Moving to the Suburbs? Here Are 5 Ways to Get Organized in Your New Home

As stressful as it can be, moving to a new city or home also presents one of the best opportunities for decluttering your space and setting yourself up for organizational success in your new digs. That’s especially true for anyone moving from the city to the ‘burbs, where you’re likely to be gaining a lot more space. 

While anyone who’s upgrading from a one-bedroom apartment in a city to a three-bedroom house in the suburbs might see all that extra space as a windfall when it comes to home organization (and to be clear, it sort of is), things won’t just fall into place on their own in your new space. So here are five simple tips to consider if you’re moving to a bigger space in the suburbs, and want to make your new home your most organized ever. 

Declutter Before You Move

Ideally, organization for your new space should start well before you start browsing Zillow listings. It may seem counterintuitive if you’re planning on moving to a place with lots more storage space than you’re used to, but decluttering and streamlining your current setup is a sound investment in getting your new space setup just the way you’d like. 

This could mean something as simple as taking inventory of your closet and asking if every pair of shoes you own still “sparks joy” to selling your small-space friendly furniture in order to stockpile some savings to buy bigger, better pieces that will make more sense in a larger home. By doing so, not only will you save on moving costs but you’ll eventually be giving yourself a fresh start in your new space, with plenty of time to decide on what furniture, organization systems, and decor will work there. 

Once You’ve Closed, Make a Packing Plan

As soon as you’ve closed on your new place (congratulations!) it’s worth getting started on a packing plan. If you’ve got the time, consider packing up as much as you can yourself, as opposed to hiring movers to do it for you. In doing so, you can start organizing your new home even before you’re moved in by deciding which new room everything belongs in. Otherwise, your moving company will probably just move your current living room stuff to the new living room, and so on. In short, this is a time to make changes to your current setup. 

Set Aside an Organization Budget & Create a Calendar

Moving is expensive, but do yourself a favor and set aside a certain amount of your budget for investing in new bins, shelving, and other organizational infrastructure your new home might need. Even if you’re organizing a relatively small amount of stuff in a big, new space, getting everything in order from the get-go is a worthy long-term investment. 

Tackle Organization Projects on Move-In Day

This seems like such a simple thing to do, but label the rooms in your new home on move-in day to make sure your movers know exactly which box and which piece of furniture should go where. There’s a lot going on during any move-in, and it’s pretty much guaranteed that you won’t be available to answer every question your movers have regarding what should go where, so making sure all of your boxes, furniture, and rooms, are labeled will go a long way in making sure everything ends up in the right spot. 

Unpack Strategically

Prioritize your everyday items while unpacking: clothes, bedding, shoes, etc. But also, give yourself time for a second opinion on whether what you’re unpacking is something you really need in your new space, or something that could go to better use if it were donated instead. 

Lots of people like to take inventory of their closets, junk drawers, or offices once a year as part of a New Year’s resolution or spring clean. But honestly, you should get into the habit of doing this every single day. Keep a donation bin handy while you’re unpacking to fill with anything you decide just doesn’t work in your new space, and then keep it on a shelf in a closet or cupboard for daily use. It’s an easy strategy for keeping your new home neat and tidy, and you’ll be doing some good even long after you’ve settled into your new place.