Jul 29, 2021

There's A Lot to Unpack...

There are so many ways you can be thoughtful and give gifts to someone. Sometimes the best gift is the gift of time and knowledge for others and yourself.

Last week, I went to Nashville to help one of my best friends unpack and get settled in her new home. I was already going to be in town with another best friend, so it felt like destiny was calling, and I was able to add a few days, roll my sleeves up, and help her get settled.

Moving is not fun. Period. Moving to a new state is even more stressful. I have moved to 3 different states in less than six years, two of which were entirely new to me. Call me the professional mover. 😄 Here comes the gift of knowledge.

Imagine the movers arriving, dropping boxes, boxes, and boxes of your belongings in mostly their designated places. Then comes the unpacking! It’s an overwhelming task, and it helps to focus on one room at a time. We started with the kitchen, thinking through the best locations to place your dishes, glasses, etc. You want to put them in places that make sense! You want to have the glasses near the fridge for drinks, plates near the stove when you’re cooking, and silverware near dishes. The main thing to remember is that nothing is permanent, and you can move items around if it doesn’t work for you!

Unpacking is also an excellent opportunity to channel Marie (Kondo)...does it bring you joy? Decide if you need that object; if you don’t, put it in the donation pile. One person’s trash is someone else’s treasure, OR you can resell it.

Want to hear something so cute? I was helping my friend’s daughter organize her room, asked her to go through things and decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to trash. If the item no longer brought her joy, I asked her to take a moment to thank it for the great times and say adios. As I walked out of the room, I heard her say, “Thank you for everything, goodbye.” It was so adorable!

It feels good to keep just the things you need and use; what’s the purpose of holding onto something you no longer have use for? They only take up increasingly valuable space. In the last three moves, I have donated more and more stuff, and now I stop to think before I buy something new. I add it to the cart and let it marinate. I ask myself if it will be a long-term relationship as I also want to be mindful of the environment.

Any tips to add when it comes to moving? I’d love to add it to my moving list...you know for the next time I move!

And I made her a little housewarming gift too...who am I if I showed up with nothing! Since I was carrying on, I couldn't do my usual gift box. It includes a Minnieology Cactus Flower & Jade candle, Tennessee tea towel, and an ornament made by me, myself, and I. She loves Christmas so it says "First Christmas in our new home" in Nashville with their last name and 2021.