AUGUST 2024

Hello, organizing clients and friends!

Last month I had the pleasure of moving a lovely family from a rental apartment to their newly-renovated, four-bedroom house. I worked onsite for 59 hours over 11 days to declutter, pack, move, then unpack and organize their new space. Below are photos and descriptions of our process.

Packing

For cross-town moves, I use:

• U-Haul small & medium-sized boxes stack neatly and are easy to carry up stairs and through doorways. For this job, I used 90 boxes.

• Packing paper is faster to use than bubble wrap and is recyclable.

• Extra-strong packing tape is faster to use; thin tapes rip and tangle.

• Contractor bags for soft items like linens, pillows, casual clothing.

As we packed, the clients and I reviewed each category of items in their apartment and decluttered mightily. I delivered five carloads of donations to Westside Baby, Mary's Place, Goodwill, WS Food Bank, plus recycling to household hazardous waste, Styro Recycle, and Interconnection. 

The clients told me stories about favorite items (books, photos, keepsakes) that I knew I wanted to feature in the new house. I also took note of items I could repurpose, such as a silver tray I later polished and used to contain their coffee supplies, and a mug from a special event that I later used as a pen cup.

I used colored tape on each box and piece of furniture to indicate where they should go in the new house, and (but of course) I made a spreadsheet to keep track of the overall project.

Moving day

Because we had prepared so thoroughly, moving day itself went smoothly. The movers worked quickly and carefully, taping moving blankets around each piece of furniture for protection. The clients and I hand-carried delicate items, house plants, and refrigerated food in our cars.

At the new house, while the movers placed furniture and assembled the beds, I unpacked strategically with the goal of creating a calm, functional environment so that the family could rest.

I set up both home offices for use the following morning; stocked the bathrooms with soap, towels, and tissue; set up the coffee station; unpacked enough books and pictures onto shelves so that the house felt familiar; and consolidated moving boxes out of sightlines in each room.

Unpacking and organizing

Over the next week I unpacked and organized each room. To complement the natural materials and airy aesthetic of the remodel, I used bamboo, wood, clear acrylic, and opaque organizers from Amazon and The Container Store.

In the kitchen and dining room, I used bamboo drawer inserts, organizers, dividers, and MDesign clear plastic bins. I used 1/2" clear labels inside each cupboard and drawer. This way, the labels are only visible when the cupboards and drawers are opened.

before

after

To organize toiletries and first aid items, I first sorted them by category, then stored them using Bino stackable drawers, iDesign bins, and Stori drawer organizers. In the lower cupboards, I used 1" white labels for easy visibility.

As of this writing, the clients have lived in their new house for one week. They are completely unpacked and the moving boxes are gone. We are waiting for additional shelving to be installed before we can finish their pantry, garage, and two closets, but already their beautiful new house feels like home.

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