It’s the new year & the holidays have come & gone now I’m beginning to look for a new home as my life is rapidly changing. 2015 brought many life changes & surprises. My sister passed away, I lost my job & now my career path has changed direction, we found out we’re expecting and we got engaged! Wow, what a year of ups & downs!
We’re looking for a new home to move into before the baby arrives & boy do we have a LOT to accomplish before that big day! Juggling work, home life & tackling all that needs to get done before our move is sometimes overwhelming to think about and having a task list of all that needs to happen is helping me stay focused during this time.
Moving can be a really stressful and overwhelming event so this is the guide that helps me conquer the task of moving over a longer period & keep chaos afar.
1. DECLUTTER. Begin evaluating the belongings in your home. You’ll find things that continue to make you happy daily, items that you couldn’t live without & your favorite sweater. However, there will be things that have seen been days, need replacing, or you’ve fallen out of love with. Collect these items and make three boxes- give, donate & trash. Items that are like new that you know a specific friend would love & use go in the “give” box. All items that are worthy of a second life go in the “donate” box. Personal items or things that have seen better days go in a “trash” box or bag. I personally remove these items from my home the day I pluck them from the home so to not give myself a chance to begin digging through donate pile & second guessing my decision.
2. 1-2 months before moving: Begin collecting boxes from local stores, craigslist ads, or even find a few around the office.
3. Box the items you use once a year. Label each box with the room the items will stored in at your new home.
4. Box items you use once every 6 months, such as a punch bowl, special glassware, & entertaining items. Continue this process until you’ve packed everything except what you need on a daily basis.
5. Begin taking down wall art and safely wrapping.
This should help you manage down to the week of your move. Remember the last thing you want to do is move things you think you might need just to toss them after the move. Pack with intention and only pack things that will make your new home the space you want it to be. Live happy.
