Move-in Tips from a Home Organizer & Designer
It’s truly a privilege to bring our experience navigating moves and new home set-up to help you through your life transitions. I know first-hand how stressful it can be to navigate a move while juggling all the responsibilities of work and caring for family. With a lifetime of my own frequent moves, and several years helping others as a professional organizer, decorator, and move manager, I hope I can be a resource to ease these transitions and accelerate the process of settling into your new or renovated space.
In the past I’ve shared tips about pre-move decluttering, making long-distance moves, preparing for the move itself, and here I will be talking about one of my favourite parts: setting up your new space.
Helping people space plan, furnish and set up new spaces is incredibly fun and rewarding. I love getting to know new people, taking the time to understand what’s prompted your move, and sharing the hopes and dreams that the next phase of life will surely open up. After getting to know you through an initial discovery call and consult/questionnaire, I can help guide you through the key stages of navigating moves to ensure your space is set up thoughtfully. As you prepare to embrace your next phase of life, how you set up your home has the ability to impact your health and wellness, shape your outlook, strengthen your relationships, and enhance your overall lifestyle and happiness.
Here are the key stages that go into creating a space you’ll love:
Phase 1: Anticipating a Move
Vision - As a prospective buyer, you’ve likely envisioned your new lifestyle and routines. Get clear on your priorities for the location and space, including your wants, needs and vision board. You can use Pinterest boards, Instagram collections (saved and sorted by room or project), or photo albums with screenshots from digital magazines or places you’ve been.
Budget - Know your numbers. As you’re navigating the buying/selling process, it’s typical to factor in renovation costs and furnishings. Other moving related costs likely include: movers (truck, transport charges, and labour), packers/professional organizers, packing supplies, temporary storage (if needed), painting, and cleaning. Starting early can help you avoid unnecessary expenses, and even make money by selling valuables you no longer need.
Edit - If you’ve struggled with decluttering in the past, now you can lean on your vision for the future to inspire what to keep and what to let go of. Ask yourself: do I need this item for the next phase of life? How will keeping this item be useful to me in the future? Do I need the physical item to achieve the goal? Is it worth the space and the hassle of moving? Taking the time to really consider the things you want to make space for helps you clarify your priorities and inspire creative solutions for bringing your vision to life.
Phase 2: Planning Your New Space
Space Plan - Get detailed floor plans and measurements and decide on the layout factoring in flow and function. What will the focal point of each space be and how will key activities be oriented around it? What existing furniture or belongings will fit the space and its intended use? What will you need to part with, store elsewhere or source to fit the space and fulfill your vision?
Lookbook - Once you know the desired layout and flow of a space, find a favourite image or two to inspire each room — keeping in mind the colour palette, materials and feel of the space to guide what goes in. From there, you can create a furnishings lookbook with the key pieces that will be incorporated into each space.
Sourcing - Furniture delivery times can vary so prioritize decisions around essentials such as beds, dining table and chairs, living room seating and storage solutions to ensure you can order and receive them by your move-in date, or plan a short-term solution if needed. (You can always layer in additional pieces but having your essentials when you need them will ease the transition.) In addition to the look, the sourcing stage references your space plan, budget, timelines and lifestyle with careful consideration to the scale/size and composition of each piece to ensure it’s the right fit for you.
Phase 3: Moving-in
An Organized Move - Get a head start and pace yourself with the packing. Ensure every box is packed and labelled based on where you want things to go in the new space, making a note of the contents of each box. You should also have signage up on move day to match your box labels. Movers operate in a hurry so having someone onsite to double-check and communicate where items go is essential. (Making sure heavy boxes and furniture get where they need to be the first time they’re handled will save you and your movers a lot of trouble.)
Priority Set-up - Kitchens and bedrooms are always the most urgent to set-up so everyone can stay rested and well-fuelled through the move. Know your priority areas and start there. Ensure satisfaction with furniture placement and fine-tune adjustable shelves before filling up cabinets and drawers in your storage furniture. It’s quite common to do a final edit of your belongings based on how things fit and feel in the space. Only once the layout is finalized, will you want to hang art and mirrors so keep them in a safe spot until then.
There’s no better time to set up your home with intention and bring thoughtful organization than when moving or renovating. Thinking about your next big transition? Don’t hesitate to loop in professionals who can be part of your team. We frequently collaborate with realtors to support you through the transition and help you think through logistics and details that will help you make the most of your new space.
We offer custom packages suited to your needs and aimed at supporting you through the stages above. These range from 4-hour decluttering or packing/unpacking sessions (to help you in a crunch) to custom mood boards and furnishing packages along with ordering/fulfilment in collaboration with our experienced team at Isabey Interiors. Reach out today for a complimentary discovery call.
Sarah Grant, Professional Organizer & Trained Interior Decorator, Member of Isabey Interiors Design Team