Phase 6: Start implementing the move!

It’s time to unpack to organize! We’re following a moving and unpacking story of one of our clients through its many stages. So far, we’ve made a plan, starting unpacking boxes and sorting items, purchased the right organizing products and implemented them, and most recently, looked at how our clients were able to use some of their previously owned items instead of purchasing new ones. Now it’s time to take the items we’ve sorted and place them in their new homes!

First, we discussed with the clients what their priority areas were in their new home. In this case, our clients identified their priority areas as the master bedroom, en-suite, and kitchen. At Calm Order, we like to work with our clients to figure out what areas are the most important to them in their new home. Organized unpacking can take time, and we want to make sure that the rooms you need are the first ones that are ready for you and your family to use when you move. The clients, who were moving from outside the city, were unable to assist us with the project so it was important for Calm Order to make sure that everything was set up in the right way for when the clients arrived.

During the initial planning phase, Calm Order was able to get a sense of how our clients used their home and space, so we could come up with a plan to know where to put what items. We were also in regular contact with the clients to determine what their ideas and thoughts were for their new home. As a result, we had a good idea of their needs and wants so we could set up their home for maximum function and flow that fit their lifestyle.

The kitchen, master bedroom, and en-suite were the priorities for our clients, so we made sure all their kitchen supplies were unpacked, sorted, and put in the appropriate place. We had dividers and tray inserts ready to put utensils into drawers. A few of the cupboards required organizing units to hold other dishes, spices, and small appliances, so we utilized those to make sure all the items fit nicely in their space. For the bedroom, we made sure all the furniture was set-up and placed in the most intuitive way. Calm Order also made sure that everything from knick-knacks to lamps and extra blankets were all unpacked in the bedroom based on the client’s specifications. We even made sure the bed was made up with fresh sheets! Lastly, we unpacked the client’s toiletries in their en-suite bathroom and included all the essential items like toilet paper, towels, soap, tooth brushes, and more.

The clients had packed an overnight box packed with all the essential items they would need, like chargers, important documents, change of clothes, and supplies for their morning coffee. This way, other areas of their home like the living room, laundry room and spare bedrooms did not need to be completed immediately – Calm Order could take the time to make sure the entire house was unpacked and organized properly. We want everyone to be able to live in their homes right away, in a space where everything has a place and no items or boxes are left unpacked – this case was no exception! 

Our team isn’t done yet though – we always want to make sure that the job is done right, and sometimes that goes beyond the move-in date. Stay tuned for the final phase in our organizing journey.

Phase 2.5: Sorting Items

Sorting items can be more complex than one might think – it is more than just sorting similar items. For example, people often think they should sort all their cables together, but the often serve different purposes and so they should be stored differently.

When you’re sorting items, look at how they are used instead of just what “kind” of item they are. Continuing with the example of sorting cables, there are generally three different types of cables: electrical, electronic, and personal technology cables.

Electrical cables include everything from extension cords, add-ons, extenders, and timers. These cables all plug into the wall or an outlet, or they are used to add extra cords to extend the length or number of wall outlets.

Electronic cables are mainly used for audio and visual equipment, like HDMI cables, computer cables, TV cables, and stereo systems. These cables are used for specific set-ups and are usually not plugged and unplugged regularly.

Finally, personal technology cables are more everyday use cables, like phone chargers, iPod chargers, tablet chargers, and other USB chargers. These cables are usually in constant use and are often moving between rooms and people around a home.

Cables can be then sorted into how they are used, not just based on the fact that they are cables.  All electrical cables should be stored together but separate from electronic cables and personal technology cables. In this way, the cables will be easier to find and use when they are needed. Instead of sorting through a large bin to find an iPhone charger, people can easily look in a smaller storage container that contains only their personal technology chargers, which they will need to access more often than their extension cords.

When it comes to sorting, try thinking more about how items are used instead of focusing on just what they are. This way, organization will last because the items will be stored in a way that works with people’s lifestyles and routines.

Phase 1: Getting ready for the big move

On average, it can take a minimum of four weeks to complete a seamless move – in that time, there is a lot of planning, research, shopping, packing, and organizing involved. Wherever a client is moving from or moving to, there are a lot of steps involved to make sure the process is successful and efficient.

Calm Order was recently contacted by a client in another city who is preparing to move to Calgary. When a client doesn’t live in Calgary, we need to get creative in order to understand the scope of the project because we can’t just go over to the property to look around. For this project, we connected with the client over FaceTime, and got them to show us around their home. We had the client show us every place in their home, from kitchen cupboards to closets and drawers, so we could get a complete picture of what their space was like, how they were using it, and what items and belongings we had to work with.

 During the “walk-through” over video call, we could see that there were a lot of items stored around the house, and not necessarily in an organized or practical way. For example, there were light bulbs stored in four different places around the home, piles of paperwork and mail left out on the kitchen counter, and miscellaneous items scattered throughout each room of the house. At this point, we were able to step forward to the planning process, so we could devise a way to create order for their upcoming move and new home.

 Moving is as much about the planning as it is about the actual move – at this point all we had done was seen their current home, but this was an important step so we could begin the process of getting their belongings sorted, organized, and ready to move to a new city and a new home. The process of going through your belongings and seeing how you use your space is important to understand before you move them into a new space.

How was your experience in preparing for a move? Share your stories and photos with us in the comments or on our Facebook page.