Author Archives: The Move Makers

Painless Closet Organizing – The Liberating Feeling of LESS

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I moved into my current petite home after seriously downsizing three times before. In the beginning, everything fit beautifully, with plenty of room to spare. Five years and one pandemic later, I began to feel the crunch. Somewhere along the way, my normal routine of editing my wardrobe seasonally had stopped working. Drawers were a little harder to close, I had even purchased additional hangers. Twice. I found myself laying clothes over a chair rather than wedging them into my closet. Does this sound familiar?

I decided it was time to do something about it. I borrowed a sturdy folding clothes rack, put a gardening podcast on speaker and got to work... Read the rest

Prepare to Pack – 10 Packing Tips from the Pros

Move Planning and Management Packing and Move Preparation No Comments

During the months/weeks/days before your move, remember to stop buying food and supplies. Eat the food in your freezer and pantry, and wait to replace tools and small appliances until you arrive at your new home. For more tips, download our Move Checklist. 

Do not underestimate the time it takes to pack. If you have ALL of the materials you need and have made ALL of the decisions about what to keep, it may still take 20-40 hours (or more) to pack up your home.

10 Packing Tips from the Pros

  1. Set up an area in each room to place items you will need before, or immediately after your move (medications, computer and phone chargers, vitamins, toiletries, clothing, etc.).
.. Read the rest

Preparing For Your Move – How to Save Time, Money and Avoid Stress

Move Planning and Management Packing and Move Preparation No Comments

If you are moving this summer, now is the time to do a reality check. Are you finished sorting? Have you booked a mover? Are you being realistic about the time it will take you to do all of the move-related tasks on your list?

Here are 3 tips for saving time, money and avoiding stress:

  1. Book the mover early
    • If you’re moving out of state, your move will be estimated by the weight of everything you are taking. Complete sorting before you get an estimate if at all possible.
    • If you’re moving locally, you will be charged by the hour, so the more you donate, sell or discard, the more you will save.
.. Read the rest

How Discovering What Motivates You Can Help When it’s Time to Let Go of Your Unwanted Possessions

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Once you have revisioned your home and made decisions about possessions that no longer support your vision, the logical next step is, of course, to let go. This can be a difficult part of the process for many of us, especially when the items have been in your possession for a long period of time, or they carry emotional weight.

How do you find motivation to take this final step? Below are some questions you can ask yourself to help uncover your motivator. Remember to focus on one object, or related group of objects at a time: 

  •  Does the thought of having everything just “disappear” bring relief?
.. Read the rest

Edit Your Belongings to Support Your Updated Vision

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Many of us find it difficult to part with possessions from a previous chapter of our lives, resulting in a home, garage, or storage area filled with outdated belongings. However, do these items truly merit occupying so much valuable space now? Why do we cling to things that no longer serve a purpose? How can we learn to identify and take action when our priorities and interests shift? And what are the consequences of failing to do so?

There are many reasons why we hang on to belongings. We think we may, at some future time, rekindle a past interest and will need those particular items again... Read the rest

Envision Your Next Home

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Many years ago, when I began my career as a Professional Organizer and Move Manager, one of the most powerful tools in my “toolkit” was to help my clients envision how they wanted to live in their space, rather than focusing only on their belongings. Whether they were moving soon, or not at all, this was an extremely effective way to identify what was most important to them, which in turn, helped them to make decisions about what to keep.

Below are some tips to help you envision how you want to live in your next (or current) home. Remember to focus on the space, NOT on your belongings!.. Read the rest

Things to do NOW if you are planning to move in 2022

Move Planning and Management No Comments

Are you moving this year, or thinking of moving in the next few years? Moving can be a daunting task, especially if you have a busy life or have lived in your house for many years. There are steps you can take NOW that will make things much easier when it’s time to move.

Please note that if you are moving in the next month or two and you are feeling overwhelmed, read our post about Moving Do’s and Don’ts, or better yet, contact us here. Our team can step in to provide help where you need it. To find out more about our team, see recent post here... Read the rest

The Move Makers are Certifiably Awesome

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Professional development is a very important part of our mission at The Move Makers.  Since our clients engage us to help them make important decisions about their personal belongings and navigate the process of moving and creating a new home, our Project Managers and Professional Organizers routinely earn professional certifications in several industry-related areas, the better to serve them. Here’s a snapshot of our achievements:

Operations Manager Rachael Langtry is certified as a SMM-C (Certified Senior Move Manager) by NASMM, the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers. NASMM sets high standards and protocols for the senior move management industry, and, according to the NASMM website, an SMM-C certification “exemplifies an expanded knowledge of essential operation and client service issues unique to Senior Move Management.”.. Read the rest

Kitchen Chi – Feng Shui tips for Your Home’s Heart

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Feng Shui, the ancient system of laws that practitioners follow to direct energy into a home, is often applied to areas like the living room and bedroom. While you can’t really move around the counters and appliances in your kitchen like you can a couch or chair, there are still several ways to bring in the peace and energy flow to your kitchen space.

In our blog “Energizing Your Home with Feng Shui”, we discussed the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.  It’s easy to add these elements to the fixed nature of your kitchen through decor like lighting, paint, and decor. “The.. Read the rest

Is Your Home Ready for the Holidays?

Downsizing and Organizing How to Organize Productivity What are you Squirreling away? No Comments

If you’re gathering with extended family this holiday season, now is the time to take a good look at the entertaining spaces in your home, to organize and clear out the clutter to make way for a fresh start to the holiday season.  Let’s take a look at some of the clutter hotspots in the home.

Kitchen  

Pitch the scratched pots and pans –  throw out any scratched non-stick pots and pans, or donate any you’ve not used in a couple of years. Not only are scratched non-stick pans unsightly, they’re also unsafe to use.  Make sure your lids match the pots you’re keeping, and donate (or discard) the rest.  .. Read the rest