Are you planning a move? Whether big or small, near or far, here are some ways to make your move as seamless and painless as possible!
BEFORE THE MOVE
MAKE A PLAN – Before you start packing, if possible, get a floor plan for your new place. Decide what each room will be used for. Will that spare bedroom be for guests? Will it be an office? Both?? Measure your furniture and decorations. You may even be able to put tape outlines on the floor to help you visualize. Decide what will fit, and get a rough idea of where it will go. This will help you immensely in deciding what to take with you and what to let go of, and what additional furniture pieces you may need.
CLEAN OUT – Clean out the closets, attic, garage, etc. I know sometimes it’s necessary to move in a hurry and there isn’t time for this step, but if at all possible, go through everything. Clear out any items you no longer need, or won’t fit in your new home. Don’t waste your time, energy and money moving things you don’t need and don’t have a space for in your new place.
PACKING – When you pack your items, keep “like” items together. Put only “kitchen” items in kitchen boxes, etc to make the unpacking easier. And if possible, narrow it down even further. For example, put all baking items together in a box. You will still have some “miscellaneous” boxes near the end, but for the most part, unpacking will go much more quickly and efficiently if “like” items are all packed together. If you have to put an “unlike” item in a box for the sake of space, be sure to note that on the box.
LABEL – I can’t stress this point enough. Label everything. Obviously label the boxes with the name of the room they should go in, but also, add a general description of what’s in the box. Just labeling your boxes “kitchen” gets all the boxes in the right room, but it doesn’t help you find a coffee mug when you need it. You don’t have to write down everything in the box, but a general description of main items will really help you find the things you’re looking for. Also, don’t forget to label all the rooms in the new house to help the movers!
AFTER THE MOVE
UNPACKING – Start with the most important stuff first (the things you use most often) and work your way down the line. You will likely want to start with your kitchen. Unpack “like” items at a time. You probably don’t have counter space to unpack everything at once, so just unpack the dishes and glasses, for example, to start. Double check that they will fit where you planned for them to go. Think about the flow of the room. What worked in the last house may not make sense in this one. Be mindful of where you put things – items you don’t use often can go on the top shelves or in the back. Things you use all the time should be in more prominent places. Get all the important things in place first, then you can see what space is left for rarely used serving pieces, etc. Keep in mind, if you don’t have enough space for the rarely used items, or things you use once a year, etc, it’s always an option to store them in a tub in a closet or attic.
EVALUATE – As you are putting things away, make a list of any storage containers or organization systems you may need (don’t forget to measure!). Ones you had in your old house may still work, but sizes and shapes of closets and cabinets can definitely vary from house to house. Your needs may have also changed depending on the configuration of your new spaces. Is the space everything you wanted it to be? Did you reach your goal for the space? If not, how can you rearrange to make it better? Keep going until you reach the goal!
BREATHE – Give yourself time and grace to get it all done. Know that you will likely have to keep shifting and rearranging things over time as you settle in to your new home and routine. Take it one box at a time and keep at it until your new place is everything you dreamed it could be!
There’s no doubt, moving is one of the most stressful things you can do. I want the process to be as painless and seamless as possible for you. If you need help unpacking and setting up your new house, I am happy to help. If you just need help formulating a plan of action for the packing/unpacking process, email me to chat!
Happy organizing (and moving!),
lisa