Organizing your Home
You’ve gone and got married, and your moving in together. Combining all your “stuff” with someone else’s “stuff.” I know your thinking “their just bringing a bunch of junk.” Guess what, their thinking the same thing. Here are some tips to help the process of moving in with a loved one go smooth.
1.Reality Check
It is time to come to a very important reality- you are moving in with someone who is NOT YOU. They don’t fold their bath towels the same as you. They don’t rinse their dishes right away and they leave their shoes wherever they kicked them off. Once you realize your partner is different (not bad different, just NOT YOU) you can sit down and have an “agreement” conversation.
Things to agree upon:
• Where it’s okay to drop of your “on the go” items, such as keys, phones, sunglasses, wallets or purses.
• When the dishes get done and who does them.
• Laundry Duties
• Making the bed
• Where Items live. NO JUNK DRAWERS! Important items get lost in junk drawers and fights occur. Everything deserves a specific home. Pick on agreed places where your items (collectively) will live.
2. Love Den 101 (aka. The Master suite)
So many things happen in our master bedrooms, love making, sleeping in late, just vegg-ing, discussing the day, reading, watching TV, and snuggling. It is important to fully settle in your Love Den FIRST. You will need the space to relax together. Make it relaxing and comfortable. Decorate it and make sure it is Clutter Free.
3. Sharing a Closet
SHARE is the key word here. Decide which clothing items must be hung. Hang them first. Like with Like. Hang long sleeves together, short sleeves together, pants together, etc… If making an outfit is difficult color code your clothes and put like with like with in each color grouping. If your closet is small here are some storage tips to consider:
• Rotate your winter & spring clothing. Store the unused season under the bed in an under the bed bin.
• Put things like jeans, t-shirts, tanks, and shorts in drawers. T-shirts and tanks can be rolled to help prevent wrinkles.
• Trunks and Benches can be great extra seating & storage.
4. Personal Space
Make sure to carve out a special space for yourself. In return make sure your partner has his or her own space as well. This personal space could be a yoga room, office, a reading chair, or a workbench in the garage. To maintain a healthy relationship one very important element is a place for solitude, a place to get away and get personal space.
5. Home Communication Tools
Whoever invented the labeler should be given an award for his/her part in helping household’s worldwide stay on the same page. I suggest label as much as possible. More labels mean more answered questions which means less stuff lying around which encourages less arguments! When setting up home one person is more likely to take the lead in creating homes for items. Labeling will keep the other person on the same page. Everything needs a home and everyone needs to know where that home is.
My second favorite communication home tool is a color-coded calendar. Doesn’t matter if it’s a computer or paper calendar. Having a house calendar lets everyone know what’s going on, where anyone is, when company is coming, and when cleaning needs to be done. Here are some color coding examples:
Person 1: Green
Person 2: Purple
Guest: Yellow
Bills Due: Red
Cleaning: Blue (Circle the chore with the color of the Person who’s job it is.)
To Do: Black
To Call: Pink
Sharing a home can be fun, romantic, practical, and exciting. It can also be a lot of work. Making sure you are settled in properly will set the tone for a great at home relationship. The last thing you want to do is sweat the small “stuff.”
For Questions regarding Move Management Services, Residential Organizing, or Interior Design Services please call Hallie Jane 562.208.8556 or go to www.organize2design.com