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A New Life, A New

Adventure

by Maria Gracia Join our newsletter to be notified when the newest Organizing Article is available. Getting married soon? If so, you finally decided take the big step--to share one heart-- and one household. You both have tons of stuff. What will you do with all of it? 1. Think married-couple-like. If any of your furniture and accessories are too 'single- life' or 'dormitory-style', donate them or give them to someone in college. 2. Make a vow to each other to get rid of at least 20% of your stuff, or more if you can. A great time to declutter is now--before you move into your new place. If you currently have something in storage, consider donating it. If you're not using it now, and haven't in awhile, you likely won't use it later and it will just gather dust in your new home. 3. That being done, start making lists of what you both possess. Go over your lists together, Anything thing that is a duplicate, donate one. Keep the newest or best one. Make that decision before you move. Decide where these things are going to go in your new home. Indicate the area on this list. 4. Box your possessions up. Don't combine two rooms of stuff in one box. Each box should only contain the possessions for one room. All kitchen stuff in its own boxes. All living room stuff in its own boxes. 5. Label each box with the room it's going to go in, the contents of the box, and where it's going to go in your new home. Mark the “Open-Immediately” boxes that contain blankets, pillows toiletries, and other items you'll need for a first good-night's sleep in your new digs. 6. Make a grid pattern of each room in your new home, and indicate the square footage. This way, you'll be able to see what you can fit furniture and storage- wise. 7. Move the furniture in first, before any boxes. The bed is a good place to start, in case you want to take a rest in between moving. Arrange it as you want to before the rest of the stuff is unloaded. 8. When you get your things off the moving truck, bring each box into the room where the contents will be stored (i.e. linens into the linen closet room, comforters and pillows into the bedroom, dishes into the kitchen.) Begin unloading a box at a time, and putting things where they belong-- rather than unloading everything onto the counter or the floor. Try to do 2-3 boxes minimum each day. 9. Yes, you'll likely need to rearrange a bit later on, but make a good effort the first time around--otherwise you're going to be living out of boxes for weeks. 10. Remember, you're newlyweds, so in between the packing and unpacking, remember to have fun. Order your meals in the first day, sit on your new patio and sip some lemonade, take some time to meet your new neighbors and enjoy each other! Back to Organizing Articles Index