This spring, I decided to sell my house. It was the first time I’ve sold a home and handled a full-scale household goods move. This was a personal decision, and I didn’t have the benefit of a company-sponsored relocation program to ease the process.
The last time I moved I was in 2003. I moved from a tiny city apartment to the suburbs. Two friends with pick-up trucks were all it took to port my meager belongings to my nice new free standing house. Twenty three years later, I had a lot more stuff.
I did not realize just how much until I sold my house, having decided to move to a house half the size, that is already furnished. That’s why I call what I experienced a 'household goods purge' rather than a move. I was not moving my goods - I had to get rid of them. A whole house full.
Along the way I thought about all the employees we relocate in our industry and all the consulting I do on setting up domestic relocation policies. I came away with some key learnings.
Get a Really Good Real Estate Agent
Sellers need a qualified real estate agent—and they should listen to them. For instance, when your agent tells you to de-clutter before the open house, do it. Don’t be offended that the oriental rug in the living room that you really thought tied the room together (yes, Big Lebowski reference) has to go for the open house.
I was lucky I selected a real estate agent who had successfully sold two homes on my street. I listened to all his recommendations, including, yes, among many other things, to pay the buyer’s agent a commission. He sold the house on the open house weekend above asking. (Shout out to Dan Feeney at Advisor’s Living, if you need an agent South of Boston, he is your man.)
When you ask an employee to move the best thing you can do is make it easy on them and support them through their journey rather than leave them on their own. I lucked out with a good real estate agent but many employees are not going to have one magically in their back pocket like I did.
Company-sponsored home sale programs provide critical support. Connecting employees with vetted agents and offering real estate assistance can make all the difference. Yes, these programs have a cost, but the real cost of relocation emerges when no support is provided, and employees struggle to sell their homes.
You Have More Stuff than You Think You Do
When you move you have to decide what to take, what to get rid of and what to throw away. I did not think I had a lot of stuff, but I was wrong. Sorting through everything I accumulated in 20+ years was a big task. There will be no difference for your employees, they will have a lot of stuff too.
I spent a lot of effort disposing of things I was not going to move. I successfully used Facebook Marketplace to sell or give away items. I made many trips to Savers to donate items and sold clothes on ThredUp. All great ways to avoid throwing things away. But time consuming.
After going through this, I now fully appreciate the value of a Discard and Donate program. It would have saved me hours. Companies should absolutely offer these services as part of their household goods relocation package. They help reduce employee stress and answer the dreaded question: “What do I do with all this stuff I don’t want to move?”
Moving is Super Hectic and Stressful
Yes, we all know this, but it’s easy to forget just how exhausting moving can be. For more than a month, my husband and I spent both weekend days tackling tasks related to the move—while still working full-time during the week. It was intense.
Whether you are a corporate mobility professional or a RMC counselor, always have empathy for the employee and their family going through a move. Show you understand and offer support when you can, it will go a long way. Also, try to recognize the spouse’s efforts. Send them a thank you note, a gift certificate, or flowers (when the move is over). Something to show that you recognize their efforts because they play a big role in making a move successful.
An Exciting Time
Despite all the efforts selling a house and moving entails, it is also an exciting time. Setting up a new household, making new friends, and exploring a new location are all exhilarating. Embarking on a new phase in life presents many new opportunities and seizing on them is a fun prospect. And here’s a little secret: before you leave the old house, you get to “donate” the last of the ice cream in the freezer to yourself. Call it a moving reward—one scoop (or pint) at a time!
