After all the planning that goes into your wedding day, another major plan can slip through the cracks: merging two homes into one. When you move in with your significant other, it can be difficult to decide what items to keep and where to put them, especially when you have duplicate items. This post has suggestions on what you can do to prepare both of your belongings BEFORE the move – to make organizing easier when you unpack in your new home!

-       Take inventory of your belongings

When two people move in together, it’s very likely that there will be duplicate items. This is also a good opportunity to go through all your items and donate or throw out items that aren’t needed or won’t fit in your new space. Sort both of your items into different piles for items that need to be packed, items that need to be donated, and items that need to be thrown out. For larger furniture pieces and appliances, you can also consider selling them through an online platform or garage sale. It’s important to work together when sorting through items. Be practical, and if you are unsure about items, consider how often they are currently used, and how often they will be used in your new home.

-       Plan your new space

It’s also important to consider your new space and where everything will go. This step can also help you further declutter the items you have – depending on how large your space is, you may not have room for your combined belongings. Start by organizing your belongings by room, like kitchen appliances, dishware, condiments, and food, or bedroom furniture, linens, decorations, and clothing. Make sure to measure the size of each room, and the size of larger pieces of furniture and appliances, to ensure they will fit in the new space.

-         Prepare to move

Before you move, you will need to pack up your belongings. To do this in an organized way, make sure to keep similar items sorted together (like kitchen items, bedroom items, and bathroom items), and pack these items into clearly marked boxes depending on what room they are for. You can further organize each box by what kind of items they are – for example, sort all utensils and/or dishware for the kitchen into one box, and all shoes for the bedroom closet into another. Try using clear boxes so you can both easily determine what items are in each box.

-       Moving day

Overnight kits are essential for any move – make sure that items like toiletries, pajamas, a clean set of clothes, a pair of shoes, any medications, phone chargers, and electronics, are packed into a bag or box and kept with you the day of the move. Go over both of your schedules and determine if you will both be there, or if someone will be primarily in charge of overseeing the moving process. Plan for when the boxes will be picked up, moved, and dropped off. The most important part of this process is to make sure that both of you are on the same page and a part of each stage throughout the move.

Moving two different homes into one can be daunting, but it can be done. Make a plan and work together to create a space that you can both call home.