09.08.2016

Making the Move

Home is where the heart is, but if the home is stuffed to the brim with moving boxes and bubble wrap, it can be difficult to find that heart. First of all, packing up all of the belongings you have accumulated through the years seems impossible. Somehow you managed to stuff everything into place in your current house, but there's no hiding how much you forgot you owned once you begin the process of moving. However, moving can be a catalyst for a fresh start on your way to being joyfully organized.

A move, whether downsizing for empty nesters or buying more space for a growing family, is an opportunity to look at the volume of your belongings and determine what truly matters to you. It allows you to look over every long forgotten "doo dad" from the deep, dark abyss of your guest bedroom closet and all the St. Patrick's Day décor you never quite get around to putting up. Take this opportunity for decluttering seriously. Only items that are necessary or bring you joy should make the move with you. Everything else should make the move to Goodwill or the dumpster. Throwing each and every item you own into a box and calling it good will cause you additional headaches when you reach the unpacking phase. Chances are that if you didn't need/forgot about the item in your previous house, you will probably not have a need for it in your new home. It is also helpful to have a third party, like Joyful Organization, work with you to determine what is important to keep and what is ok to let go.

A simple, yet proactive way to streamline your unpacking begins with how you box items up. I suggest organizing every item into categories so that you can write on the box exactly what is in there. If you only write "Living Room" on all the boxes containing those items, it will be difficult to remember where you put the remote without having to dig in all the other boxes first. Specific labeling such as "TV Accessories" or "Kitchen Linens" will relieve some of the moving stress. Furthermore, it will allow you to see how much of each category you own, which can help immensely in the decluttering process. A family only needs so many rolls of parchment paper.

Finally, see the move as an opportunity to arrange your house in the way you've always dreamed about. If it didn't work very well to have the medicine in the kitchen cabinet, move it to a centralized bathroom in your new home. If you hated having to go to a spare bedroom to get your winter clothes, make room for those items in your master closet. Your new house should be the start of a beautiful journey with your family, so take time at the beginning to arrange everything where it has a specific spot. Joyful Organization can help you find the perfect use of space for each and every item. Because your home, and sanity, deserves to be a priority.