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.

How to Start Organizing Your Home: 12 Expert Tips

So much has happened in 2020! it has been a whirlwind of a year. Whether you live in Calgary or another county you’ve suddenly found yourself spending almost all your time at home. Now you’re noticing just how unorganized your home has become.

It is easy to accumulate stuff over the years. But amidst the endless piles of laundry, dishes, and to-do lists, it can hard to find the time to organize every room in your house.

There is no time like the present to get to work! It is not as hard as you think as there are great support services out there offering online or in home assistance. Here at Calm Order we offer virtual services along with hands on in home.

To help get you started, I, along with other experts, shared some of our best tips and tricks with Redfin to help you start organizing your home. Check out what I had to say here!

10 Ways to Get Unpacked to Organized

Moving into a new home? Get your new home unpacked to a completely organized state by following these tips:

1.     Plan It Out

Before you even pack, it’s important to think about how you’re going to unpack. All items should be sorted by room and packed into labelled boxes. When they’re packed into a vehicle or moving van, make sure each room’s boxes are packed together and stay together. This way, when you get to your new home, all boxes go to the proper room and don’t get mixed in with other items or end up in the wrong place.

2.     Room by Room

Unpacking each room at a time will help keep you focused and prevent you from getting overwhelmed and stressed about the process. This way, you can dedicate your attention to one space and make sure it is completely set-up before you move on to the next. No more half un-packed boxes scattered throughout the house – by unpacking one room at a time you can take the time to make sure your house is unpacked and in order.

3.     Prioritize What is Important

When you’re deciding on what rooms to begin with, start with the places that are more important like the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen. You’ll need a place to sleep, a place to get ready and place to make food and drinks. Other areas like the office and living room aren’t as urgent and can wait until later in the day or the next if you don’t have time.

4.     More Hands are Better Than Two

Always remember that you don’t have to do this alone and having more people to help will make the process go much faster. Have everyone take on a different room and explain the plan of what needs to be unpacked and where. This way, you can get your home unpacked to organized more efficiently!

5.      You’re Only as Good as Your Accessories

When you’re unpacking, it’s important to take advantage of organizing accessories to make sure your house is set up right. In the kitchen, use drawer inserts to keep utensils from getting cluttered. Shelving inserts can maximize space and keep your plates, bowls, and kitchen items in order. Shoe racks and closet organizers can make sure your shoes and clothes stay organized and are easy to find.

6.     A Place for Everything…

Make sure every item you move has a place in your new home. By establishing a place for everything right from the beginning, you can help keep your place maintained and organized for the long-term.

7.     …Everything in Its Place

Don’t leave any boxes unpacked! All of your boxes and items should be unpacked and put in their place.

8.     Sort Like by Like

When you’re putting items away in your cupboards and closets, make sure similar items are sorted with similar items. For example, keep all towels and hand towels together in your linen closet, and keep extra bedding together in another. This way you’ll always be able to find everything you need because they’ll be together in one place.

9.     Colour Coordinate

Using a visual tool like colour to organize clothes and other items can make it more efficient and easy to find the items you need. Having a colour coordinated closet can help you decide on your outfit for the day, and help you get to a productive start.

10.  Organize with Style

An organized home can also be a stylish one. Unpack your crystal, silverware and other valuables and use them to add decoration, creativity and style to your kitchen, china cabinets or living area. No need to keep them buried in a box! Keep them tidy and organized and remember that a little goes a long way. While these pieces can add a style, just be careful that don’t create clutter.