Organize Archives

Moving Monday::Landed and Nesting

November 21, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

So here we are in South Carolina!! It’s been 2 weeks since I posted last on Moving Monday because last Monday we were right in the midst of the move and well, I just didn’t have the time to write something up before hand! Things got a little crazy as would be expected the weekend of the move. Leave it to me to make it even crazier by having a Moving PARTY on 11:11:11 the night before we got and loaded the truck. We did it though and it was worth it to say goodbye to friends and family who made it over to our box filled home. And at 11:11 we did make a toast of farewell to our friends and a wish for happy new beginnings.

Saturday started out quite well with the expected friends showing up to help us all through the day. About mid-day though we began to realize there was a strong possibility, not everything would fit on the truck! AHHH My husband had spent some time the previous week taking measurements of boxes and furniture and drawing up a rough schematic but despite all that it seemed clear it wasn’t going to work! The BIG problem was that the truck was about 1′ shorter than expected. That might not seem like much but over a 26′ truck length it adds up and most packing boxes are made to fit in certain size trucks a specific way. If we had that extra space we could have packed the truck a bit more efficiently but trust me, they packed the truck without an inch to spare. FYI, this truck said it would hold a 5 BR capacity which is nonsense! Our house was approximately 1600 sq. feet and three BR’s but only one BR worth of BR furniture (office, tools, art studio and other normal household furniture).

In the midst of my almost moving meltdown I had to run out to a eye Dr. apt and thank god for my friends and mom who stayed behind diligently packing and cleaning at the house.

It was actually very good for me to step away for a bit to put things in perspective. My mom gave me some great advice that day and as simple as it is it’s worth remembering. Everything takes time! So I just tried to remember that for the remainder of the time it took to load what we could. Sunday AM we had planned to leave around 9 but because not everything fit we had to make some last minute trips to drop stuff off to be donated and stored. We threw out and gave things away that we hadn’t originally planned to but nothing that we can’t live without after all, it’s just stuff!

With the house empty and cleaned we finally hit the road for our 8+ hour drive at 4:30PM. The drive was slow with my husband driving the big truck and me in my car. It ended up taking us 11 hours but we made it safely and boy was I happy to see palm tree’s and Spanish moss! Somehow after only 4 hours of sleep we got up and unloaded the truck into our storage bin with the help of my husband’s parents and one kind neighbor friend. It took 5 hours to pack with 10 people helping and only 1.5 hours to unpack with 5 people.

What a relief to have it all unloaded and in storage now. The next phase of our life involves living in a furnished home for about 3 months with a minimum of our belongings. We can run down to our storage unit and get things as we need them but when we packed we selected the items we would need for about 6 months and made them mostly accessible from the time we arrived. We are on our own now and are nesting in our new, temporary home. I’ve spent the last several days cleaning because, despite the fact that this is a clean house, I guess I just need to put my own mark on it. I’m also feeling a little lost since we are not in our final destination so this is my way of making it feel like our home. We re-arranged furniture and have cleaned, unpacked and even done some cooking here. As you can see by this post, I’m also starting to get back into the swing of my old routines…integrating the old with the new.

One new routine I’m loving so far is walks on the beach every day!

How do you get settled into a new place? What is nesting like for you?

Moving Monday::1 Week to Go! (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)
How to Pack a Moving Truck (thenattyurbanite.wordpress.com)

Save

Moving Monday::Where to Begin with Packing

October 3, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 2 Comments

Okay, it’s time for my weekly check in on our moving progress. I’m excited to share that the house is on the market and has shown a few times. It’s got to be kept spic and span which is a challenge in this state of affairs but it’s kind of nice! I’m enjoying having things looking neat and clean for our last amount of time here.

A few more items have made their way onto Craigslist and the flea market is behind us now. It was a wash out but we made a little money before it started pouring and the remaining non valuables went directly to donation. So, what’s the next step? Packing of course! When it comes to packing I wanted to share a little of my strategy. I have a list week by week of what I will be packing by category. I’m sure there will be a little overlap but it’s a plan and it creates weekly goals for our packing which will help keep us on track and feeling less overwhelmed.

Pictures and artwork, especially personal photo’s (those came down before we started to show the house). Next, all the small artwork come off the walls. I pack smaller photo’s and artwork in medium size boxes with newsprint wrapped around each and bubble wrap or cardboard between them.

Small decorative non function items. Otherwise known as Nicknacks:)

Formal china, stemware, crystal and serving pieces. I’m not planning to do any formal entertaining before we leave so these things won’t be needed. We don’t have a lot of it but what there is will go in boxes this week.

Any books I know I won’t be referring to.

By next week it will begin looking a bit more bare around here. This is the part I don’t like very much but I’m hoping to embrace the empty space and enjoy the simplicity of living with less.

Moving Monday::6 Week Countdown (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)
Moving Monday::House Tour (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)

Follow this Friday::Reuse and Organize

September 30, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 2 Comments

Here are a few favorite things I found this week that fall into the categories of reuse and organizing. You can’t beat that combo!Suitcase Side tables from Cupcakes and Cashmere

Crate’s are popping up everywhere and here are a few ideas for their use.

Crate Side table from Neet Magazine

Crate Shelves from Design sponge

Reuse and Organize

Various shelves and organization by way of re-purposed crates, suitcases etc from Recreate

To see more ideas for re-using everyday stuff check out my Pinterest Re-Use It board. If you would like to follow my boards click Here.

