Settling Into Your New Home

Nina's final post - enjoy!

If you have been following my posts, we have already covered the topics of selling and staging a home, as well as the actual move.  Coming into the ‘home stretch’ we will now deal with settling into your new McKee Builders home.  Most people would think that unpacking every box as fast as one could be ideal, but that is not necessarily true.  Let me explain.  In rushing to unpack, certain issues could be forgotten, such as organization.  For me, a great ‘rule of thumb’ is to focus on unpacking and setting up ones bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen.  You may be asking “Why only these three rooms?”  Well, I believe that if you can get a good nights sleep, take a shower and get dressed in the morning, and cook a meal, the rest will fall into place.

That being said, there is an art to unpacking in the sense that where you place each item is essential to getting organized, staying organized, and knowing where your belongings are when you need them.  Organization alleviates stress and saves time and money.  Below is my room-by-room guide on settling into your new home:

 

•  Your kitchen should be set up according to zones such as preparing, cooking and serving.  An example of this would be to have all of your bakeware, pots, and cooking utensils near the cooktop or oven, and the items used to prepare meals should be grouped together and stored close to the area where you will prepare food, etc.  Also, keep items that are not used regularly in higher, ‘out of the way’ cabinets.

•  When unpacking and setting up your bathroom, use shelf organizers to categorize and contain your toiletries, group your towels according to size and color, and place your sheets into the matching pillowcase to keep sheets sets together.  Labeling shelves, basket, and bins is also very useful.

•  Keep in mind that your bedroom is your sanctuary, and in order to enjoy a good nights rest, it should be kept clutter free.  Only unpack and keep in your bedroom what belongs in this particular room.  Any extra items should be stored in an attic, storage room, or basement.  Utilize bins, baskets, and under bed storage to maximize the space.

•  If you have a ‘guest room’ in your new house, keep guest towels and sheets stored in a dresser drawer.  Also, extra toiletries can be kept in this space as well.

•  If you no longer have a ‘home office’, designate a corner in your family room, bedroom, or kitchen to act as a home office.  Creating this ‘little nook’ will be beneficial when it comes time to pay your monthly bills.  Invest in some desk accessories that are appealing and remember to purchase a file box to ‘house’ all of your monthly bills.  You can then transfer the paperwork to a file drawer which can be kept in an attic, basement, or storage room.

•  Any items that you plan to store in an attic, basement, or storage room should be kept in an air-tight, lidded, rubber container which is also labeled.  This will help to ensure that items susceptible to fading will be protected.  Also, it is a good way to keep critters at bay!

My hope is that I have helped to alleviate any stress that is ‘par for the course’ when it comes to moving.  Also, getting organized and staying organized is a foolproof guarantee to living a peaceful life.  If you have enjoyed my blog posts, visit my website to read more.  

Written by Nina Bowdler, Professional Organizer, Divine Intervention. 

Nina can be reached via e-mail at nina@thedivineorganizer.com