Now that your very active clients have made the decision to sell their home and make a move, how do they keep their training on track while clearing away the gear to show their home?

It is possible, if they get really organized. Here are a few tips you can pass along to them:

Set aside some time

This will take a few hours, so allow yourself enough time to finish what you start.

Gather up everything

Gather everything together in one room and make some space on the floor, table, couch and bed to spread everything out.

Take everything out of every bag, drawer and backpack. Everything! The goal is to see exactly what you have. It might surprise you to realize how many duplicates you own. Even better, you might just find the sunglasses you thought were lost.

Sort like with like

Sort like things with like. Use small baskets or boxes to collect the smaller parts, and larger spaces to separate out all the shorts, socks, t-shirts and caps. The more specific you can get these piles, the better. Sub-sort larger categories to further narrow down the piles. Set aside any orphan socks for matching. Separate training gear from event or race gear…these items are considered differently. (See #6.)

Time to let things go

Be realistic about what you use and hold your own feet to the fire. Does it fit properly? Is it in good condition? Did you use it at all last season? Could it be sold or donated? Is it so well loved that it should really be thrown away? Could it be kept in your car or office for an unscheduled workout? If you can’t honestly justify keeping it – let it go.

Race jackets, event jerseys and finisher caps all came at an extraordinary cost, one way or another, so souvenir gear is particularly difficult to part with. If you have storage space and feel really attached to these items, get some plastic bins and pack it away. Even better, get it framed along with your medal or race photo. If it’s just taking up space and doesn’t really inspire you, maybe the race bib or finisher photo is a sufficient keepsake and the t-shirt can go.

Water bottles tend to pile up at an alarming rate. It’s worth taking a close look at those bottles to see if they are harbouring mould inside the drink spout or have developed a strange odour. Leaky spouts and mismatched lids aren’t worth the hassle. While you’re at it, you might also want to weed out your collection of insulated coffee mugs!

Check expiry dates on your nutrition and look for half-eaten bars and chews that should be tossed. Check the cans of sport drink powder and toss the solidified ones.

Accessories

Look at the condition of your accessories. Anything that is orphaned, crunchy, stinky or shredded is unlikely to be missed. The same goes for irrelevant gadgets. If you haven’t found a use for it yet, why would you this season?

Check your bike tool kit to make sure all the important parts are still there and in good condition. You don’t need to flat on your first outdoor ride and discover that your tool kit is missing an inner tube or CO2 cartridge.

Clean things!

Tools function better. Zippers close properly. Small parts don’t get stuck together. Any clothing that has a residual smell should either be soaked and treated with a sport wash or tossed. If it smells when its dry, it will be 10 times worse when you start to sweat in it! Your friends will thank you.

Organize your storage spaces

If you’ve been diligent, you’ll have less to put away, which means more space to work with. Setting up two or three locations can work if you like to keep clothes, gear or nutrition close to where you’ll be packing or using them.

Keep things contained in baskets or plastic bins with lids and store like items together. Label the bins to help you find what you need and to keep your system functional throughout the season. Read more about how green painters tape can be useful for this job.

Sort for every occasion

Being organized poses a challenge for triathletes because of the number of workouts each week in different locations – each requiring specific items. Try organizing the items you need for a gym or pool workout together and pack your gym bag according to the workout planned for the next day. Keep outdoor gear together so you can grab everything you need for a long ride or open water swim from one location, without forgetting important accessories.

Buy one, discard one

When you buy new cycling shorts, throw out an old pair. Investing in new goggles? Throw out your oldest pair (but always keep those back-ups!) One pair of running shoes in, one pair out.

Don’t forget about your car

Digging around in a jumble of bags in your trunk wastes time and increases the chance of misplacing or forgetting things. Set up a system for keeping everything you need packed and ready to go. A small bin with a lid that can stay in your car is a great place to store “just in case” items like gloves, arm warmers, sunglasses, extra gels, sun screen and lip balm. Think of it as good practice for setting up your transition.

Nutrition

Nailing nutrition is always a challenge, and it starts with having the right supplies on hand to support your training on long and busy days. A large cooler bag to carry hydration and nutrition for a day, plus the accessories to manage a post-ride lunch, could make a difference for a healthier season. Just make sure to clean and replenish it after each training day so it’s ready to go when you are.

Ziploc bags can be a triathlete’s best friend for keeping all the essential little bits together, visible and dry – at the pool, on the bike, on the run and in your bag.

Congratulations!

Now that everything is organized, it will be easier to pack and unpack when it comes to your move. If you’re clearing your home for staging, store the items that you won’t need until race season begins, and keep on hand what you need to keep training while your home is being shown. After the sale, bring back the seasonal items you’ll need if your move date straddles the beginning of outdoor training season to keep it accessible. With everything in clear bins and organized together, you’ll be able to set up your gear quickly and be ready to run!

Happy training!