The Ultimate Declutter Motivator: Moving

Moving: The Magic Wand for Clutter

Katie’s Bedroom Before She Found Her Dream House

Moving is usually the hardest thing in the world to get through. While types like Classics, Organic Structures and Smart Structures can make a list and get things done, those who don’t, like Funs, Smart Freedoms and Organic Freedoms must rely on their internal need to get things done. So if they want to declutter, it’s usually a spur of the moment I can’t take the mess any longer thing! So moving? It’s a bitch for every type, but here’s how to use the panic to your advantage, no matter what your type.

Getting Over the Fear

I admit, when I first found out I was going to have to move, I was paralyzed by fear. This from a Pixie who has moved herself and clients dozens of times. I know all the details involved by heart, but the reality of moving myself? There’s a reason I stayed in the same place for 10 years and it had to do with NOT. WANTING. TO. MOVE. But once I started looking for a new home — dreaming is a great motivator for big picture types like Organics and Smarts — I became unable to tolerate the mess. My first floor is easy to tidy because it’s organized in theory — there are predetermined homes for all the junk that my 5 year old drags into it. But the second floor? Ugh. It was a nightmare.

Get Moving.

First I dealt with the 5 year old’s room. She likes to pretend she’s three and pull down all her books when she’s bored. I was in there trying to get some alone time and couldn’t hack it. It was TOO messy. So I put all the books away and then had a talk with her about taking responsibility for our things and treating books with respect. Then she helped me clean the rest of the room and I even gave her a goal for finishing — marking up the Lego catalog. I also uncovered the root of my moth problem. Her wool rug. Had no idea it was wool, but it was infested and now it is in the landfill where it belongs.

All cleaned up. I think I might be excited to move! Also think Classic Kelly would say my bed doesn’t look made. It is!!

Apps Are Good for Dreaming & Motivation

In between this I started looking for homes on the best app for it, Zillow. I’ve tried the others and none come close. Dreaming is such a great motivator for Organics and Smarts it should be on the top of all of our mental or real To Do lists. I also found a great resource for second-hand stuff: Facebook Marketplace. Again, great for ideas and dreaming. Practically speaking, I’ve only gotten a keyboard for the 12 year old but it was a fun trip with the 15 year old and we discovered a hidden gem of a town called Medina. In the new home I’ll be testing this new Facebook feature to the max! I hope to never again pay retail for lampshades, curtain panels, or rugs! Also got great recommendations for movers from NextDoor, a social media network of your neighbors.

Finally, I took a broom to my closet/boudoir, and found homes for all the junk that was on the bottom. Emboldened I decided to finish my bedroom. A couple of week before I had gone at the detritus that floats to the side of the room, and then got exhausted half way through. So I finished this room, complete with a broom underneath the bed. Later on that day I finally “unpacked” my jewelry and finished organizing it.

Next Steps

Now I’ve found my dream home, am signing a least next week, have gotten moving estimates and ordered a kit from U-Haul of boxes for 3 to 4 bedroom homes. We’ll see how it holds up. While Classics, Organic Structures and Smart Structures might have needed a list to accomplish all of this, it was the act of starting to take control of my stuff that gave me the motivation I needed to wake up and get moving. This is the best strategy for types like me — Organic Freedoms, Smart Freedoms and Funs. Next step: packing and utilizing slave labor, a.k.a. children. I’ll let you know how it goes!