Make Room For What You Love: Getting Ready for a Big Move

Melissa Michael’s brand new book, Make Room for What You Love, is so relevant for our family, as we are getting ready for a big move!

Today I’m part of the Make Room Challenge {Decluttering and Organizing} tour, so I hope you’ll follow along!

I read Melissa’s new book, Make Room For What You Love, on my way to Italy, and what better timing! The book is full of lessons and encouragement for how to simplify and organize your home and life. Since we just sold our home, there are big changes ahead for my family, and Melissa’s perspective on moving, and how to make more room for what you love, has come at the perfect time!

A desire to downsize

For over a year, my husband and I have had a desire to downsize our home. We love our home, as we’ve hosted so many parties and dinners and gatherings over the last 11 years, but then it started feelng a bit “heavy.” [Melissa and her husband joining us for dinner a few years back, in our backyard!]

Not really the inner space as much as the outer space. Our home is not that large, in reality, but the lot, the garden beds, the pool, all the yard work in general–plus the sheds, the attic, the oversized garage full of stuff–in a way became all-consuming.

Well, let’s just say that we ended up with a lot of STUFF, and it became a lot of work.

Reevaluate your life goals

We took this to heart, and came up with a plan, and reevaluted our life goals!

We did some soul searching on the things that really matter–hiking, the outdoors, living smaller, a more serene lifestyle–and decided to take the plunge.

Long story short – we sold our home on Craigslist, we are moving out of this house very soon, and it’s time to pack! I’ll be sharing more details soon on where and when, but it’s very exciting.

Friends, I’m sort of freaked out about the packing. I’m sort of in denial, and a bit overwhelmed. But with Melissa’s tips, and her new book, I do feel a sense of calm. It’s helped me with perspective.

Let it go

My topic for this post is how I am decluttering (which I’m still in the process doing), to get ready for the move.

My mission and goal: Make room for only the things that I love. Easy. Right? Not really.

Melissa says, “Look around your house. What has been hanging on your walls or sitting on tables or in cabinets forever? (hand raised for me – a lot of STUFF!) Ask yourself to tell the story of that item. If it doesn’t have a good story that means something to you – LET IT GO.

I plan to bring only what’s in this living room (for our main living space). Everything else will go in our giant yard sale!

My Tips for Getting Ready for a Big Move

–For paperwork, the kid’s stuff that I want to save goes into their memory binders. I have a new file cabinet for all taxes, paperwork, etc. A new basket for “current” paperwork. All magazines are going bye-bye, and we’re thinning out tons of books. Here’s how to make memory binders.

–For clothing, I’ve gone through my closet 5 times, purging 20 items at a time, taking to a consignment shop (or if not consignment worthy, I put in a Goodwill box, or I tossed). If I had not worn it in a year, I got rid of it. I downsized my closet by half!

–We held several yard sales, 2 in 2015, and 1 in February this year. The biggest one is yet to come (in a week or so), with garden tools, patio furniture, extra beds, dressers, etc. We are only bringing what we need!

–We purged our attics, sheds, garage, under the beds, the kids’ closets. We bought sturdy containers with very good lids at Costco, so we can stack what we want to keep. We got rid of all the furniture that we’ve been holding on to for that “some day” space.

–Dishes – I put several sets of dishes on Craig’s List (sold – BAM!), and am only keeping the sets that I love. That goes for all entertaining supplies, which I have a lot of. Other entertaining items, I’ll use Melissa’s perspective … does it tell a story? Do I really need this?

What I’ve learned in the process is that when I get rid of stuff, and only keep what I love, it’s bringing me peace, and I’m actually feeling freed up and excited.

Too much stuff is heavy. Life should be light and free!

So for now, we’re excited for the new adventure ahead of us, and to settle into this next phase of life!

Moving is always scary and so stressful, but I know in my heart, that once we get through the hurdles, that we’ll have a home that is perfect for us, and for others. Our dream has always been to share what we have with others, and to create space for living more fully.

Saying goodbye to the past and reforming your old habits isn’t easy. You have to enter right into the mess, bring it all out into the open, and own it. Every last piece of it. Each piece of paper, every trinket, all the little objects and random things you’ve held on to tfor years. The clutter, the stuff, the indecision–don’t let any of it stand between you and what you envision for your life or your home. –Melissa Michaels

In a sense – get rid of stuff, Friends, and live out your passion!

Melissa’s book is here to help you!

Here are other bloggers that are sharing their projects with this book tour!

Eleven Gables / Craftberry Bush / At the Picket Fence / Julie Blanner / Beneath My Heart / Thrifty Decor Chick / Emily A. Clark / Reluctant Entertainer / My Sweet Savannah / Domestic Fashionista / At Home In Love / 320 Sycamore / Sunny Side Up / Happy Happy Nester / The White Buffalo Styling Co / Sweet and Simple Home / Finding Home Farms / In My Own Style / Fox Hollow Cottage / The House of Silver Lining / Infarrantly Creative / Fieldstone Hill Design / Shabby Nest / Today’s Creative Life / Sarah M. Dorsey Designs / Just A Girl / Southern Hospitality

Melissa is one of my first blogging friends who I met in 2009. We’ve since remained close, and I’m so thankful for her passions and the way that she has helped millions of readers over the years! Cheers, Melissa!