questions to ask yourself for each item:

• Will this go to the new home?
  • If yes, is it something I need before we move?
    • If yes, leave it out.
    • If no, pack and store it.
  • If no, decide whether to donate, sell, or toss.

Donation and Recycling Resources

• Goodwill: seattlegoodwill.org/donate-goods
• Salvation Army: satruck.org/donate/choose
• Buy Nothing Facebook Groups: Great for gifting items locally.
• RePC: eCycle Washington drop-offs in Seattle and Tukwila for electronics.

Selling Platforms

• OfferUp: Easy app for selling secondhand items locally.
• Facebook Marketplace: Another solid option for reaching buyers in your area.

Handling Hazardous Waste

Check out King County’s Hazardous Waste Management Program to dispose of things like old paint, solvents, or cleaners responsibly.

Hire Movers and Compare Estimates

Ask friends for referrals, then get written estimates. Ask about:

• Hourly rates for 2 or 3-person crews
• Travel fees and mileage
• Rates on low-demand days (mid-week or mid-month is usually cheaper)
• Arrival time, contract details, and total estimated cost

Rent Eco-Friendly Moving Bins

Avoid the cardboard clutter and rent reusable boxes. These companies deliver and pick up:

• Frog Box: frogbox.com
• Hive Boxx: hiveboxx.com

Notify Key Contacts

Let the post office know your new address, and notify your lawn service, house cleaner, gym, schools, and health care providers. Don’t forget to update your banks, credit cards, employer, and insurance providers. If you have a safe deposit box, schedule a visit to retrieve your items.

Moving Day Essentials

Pack one or two clearly labeled boxes with essentials you’ll need immediately in your new home. Also pack a suitcase with clothing, toiletries, medications, and anything else you would bring on a short trip. Treat it like a vacation bag—just in case.

Label Boxes Clearly

Use color-coded labels, numbers, or detailed descriptions to help you (and your movers) know what goes where. Some people even take photos of box contents for reference later.

Supervise the Move

Have someone onsite to greet the movers, confirm it’s the correct company, review the inventory, and exchange contact info. Don’t forget to have cash or tips and a few drinks or snacks on hand. A little kindness goes a long way.

Prep Your New Space

Measure doorways, check floor plans, and decide where furniture will go ahead of time. If you’re able, schedule time to paint or refinish floors before you move in.

Leave Your Home Tidy

Clean out every room, sweep the floors, and leave the home how you’d like to find your next one. You might even want to hire a cleaner so you don’t have to worry about it.

As your agent, I’ll help you stay organized and on track. I’ll even provide a checklist to make sure nothing is overlooked. Just let me know if you want a copy!

Coming up next in the Selling Your Home Made Easy series: How to Make Settlement Day a Success. I’ll walk you through what to bring, what to expect, and how to finish strong.

If you’re starting to think about your next move or want help getting a plan in place, reach out anytime.

As always, I’m your go-to resource for all things real estate.