Moving can be a rocky journey, and the more stuff you have, the harder it can be. For me, I will soon be venturing out into the real world—leaving the comfort of my parent’s home to find my first apartment. As I start to think about picking up my entire life and moving, I feel the daunting stress that many are faced with when they transition to a new space. Debra Funt, founder and president of Debra Funt Interiors, gave some valuable advice on how to organize and plan for a move.
Plan it Out, Measure, and Buy Things in Scale
Whether it’s your first apartment, the penthouse suite, or that beautiful home you just took off the market, measuring out a route where furniture will land is key in ensuring your items make it to their final destination in one piece. “Get a floor plan of your new home and measure everything you think you want to take with you and make sure it will fit,” Funt says. “Measure the depth, the width, the height of everything you own and like a doll house, see if it works.” This is one piece of advice that is overlooked in many moves and can end tragically if your favorite ottoman won’t make the corner turn or your dining room table can’t make the elevator ride up.
Color Coding is Key
“My big tip for organizing is what I call five color magic, in order to edit your belongings, be ruthless and get five different color post-its,” Funt says.
Then you need to label each color post-it: Items to keep; items for the trash; items for give away, friends, or charity; items for storage; items you want to sell
When all is said and done, the colors will give you a sense of accomplishment and will paint a clear picture of how the move will play out.
Be Strict When You Make the Move
“If you hated the clutter in your old space, don’t repeat the process in your new space. Keep nothing for the first six months besides family photos and a couple of pillows,” Funt says. Make sure to use the color-coding tips above and do not put too much into the first category because you want your new place to feel like your new place and not your old space. Funt suggests bringing an “editorial eye” and not rushing to complete your new space. After you move in, take the time to live there and get a sense of how your style fits into this new space before you start cluttering in your old memories.
With this five colored post it note system, a tape measure, your favorite radio station, and a bottle of rosé, I’m sure moving not only won’t be so bad, it might even be fun.
