Moving is often described as one of the most stressful life events—and for good reason. Between coordinating logistics, packing up years of belongings, and adjusting to a new space, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

As someone who recently went through the moving process myself (yes, I did and it happened quickly – more details next), I can completely relate.

But here’s the good news: with the right strategies and a little preparation, you can take control of the chaos and turn your move into an exciting fresh start. As a Certified Professional Organizer®, I’ve helped countless clients navigate the moving process with ease, and today, I’m sharing my top tips to help you stay organized every step of the way.

THE WHY BEHIND OUR MOVE

For those who’ve been following my blog or social media, you might remember that I moved back in May 2022. Now, just three years later, you may be wondering why we’ve moved again. The truth is, we were renting the home we lived in. The family who owned it had relocated out of state for work, but at the end of March, they informed me they will be returning.

I was caught off guard when I received their note. They kindly offered to let us stay through the end of June, but if you know me, you know I’m a woman of action. Once the decision was made, I preferred to get on the other side of it as quickly as possible.

That said, a move was already something I had been considering—and for several reasons.

First, we were living farther out than I wanted to be. And it wasn’t just me who felt that way—my kids did too. Their school is several cities away, and the commute was a challenge. Just getting to the freeway in the morning took 20 minutes, and while my senior has been driving my freshman to and from school this year, next year he’ll be off to college. That means I’ll be managing the carpool until she gets her license. With an 8am start time and an even worse afternoon commute, the logistics weren’t sustainable alongside my work schedule.

On top of that, most of our clients are based on the other side of town. Living closer in would not only simplify my work commute but also make my day-to-day operations much more efficient.

Another important point is that my son is graduating from high school this month. I did not want to spend the summer dealing with a move and losing time we could be spending together or doing family things.

There are a few other personal reasons for the move, but those were a few of the biggest.

When the homeowners shared their need to return, I took it as divine timing. It felt like the push I needed to make a change I had already been considering. Sometimes, life has a way of nudging us in the direction we’re meant to go.

HOW IT CAME TOGETHER SO QUICKLY

Once I received the news, I wasted no time and immediately began searching for homes in the areas I had my heart set on. I was especially eager to get back to the neighborhood where we used to live—it’s not only closer to my gym but also incredibly convenient, ticking all the boxes on our wish list. I explored both rental and buying options, and with the market here showing signs of cooling and home prices dropping, I felt hopeful.

By early April, I had toured about 6-8 homes, but each time, I was outbid. It was disheartening, and as the days went by, I started to lose hope that I’d be able to pull off a move by the end of the month. I scoured all the usual real estate sites, but no matter how hard I searched, I kept hitting a wall.

Then, on one particularly low morning, it hit me—I hadn’t shared my moving plans with a realtor friend of mine. I had already spoken with two other realtors I know, but somehow, this friend had slipped my mind. As soon as I reached out, everything changed. He came through in a way I’ll never forget, and I’ll forever be grateful to him!

Within days, he tapped into his network and found a home that checked all the boxes: it was available as soon as May 1, fit my budget, and was close enough to my desired location. Everything happened so quickly—it was like a whirlwind! I saw the home on a Thursday, submitted the application on Friday, and by Saturday, I was approved. All of this unfolded over the weekend of April 26.

Yes, that meant I had just 4-5 days to pack up and move. Could I pull it off? Without a doubt!

HOW DID I PACK SO QUICKLY?

In all honesty, as soon as I got the news at the end of March, I jumped into action. My first step? Ordering moving boxes, packing bags, packing paper, and tape. I knew we’d be moving by the end of June at the latest, so every evening, I spent 1-2 hours packing anything we didn’t need or use regularly. I started by asking myself, “What won’t we need between now and then?” and worked from there.

Now, I know this post is about staying organized during a move, and I promise we’re getting to my top tips. But first, I wanted to share the “why” behind this move and how I managed to pull it off in less than a week. So, here’s one of my first and most important tips:

Decluttering regularly is a game-changer!

 

Decluttering every year—or even several times a year—was my saving grace. The less you have, the less you have to pack! Every January, I make it a point to go through every area of my home to declutter. Even as someone who lives a relatively minimal lifestyle, I’m amazed at how much ends up in the donation pile. My kids, of course, tend to accumulate a lot too. But staying on top of it throughout the year means I’m never overwhelmed by “stuff.” It’s second nature for me, especially since I visit donation centers frequently for my business.

Another big tip:

Declutter as you pack

 

If you’re packing yourself, take the time to sort through items and let go of anything you don’t need or want. If movers are packing for you, make time to declutter before they arrive. There’s no sense in paying to move items you’ll end up discarding later. Sure, there will be a few “maybe” items that make the move, but letting go of anything you’re certain about will save you time, space, and energy.

This approach applies to furniture too. Once I had the floor plan for our new home, I walked through each room and assessed which furniture pieces made sense to bring. Several large items didn’t fit the new space or our needs, so I donated them. This freed up valuable room in the moving truck and made unpacking much easier.

Throughout April, I stuck to my nightly packing routine, dedicating a couple of hours each evening to the process. By the week of April 26, when moving day rolled around, I had 75% of the packing done. This left only a small amount for the movers, allowing them to focus on breaking down furniture like beds and handling the heavy lifting.

