It’s another brand new year, and for many of us, that means grand resolutions and big life changes. Maybe you finally want to declutter your house. Maybe it’s a new lick of paint. Or maybe you are making the biggest change of all by moving house. Moving home is said to be one of the most stressful times in your life, and it is certainly not something to take lightly. However, here at The Home Stylist, we believe that a little planning and thoughtful organisation can go a long way in making it stress-free.
Here are a handful of helpful moving house tips from our team of stylists.
First things first: decluttering. The ‘d’ word inspires fear in many, but this is the single best thing you can do to help your move go smoothly. Because why haul unwanted furniture and clutter from one dusty cupboard to a newer, less dusty one?
There are a few things to consider before setting out on a decluttering mission so that you stay focused and strict.
First, think about the size of your new home. Are you upsizing or downsizing? Remember that if you are moving into a bigger house, it doesn’t mean you should ignore the decluttering stage. Plus, it is worth considering each room individually. Is the kitchen smaller? Is the bedroom larger? Decluttering systematically, room by room, thinking about how much more or less space you have in each room of the new house, will help set you up for easy packing and unpacking. And the number one rule in decluttering is to get rid of more than you think you need to! It’s not often that you’ll miss the things you give away.
At the same time as thinking about the size of each room, you should think about the storage available in the new home. Visiting the new home and writing down an inventory of each room is really helpful for this. A quick little sketch of the layout also helps too. If there is no built-in storage, which current furniture will fit in each room and will it be enough to hold everything you need for that room?
When considering furniture, taking measurements is a foolproof way to make sure everything will fit as you want it to. Planning your room layout ahead of time using these measurements will help with everything from decluttering to unpacking to styling.
Furniture isn’t the only reason to take wall measurements. You’ll also want to consider your new wall space for your art. Can you hang paintings in the same room in the new house or do you need to find a new spot for your favourite piece? If you are packing by room – which we recommend – making these decisions early will help enormously when unpacking.
The next thing to think about is how you live in your home. Are you at home a lot? Do you entertain often? And most importantly, do you want to live the same way in your new house? Maybe your new house is the result of new family members, or children leaving the nest and therefore your new space should accommodate these changes.
Lastly, think about style. Do you know what your style is? Do you want to keep it or will you work with what you have to create a totally new look? A new home is a great time to revamp your style and working with new spaces can really get your creative juices flowing. Again, it is always better to get started with ideas ahead of time rather than in the throes of moving.
So, after decluttering, storage and furniture planning, and considering any style and lifestyle changes, you should be all set to pack up your home and create a new one. But, if the thought of the big day is still causing you anxiety you can always consider asking for a helping hand…
The Home Stylist is now offering Moving House services within and to Hong Kong. This new service allows you to take a step back, or a few days away, while our team of experts coordinate with removals companies, deal with the handover and unpack with style in mind. Click here to find out more.