There is a lot of discussion these days about how images collected on Pinterest are attributed, in my case I always try to link back to the original makers. In some cases, these items are for sale but may not be available. In other cases, they are simple ideas that no one would mind you reusing in your own way. In any case, I hope you will give credit to the creative makers who inspire us with their DIY inventions!

Save

Moving Magement Countdown

September 12, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Move Management, Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources 6 Comments

It’s official: we found out today that we can leave the DC metro area by the end of October. This is about a month sooner than anticipated, but it’s PERFECT! It seems like things are falling into place, that this move is meant to be. I can’t wait to move forward, but right now, I’m looking at all OUR STUFF, thinking, “I hate moving.” That is not going to be the case this time. I’m embracing it, and I’m going to love it! I’ll check in each Monday here on the blog to tell you about the move management process. So, this week is the first week. Here is what we are doing to plan and organize our move, and maybe it will be helpful to some of you at some point.

Start a “Moving” binder or expandable file folder to keep all the information in one location. Include everything related here (e.g., the moving information, donations, sales and giveaways, storage, lodging, and other information for the destination location).
Use food, cleaning supplies, and other perishables or consumables you don’t want to move.
Check pricing on moving companies, trucks, and storage facilities and be ready to book in 1-2 weeks. There are several options: DIY, hire a service or a hybrid (you pack, they move).
Make decisions about large items to sell, donate, or give away. Collect items to get rid of (for donation, sale, or throw away) throughout daily routines; keep an empty box and bags in one location and place items to get rid of.
Research hotels or other temporary housing and book as needed.
Enlist or hire help for the day of the move and unpacking the following days.

Moving Boxes Packing Supplies:

Locate and purchase boxes and other packing supplies. Determining the number of boxes needed is a bit tricky, but a moving supply company can help you calculate this based on how many household members you have and how large your home is. Supplies will include the following:
- Boxes in various sizes, specialized wardrobe boxes, china and silverware boxes, flat boxes, and cardboard for artwork.
- Equipment such as dollies and hand carts will make moving large items much easier and safer.
- Packing tape (and guns), markers, labels, box cutters (or other such knives), bubble wrap/packing peanuts, and newspaper (or unprinted newsprint, which is much less messy).
- Packing pads, blankets, sheets (the old ones you don’t need anymore), and plastic shrink wrap (which is not very eco-friendly but sometimes is very helpful!).

Lists and Inventory:

Number each box and add it to the list
A short description of the contents of each box, making special notes of valuable (sentimental or monetary) items or general contents by Category ex. Lampshades, pillows, linens, china, clothes, etc.
Label the box with the DESTINATION room location
Work alongside packers (if you’ve hired a moving company) to be sure boxes are labeled accurately (even if they don’t have a description, you can add a number and room)

Packing-Where to start:

Pictures and artwork, especially personal photos
Next, remove all the small artwork from the walls. Pack smaller photos and artwork in medium-sized boxes, with newsprint wrapped around each and bubble wrap or cardboard between them.
Small decorative non-function items. Otherwise known as Nicknacks:)
Formal china, stemware, crystal, and serving pieces.
Books of anything you won’t need to refer to.

Since the move is going to take up a lot of my time, I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to commit to blogging, but I’ll be popping in to share our progress and any other helpful or interesting things that come up. I am SO excited!! Can you tell?

Clutter Free Friday

March 11, 2011 by Heather Filed Under: Organize 2 Comments

“Living Empty means we release the things that are no longer in alignment with who we are becoming. The release itself tells us who that is. The emptiness shows us the way.”~Christine Kane

If you have been following my blog this year you may remember my word of intention for 2011 is Clarity! As I clear away some of the physical (and emotional) baggage I’ve been dragging around I’ve recently realized that I want to help people find clarity in their own lives. I will be working towards becoming a Professional Organizer, so this will be a subject you will be seeing more of here. I’m actually surprised I didn’t include de-cluttering in my Wednesday Wellness series! Living organized is living well!

My mission is to help my clients Cultivate creative solutions for a more joyful home.

Do you hang onto stuff because you think you might use it again one day, because it’s sentimental or you just can’t part with it because you love it? There is no right or wrong answer but there are those of us that have a very hard time parting with things. I am not a hoarder by any means and I also don’t consider myself a minimalist (and I certainly don’t think everyone needs to be) I fall somewhere in the middle, which I suspect is where most people fall. I think we all have areas in our homes and our lives that get cluttered and overwhelming and sometimes we need a push to get started. I think it’s a very healthy process to get rid of things that you no longer need.

Making small changes in your home can create big changes in your life!

Every Spring and Fall I go through a period of purging that usually lasts a month or two. I get rid of things that I no longer need, things that are broken, things I just don’t love anymore and things that I know someone else could use more than me. I have a rule that I picked up somewhere, whenever I get something new I have to get rid of something. For example last week I got a new pair of PJ’s but I got rid of a pair (actually like 3) that were worn out and I didn’t really use any more. I also have a rule that I rarely buy books. I’m an avid Library user so I get tons of books from them and I consider all the late fee’s I get my contribution towards the library system. If I can’t find what I want at the library I usually ask around and try to borrow it and if that doesn’t work I may end up buying it myself. I love books but my house would be filled to the roof if I owned every book I read or wanted to read.

So, what are you doing this weekend? Why not get started on that Spring cleaning if you haven’t already. Maybe start with some books and some of those winter clothes you haven’t worn once this winter. Go ahead, give yourself permission to live a little lighter and find a little more joy in your new found space!