Somehow it just happens. You say “yes” before you really even think it through.
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, your home is up for sale, or the construction team is knocking at the door for the kitchen remodel, or a nephew, aging parent, sibling, or adult child is moving into the spare guest room.
How do you manage to keep from feeling overwhelmed when you and your home are in such a transition? Try these three organizational tips to help you keep from being overwhelmed when transition occurs.
Discuss the obvious
This may seem like a no-brainer, but until everyone involved in a transition gets on the same page by talking about the situation, the potential for confusion, disorganization, and even chaos can occur.
Open discussion of the obvious can sometimes turn into discovery of the not-so-obvious. Some examples of “the obvious” are:
- If your home is undergoing a remodel, ask when the contractor plans to start and finish the project. When are deposits due (and for how much)? Is smoking allowed on the job? Are you OK with contractors using your bathrooms?
- If a family member, say your adult son, is moving in temporarily, will you require him to pay you rent? If so, by what date each month? When will your son move in and – more importantly – move out? Do you approve of your son entertaining guests overnight? Who’s buying the groceries? Are you really OK with him parking his motorcycle in your garage?
- If you’re selling your home and you know you will have frequent visits from potential buyers, have you clearly communicated with your agent that you require guests to remove their shoes when it rains?
Simple, obvious questions – yet so often overlooked.
Open discussion of the obvious puts a measure of mental continuity upon a potentially “wobbly” period of transition. It gives everyone involved a chance to participate through sharing, feedback, and coming to a consensus about what needs to be done.
Continue to discuss the obvious, particularly when changes and challenges arise.
Set clear deadlines
Once the obvious is settled, getting everyone on the same page involves establishing a plan. First you’ll need a guide for progress and completion. The easiest way to manage this is to set clear deadlines for yourself and others.
- Use a calendar and project how long the period of transition will last. This is your timeline.
- Determine what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and by whom it needs to be done.
- Be fair, clear, and decisive when setting deadlines for others and yourself, and log them on the calendar for all to see.
While setting deadlines for everyone will help to clearly define the path for progress, be prepared to meet new challenges along the way, and be flexible as circumstances change.
Understand the storage of stuff
A period of transition may require moving and storing everyone’s property. It may be a little bit or a lot of stuff that needs to be stored away for a short or long time. The key is to:
- Separate what is necessary for everyday use from what may be stored during the longer period of transition.
- Keep like items together for easier access.
- Label everything (not just the contents of the bin or box, but where the items came from).
Here’s an example: Say your bedroom and bath are being remodeled, and it will take three to four weeks to complete.
To start, pick out one week’s worth of clothing that you can mix and match, your necessary toiletries, and any personal items you’ll need during this time. Move these items to your temporary location (another room in your house, a friend’s home, or your hotel).
Next, get ready to store everything else. Pack similar items together – meaning put all your socks and underwear in one box, for instance, and label the box accordingly. Same goes for your other clothes, personal items, bathroom things, electronic devices, and so forth.
Once all the items you’re going to store are packed up, move the boxes to a storage location, such as the garage, the living room, or a storage facility.
Think carefully about how you arrange your stored belongings. Boxed items will be the first things removed and the last things returned. Large items such as the bed, dresser, and nightstands will be the last items out of your room, but the first to go back in when the project is completed.
If possible, keep the large items separate from your boxed items, as over a month’s time you may need to access something from your clearly labeled boxes.
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