Moving into a new home can be a very overwhelming task between the process of purchasing the property to packing up your old home and getting all of your belongings into your new place. When moving into a new home, you probably want to have a plan for how to organize your new house to keep things looking tidy and decorative. Here are some tips and tricks on organizing your home after a big move.
1. Declutter Your Home
If you want to set yourself up for success in your new house, how you choose to pack up your old house is important. Instead of simply tossing everything you own into different boxes, take the time to go through all of your belongings and determine which items are worth bringing to the new place and which things you can toss.
The key to staying organized is to continually declutter your home and avoid making impulsive purchases of items you don’t really need around the house. Sometimes, we have a tough time letting go of items we know we have no use for but to which we have some type of emotional attachment—like that stack of old movie stubs stuffed away in a drawer somewhere.
The best way to declutter your home is to be realistic about which items you use and which are simply taking up space. As you begin your declutter process, you can separate your items into “keep,” “donate,” and “toss” boxes, so you can pass along items that are still in good condition to charities in need.
2. Organize Boxes As You Pack
Another way to keep your move as organized as possible (and make it easier to unpack) is by strategically organizing your boxes. Pack up your old home room by room and keep track of what items you’re putting together in the same box. You should label the boxes by room and contents to keep yourself organized. This will make it much less confusing when you get to your new home and need to start pulling out your decorations and other essential items.
Whether you’re planning to do the move yourself or use a moving company, you can also bring the boxes into your home and set them in the rooms where they belong to avoid things getting lost in the shuffle.
3. Keep Your Essentials in One Place
Although we’d like to be able to pack up all of our belongings at one time, there are many items you’ll need to keep out until your very last day—like cleaning supplies, bedding, and pillows, among other belongings used daily. To make your final packing session as easy as possible, try to keep all of your essentials in one place and, when you have to get the last few things out the door, you can quickly organize these items into one or two boxes you have already prepared.
Label these boxes, too, to avoid anything getting lost, as you’ll probably need to unpack some of these items right away. You may even want to bring this batch of boxes to your new home by car, so you can easily keep track of everything.
4. Unpack Before Decorating
Before you can really begin decorating your home, you need to get all of your belongings out of their boxes. Otherwise, you might end up hanging a painting in your living room before uncovering another decorative item that would look even better in the same place. Get all of your essentials unpacked, such as kitchen items, clothing and bedding.
Once the main items in the house are set up, including furniture, then it’s time to tackle the decor. If you have an idea of where you want to put certain things as you unpack, find an area of each room where you can temporarily store decorative items without them getting in the way.
5. Get Creative with Your Storage Space
Right now, many people are turning to minimalism to downsize their homes and number of possessions as a way to simplify their life. Even if you’re not downsizing, implementing certain elements of minimalist thinking and design can raise your home organization to the next level.
Many tiny home designs emphasize the need for innovative storage space. You have to make use of what you have, which means you can use drawers and shelves to create extra space for items you may not have room to store elsewhere. Building or buying a bed frame with drawers underneath is a great way to provide extra room. And, if yours is one of those cool, fun Austin, Nashville, or Charleston home rentals, you can likely find an antique bed frame that will match the style of your beautiful city while offering plenty of underneath storage space.
6. Make Use of Vertical Storage
Another common trick used by those living in tiny homes, or just homes on the smaller side, vertical storage acts as to store items, of course, but also can have a decorative element. We love the use of ladder shelves, which can give your home a rustic or modern feel, depending on the style, while also providing shelving for items that need to be stored but look purposeful when put out on display. If you have the space, try installing extra shelving on the walls of the kitchen to keep items like recipe books, flowers, kitchen utensils, or even pots and pans.
Spruce Up Your New Home … and Keep It Organized!
Congrats! You’ve done all the hard work of selling your home and you’re on your way toward moving to Charleston (or wherever your heart desires). But, before you can get all settled in, you need to take some steps to ensure your new home will be and will stay organized. During the packing process, it’s important to label your boxes clearly and try to organize them by room so items don’t get lost in the shuffle.
Once you’re all moved in, unpack before you begin decorating and try to make use of the space you have by using vertical storage and finding other creative ways to organize and store your belongings. Your house will feel like home in no time!
