I have a little secret. Well, once I tell you, it won’t be such a secret – I have had a clutter problem for my entire life. Part of it was due to overshopping, but most was due to what I call, the lack of the “Tetris gene”. You know what I’m talking about – the game where you have to fit falling blocks into neatly organized rows. I stink at it. I swear, most of my friends who can keep their home organized are great Tetris players!

But, I digress. So, I’ve decided that I’m going to use my most recent move to get myself over my Clutter. I’m in a smaller apartment, and though I threw out tons and tons of garbage, and gave away a ton more to charity, I still have too much to fit in this apartment. So, my promise to myself is – after the boxes are unpacked, whatever does not fit neatly on a shelf, or in a closet, goes in the garbage!

Anyone have a favorite tip you’d like to share for clearing clutter? And, anyone want to help me with this challenge? I’d love some moral support, LOL!

My move is finally finished! After almost a week of standing on my feet almost all day, every day, till 2am packing, and then a full day of moving the items, everything is in my new place.

I have to say, it was traumatic to watch 3 years of memories be packed and moved in a matter of hours, and then see my old apartment bare.  Leaving a building I loved was sad as well.

Here’s the kicker – when everything had been moved, the movers paid, and they left, I suddenly learned all the things I had failed to prepare.  So, let me give you my list below, in the hopes of helping you!

1. You will need some kind of knife/scissors or sharp object to cut the tape and be able to open your boxes and unpack, doh!  Pack it in a small bag you move yourself, or carry with you, with many of the other necessities I will mention below.
2. Make sure you leave a shower curtain and whatever hardware you need to hang it, in your little bag – trust me, you’ll want that shower after you move, and if you can’t find the shower curtain, you’ll be pissed!
3. Towels!  After the shower, you’ll probably want to dry off, so make sure your shower towel is packed with the shower curtain and that you can find them.
4. COMFORTABLE SHOES!  Have at least 2 pairs of shoes available, ideally sneakers, so if your feet start hurting from the move, you can change pairs.
5. Paper plates, plastic-ware – buy some, it will be a while till you find dishes and glasses!
6. Underwear – have several pairs so that if you can’t dig out your clothes for a few days, you’re covered! (LOL – literally and figuratively!)
7. Pajamas – having a nice, clean pair of pajamas makes a world of difference – you get to feel comfortable and this helps you sleep in a new place the first night.
8. Sheets, pillow, blanket – in addition to the PJs – you’ll want to know where your bedding is so that you can quickly make the bed and jump in!
9. Windex and paper towels – I can’t tell you how much dust I am dealing with – it’s an absolute must to have cleaning products and paper towel at the ready!
10. Extension cords, power strips – how are you going to plug in anything?  With plugs!  You’ll have your alarm clock, lights(!!), the TV, compter, phone – you gotta know where these are for the first day.
11. Water bottles – your movers will be thirsty, and so will you – unpacking is very dehydrating, and a lot of work.  Make sure you have  a lot of water at the ready.

I’m in the process of moving (tomorrow’s the day!) and stayed up till 1am packing the kictchen up, including most of the food.  Ooops.  I left some bread out, but packed the peanut butter, the jam, and even the Vegemite!

Luckily, I had one tiny frozen sausage in the freezer, which I microwaved just a tad too long, but it hit the spot along with my lovely cup of tea.

So, if you’re in the process of moving, remember to keep out something for breakfast for yourself so that you save time the morning of the move, and keep yourself energized for the day of the move!

I’m getting ready to move to a new apartment, and even though it’s not far away, I am overwhelmed! Trying to throw out enough junk to fit someplace new, hoping I can sell my valuable belongings instead of putting them in the trash, wondering how many boxes I will need, and how on earth I will pack what remains. And then there’s trying to remember to move electric service, choosing a provider for phone, internet and cable…..oy! I can understand how easy it is to get so wrapped up in this process that we don’t spend any time at all preparing for what will happen after the big move.

This is why it’s so essential to start building a foundation for yourself well before you get anxious about the packing. The logistics are short-term, your life and happiness are much longer term, and more important and deserve some focus.

If you’ve already moved and you’re in a relocation rut, all you have to do is step outside and try something new. Maybe it’s a street you’ve never walked on, a restaurant you’ve never been to, one thing, and it will start opening you up to trying more new things, which will in turn, give you the energy to start building up a network of friends if you don’t already have one – and this is the core of a healthy transition experience.

I’m excited to announce a very inspiring interview with one of my clients who moved from Los Angeles to New York. She left behind everyone she knew, and came friendless and jobless. She has created a network of friends that are like family (I’ve met them!) and used some excellent tactics to create a life for herself that she loves. I’ve bottled her wisdom into an interview that will help you learn some great strategies to either start building that foundation before you leave, or turn your life around if you’re already moved. If this sounds like something you’d like to know more about, please click here!