The Americas

You’ve been dreaming of your new home for decades. For years you’ve been saving and planning. For months you’ve been designing and waiting for it to be complete. That day has finally arrived; move-in day!

But, no matter how many new homes you’ve moved into before, you know there is no perfect way to accomplish the task. Inevitably, moving and organizing turns chaotic.

However, we’ve narrowed down our five favorite tips to make organizing your home easier than ever before. Let’s break it down.

1. Color Coordinate Your Boxes

Sometimes packing is rushed because it’s almost guaranteed that you didn’t calculate enough time to accomplish everything with ease before the big move. When this happens, items haphazardly get strewn into boxes and labeled without regard. This leaves unpacking even more complicated. “Why are there books and towels and a spoon and a stapler all in one box?” you’ll wonder.

However, if you take extra care when packing, organizing will be much easier.

So, step one is to assign a color to each room. Maybe blue for the kitchen, red for the family room, orange for the master bedroom and bathroom, pink for your daughter’s room, and green for your son’s room. This method isn’t perfect or fail-proof, but especially if you have help moving in—whether from professionals or family and friends—it will help everyone ensure each box makes it to where it will be unloaded rather than just setting everything in your entryway.

And as an added benefit, when you order food after a long day’s work, you’ll already be able to narrow down where the plates might be.

2. Label Your Boxes

Just like any task, preparation helps to ensure things run smoothly. So, don’t just stop at color coordinating boxes, label them as well.

For example, when you are packing your everyday plates, place them in a box and before sealing it (don’t walk away and forget what is in said box) label the box with a blue dot in blue market and add the word dishes.

Similarly, don’t assume that someone will handle your box with care just because it’s labeled dishes. Go the extra step and add “fragile” and “this side up” as well.

3. Take One Room at a Time

When you move into a new house, you’ll need to decorate and organize each room of your new abode. This will seem overwhelming at times, but you’re not likely on a schedule—unless it’s one you arbitrarily created for yourself—so take a breath, and tackle one room at a time.

Yes, you may want to at least set up each person’s bed and put away a few outfits so your life can continue on as the unpacking happens when time allows, but try to stay focused.

If every room in your home is somewhat disheveled and somewhat organized, you’re going to feel like you haven’t accomplished anything. Instead, choose a room—maybe the family room if you want to start hosting soon—and unpack and decorate until you feel you’ve accomplished all you can and you’d be glad to invite people over. Then, with that one weight of your shoulders, have a little celebratory dance party, and then pick the next place to start.

4. Continue to Discard Items as You Move Room to Room

Hopefully, you carefully considered what you were packing rather than unnecessarily lugging things you know you don’t want any more from old house to new house. If not, start now.

When unpacking, really consider if what you own adds value to your life. And value doesn’t necessarily mean monetary value. Does the item make you smile? Does it make your life easier? Is it something you use or wear on a regularly basis?

Don’t feel guilty or hoard if something doesn’t fit this list. Instead, find a new home for it, up-cycle, or recycle.

While something may have benefited your life in you old home, it may not fit quite right into your new home. But, don’t jump to conclusions either—it did make the move after all.

Instead, create an “I don’t know where to put you” pile. Then, once everything is unpacked, go back through this pile and determine the appropriate next step.

5. Add to Your Home After Unpacking

Moving into a new home is so exciting! And this time it’s even better as it was made specifically for you. You’re probably bursting for the day when it’ll be just right. But, like the build, decorating is a process that shouldn’t be rushed.

For this reason it’s best not to add anything into your space until you’ve unpacked everything you already own.

There will be a day when you have the desire to run out to the store and pick a few things up that will complement your new space, and there will definitely be days for this. But if you’re still unpacking, try to hold off.

With a growing family and years of accumulating things into your life, it’s impossible to remember every single item you own. So, while you may be tempted to purchase throw pillows for your entryway bench, you may find that you actually want to use your former family room pillows there instead and replace those.

Similarly, you might want a mirror hanging alongside your art in the dining room to add more light and texture, but the one you had hanging in your bedroom just doesn’t quite fit that space anymore and you rehome it instead.

You’ve carefully selected the items in your life. And they’ve made it to each of your new homes, this one included. So take the time to find a spot in your home for what you already own first.

There is no right way to organize a new home, but these tips will help make your transition a smooth ride rather than a rocky new beginning.