Tips from Renowned Luxury Service Providers

NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm

No one likes to move. Luxury services are changing that. In recent years, high-end service providers have extended their white gloves to include the moving process, caring for homeowners at this critical juncture in their lives. From professional organizers, packers, estate managers to even sleep experts, luxury service providers are addressing the overloaded moving to-do list.

Our 24 years in the luxury moving business has taught us: the key to a well cared for move is to attend to every aspect of a families’ move. We take the process to the next level, beyond the physical move itself, to care for peace of mind. Attention to all the details is the recipe for making the moving process as pleasant as possible. We seek out and hire the right service providers, services you may have not even considered.  I spoke to a few of our luxury partners for a peek inside the services and advice they provide clients.

Full-Service Estate Management

“When your home is vacant unattended risks arise,” said LuxxeLife Founder & CEO Carolyn Hori. “During a move you are between two homes making it even more difficult to oversee and protect your hard earned prosperity.”

A full-service estate management service provides clients with peace of mind when they are away from their current or new home during a move. When relocating, it can be extremely challenging to keep a watchful eye on everything. It is critical to ensure your home is safe and attended to when you can’t be there. Whether a client needs a construction project overseen, or are simply stretched with the demands of a busy life and relocating all at the same time, an estate management will oversee your properties.

Carolyn says to find a qualified, world-class estate manger, be sure they have decades of experience in real estate and asset management. They should be equipped to manage everything from property inspections, construction management, review of property insurance policies, project oversight and coordination, interior design referrals to the finer details such as unlocking a door for service professionals.  Their team should take an intuitive approach to meet each client’s unique needs and achieve a property’s operational success.

Professional Organizer

“A well-cared for move is an organized one,” says An Organized Project Founder Laura Smith. “A professional organizer provides pre-move de-cluttering, downsizing assistance, packing, unpacking and overall coordination. Essentially, a professional organizer can drive the moving process and leave you with a serene, organized new home.”

Laura recommends a four-step process to achieve an organized move:

1. Visualize the new space:  Allow yourself ample time before your move to think through your collections and belongings. Consider what you want to have in your new space. A professional organizer will help you make these decisions, planning storage solutions and spatial planning in your new home.
2. Accept help: It is difficult to find the time and the mindset to go through all of you possessions and know what stays and what goes. Professional organizers sort through drawers and closets to organize the contents that have ended up there over the years. They will clean and organize every inch of your space and assist you through the emotional process.
3. Pre-Move de-cluttering:  It is critical to discard, donate and sell unwanted items before the movers arrive to alleviate unnecessary moving and clutter in your new home. A professional organizer will provide a valuable network of resources to simplify the process.
4. Unpack with ease:  Remember how you visualized yourself in the space before the move? A professional organizer will unpack in an organized fashion to ensure the most efficient use of your new space. They have a vested interest in making sure you are settled into your new home with peace of mind.

Sleep Coach

“When moving into a new home you have a clean slate, an opportunity to create a bedroom space that encourages relaxation and sleep,” said Sleep Like A Boss Founder Christine Hansen.

We all know a good night’s sleep is incredibly important for our health, it is also critical to have a good night’s rest during a move and continue those sleep skills into your new life. Christine offers this advice for making sleep the foundation of your fresh start in your new home:

Color:  Interestingly, color doesn’t have a big impact on your sleep. Your bedroom environment should be one that you enjoy. When you enter your bedroom, liking the way it looks is essential.

Clutter: Even though we might pretend that we don’t mind clutter; it is still nerving and unsettling. It reminds us of the “to do list.” Remove any furniture, such as a chair, that may end up as a landing zone for clothes to pile up. And, do not have a lot of photos and images in the bedroom. Keep it to bare minimum.

 Plants: Plants can make a huge difference. Having fresh oxygen is excellent for sleep.

 Bed: Your bed is obviously something that should be chosen with care. When you are on the market for a new mattress, make sure you test it out. You can usually test them for at least 30 days.

Invest in beautiful bedding. It will motivate you to make your bed in the morning and you will look forward to something lush and beautiful.

 Lighting: Make sure your lights aren’t too bright. When you go to bed, you want to signal your body that it’s nighttime. Super bright LED lights deter the sense of night and rest. Have warm, dimmable lights.

Let’s admit it. It takes a certain bravery to leave one life and move to the next. Treat yourself to the moving amenities now available to make the experience a delightful one, rather than a daunting one. Why not have professionals at your side to guide you home?

Laura McHolm is an organizational, moving & storage expert and co-founder of NorthStar Moving Company. NorthStar Moving Company is an award winning, “A+” rated company, which specializes in providing eco-luxury moving and storage services.