WE’RE NOW MOVED IN

Is everything perfect here? Not at all. And I have more tips to share in an upcoming post on how I’ve organized my post-move-in to-do list. But a few keys areas are unpacked and totally organized, starting with my new home office…

It was essential to get this space organized quickly because ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE, I am still running a business and we are having one of the busiest seasons. And it came out of nowhere. I’m grateful to have a team that can step up and step in when I can’t be hands-on every day.

At some point, I’ll figure out real wall decor for this space but I’m happy to just be settled and able to work on designs, scheduling…AND blogging!

This week I also found my desk on sale on The Home Depot website, of all places. I purchased mine in 2017 on Wayfair but it’s always sold out there. Sometimes it’s available on Walmart’s site, but it’s out of stock there as well. But I tracked it down when a few people on IG asked for a link to it. You can find it here if you love my desk – I absolutely LOVE it!

Ok, let’s move on to some nitty gritty moving tips now!

TOP TIPS TO STAY ORGANIZED DURING A MOVE

As a Certified Professional Organizer®, here’s my step-by-step guide to tackle your move like a pro:

Plan Ahead

 

Planning ahead is key, especially in my case as it came on quickly. One day, I sat at my desk to write out everything that needed to happen or be managed or considered and then I organized the very long list into action steps and smaller lists. Breaking it down makes you feel less stressed. If you are staring at an extra long list, you’ll freeze and feel overwhelmed. Don’t do that to yourself. Know that all we can do is take it one day at a time and in manageable, realistic amounts of time too.

– Start early—create a moving timeline at least 6-8 weeks before the move.
– Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps (e.g., decluttering, packing, hiring movers).
– Use a moving checklist to track progress.

Declutter Before Packing

 

I already mentioned this above, but it deserves to be repeated.

– Go room by room to decide what to keep, donate, or discard.
– Keep in mind not packing items you no longer need = less to unpack later.
– Ask yourself, “Have I used this in the past year?’ If not, it’s likely time to let it go.

Create a Packing System

 

I labeled each box for the room I wanted it to land in at the new place. This helped my mover a ton! And they even organized their truck based on my labeling system for ease of unloading. I also packed a suitcase with clothing and toiletries knowing I would probably not get to unpacking my closet or bathroom right away. And I placed many must-have items in my car so they didn’t end up on the moving truck.

– Label boxes clearly with the room and contents.
– Use color-coded labels or tape for quick identification.
– Keep an essentials box for items you’ll need immediately upon arrival (e.g., toiletries, chargers, basic kitchen supplies).

Organize Paperwork and Utilities

 

– Create a folder for important documents: lease, contracts, moving company info, etc. Keep this in your car so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
– Schedule utility transfers or setups ahead of time to avoid gaps in service.

Hire Professionals (If Needed)

 

Besides hiring my moving company, I also hired a team to deep clean the new house and I had two of my employees help me one day to unpack the kitchen boxes. I organized the kitchen myself, but after many exhausting days back to back, the idea of opening and unpacking all of the kitchen stuff was too much for my body. Yes, I do realize I have the luxury of hiring my own team members to help me but you can also, as an example, locate a company like ours to help you unpack. We do this all the time. And as a matter of fact, the week I was moving, my team was unpacking for another family.

– Hire professional organizers or movers to save time and reduce stress.

Unpack with Intention

 

Now that your items are at your new home, it’s time to unpack. But this isn’t a sprint to the finish line. Know that you can pace this out and focus on key areas first. In my case, and in the case of most families we unpack, we always start with the kitchen. I unpacked my kitchen first – to completion. At least I knew I could have coffee in the morning or wine in the evening…and my kids would have food in the pantry and fridge…with real plates and silverware to use. lol!

To preserve your energy, make a list of every space and then mark them in priority order. Take it one step at a time.

After the kitchen, I focused on my office. Then my closet. Then my bathroom. And I also helped the kids get settled in their rooms. Like I said, there’s more to do here, but the key areas (not the garage!) are mostly in order as of now…and I just officially started staying here 6 nights ago.

– Unpack one room at a time, starting with the essentials (e.g., bedrooms and kitchen).
– Avoid the temptation to shove items into drawers or closets without a plan—take the time to set up systems that work for your family.
– Think about how you’ll use the space before putting items away.

 

Also to consider during a move, your pets and their transition. A move can be just as stressful for animals.

Nova has been doing ok, but I can see she is a bit stressed out. She’s very clingy when she’s not a clingy girl. Since we’ve had her, she has always slept at the foot of my bed or the kids beds. This week she has been sleeping right next to my head. She is also wanting to sit / sleep behind me while I’m at the computer. She is sleeping on the couch during the day sometimes, when she typically slept on her cat tree during the day. She has a different meow at the moment. And I have seen her wandering around the house a lot.

In our previous home, we had lots of windows I could keep open for her, but this home has limited window screens. I’ll be looking into how to remedy this as I know she loves to sit in the fresh air.

We’re giving her lots of attention, reassurance and comfort. And in general just trying to make things as normal as possible. Being present is important.

Staying organized helps your move feel more manageable. Focus on taking it one step at a time and remember that your fresh start is waiting on the other side of a move.

I have more to share including photos of our new spaces and the organization I have planned or have completed. You’ll love what I have planned for my garage! I’m using these amazing packing bags I mentioned above – I used these to move my oldest in and out of college, and will again this summer with both of my boys…but these have been a game changer in other ways! Can’t wait to share!!

Back soon with more!

xo,

Sam