Moving is a great obstacle in managing the stuff of life. I used to say I hated moving, but the truth is I hate not having a comfortable space to call home. The transition period between homes is such a challenge, and I (like most people) enjoy being deeply settled into my space. At the same time, I see moving as a powerful force in encouraging home organization.
Mojo is loosely defined as a magic charm and moving certainly is magical in its ability to get us back to basics. It is amazing how the value of things becomes apparent as each item suddenly requires energy. The rock collection feels heavier, the furniture is awkward, and those things you “might need someday” quickly seem useless.
Honestly, my daily organizing projects are essentially “micro-moves”... I take everything out of a space, sort the items by category, purge, clean, and put all the items away in their news homes. Obviously, moving one closet is much simpler than relocating an entire home! So, whether you are re-organizing a small space or relocating across country, here are some of my favorite tips to harness your moving mojo:
Take a beat and plan your move before you bust a move (sometimes I can’t help myself). Set deadlines and block out time in your calendar for packing and unpacking. Create places for maybe items, donations, trash, and things ready to be moved.Gather supplies and ask for help. Be intentional about your packing order.The first things you pack should be the last ones necessary to unpack. I recommend the following order from first to last: decorations, art, knick knacks, items in storage, out of season gear and tools, garage stuff, party supplies, guest items, books, games, office supplies, paperwork, entertainment centers, toys, closets, clothes, pantry, kitchen, mudroom, laundry, key household tools, bedding, and furniture.
Pack a personal bag for each family member with enough clothing, toiletries, and other necessary gear to last the duration of the move, so you have the freedom to pack literally everything else. I also recommend packing yourself some non-perishable snacks.
Make some easy snacks and meals that hopefully help use up food backstock.
Keep a box handy for random items that always pop up while packing.
Allow a maybe pile to accumulate while you quickly pack. Postponing the donation or keep decision until towards the end of packing encourages more purging, helps to decrease unwanted losses, and generally makes it much easier to both pack and make the final decisions about your stuff.
Most furniture is very easy to replace, so you shouldn’t spend much time or money moving it. Used furniture is inexpensive and abundant! The best furniture to keep is upholstered or favorite items that would be difficult to buy again.
Categorize! Pack room by room so stuff stays together. You can also use colored tape to sort boxes by room or type.
Pack things tight! Use the whole box and stuff it full to prevent breakage.
Wrap breakables (not decorations, but kitchen and other end of list items) in clothing and linens.
Saran wrap is great for sealing liquids and lotions, holding together things with lids, or enclosing drawer organizers and jewelry so you don’t have to empty them.
Packing things vertically helps prevent breakage.
Use sandwich bags to store hardware and tape them to the corresponding items.
Construction size black bags are great for compiling hanging clothes (simply wrap the top with tape around the hangers), packing linens, and any other light items.
Always personally move valuables like hard drives, important papers, and jewelry. You can compile all these items in a specially marked (only to you) container and store it in a safe place (maybe a family member’s home or safety deposit box).
Use a donation pickup service.
Label like crazy! I always use permanent markers to label boxes on 3 sides, because it can be tough to identify the contents of boxes when they are in a huge stack. I write what is in the box and what room the box should go to. Printed address labels are also a great way to mark boxes if you are hiring movers.
Take lots of pictures! You can snap photos to ensure you get your deposit back, to recreate organization you like, to show how things fit together, to see how cables should be connected, or to help remember what is inside of unique boxes.
Lay shelf paper, paint, or set up any “base layers” before moving stuff.
Clean house before you unpack.
Set up beds first, because a freshly made bed makes it feel like home.
Treat yourself to something special for your first night in your new home!
Wishing you happy moves!
Love Always,
Meg
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