Let’s face it—there are a lot of aspects of moving that are exciting. You may be starting a new chapter in your life, such as a new job or embarking on a new adventure. You may be upsizing because you and your partner need to make room for a new family member. There are many reasons that people move, but if we’re all honest, the real act of moving is not usually as fun.
Moving is difficult, and whether this is your first move or your twentieth, there are always pitfalls and mistakes that people tend to make—even if they’ve made them before—over and over again.
Packing all your heavy furniture from your old place is a big one. Not making a moving plan is another. What goes into your home decorating after your move has a lot to do with what you do before you even pack your first box.
Read on to learn about five home decorating tips for after your move and also how to flawlessly execute your move so you can enjoy decorating your new home.
What to Pack and What Not to Pack
Before moving day, you have to decide what to pack and what not to pack. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between clutter and furniture, and making these choices are two entirely different tasks. One of the most common mistakes people get into when moving is the “I’ll have time to do this later” plan, which inevitably never happens. Don’t take the clutter with you because it will likely end up in boxes in some room of your new place, or even worse—in a storage unit. One of the main reasons to declutter now is not to take all of the extra items with you. The more you get rid of now, the less you have to pack.
This rule can also apply to furniture. Are you delighted with your furniture? Are there pieces that were handed down to you, and you’re not quite sure how to use them at your next place? While these are just a few considerations, another thing to consider is if you even want to move heavier pieces from point A to point B or have to pay a moving company?
If you’re completely unsure about what to do next, consider trying furniture rental to mix and match some new elements into your space along with some of the pieces you already own and see how things look.
Paint Before Moving Day
Here is another one of those “I’ll get to it later” tasks that are never completed once you move in. Why? The answer is simple: once you move everything into a room, you need to be motivated to move it all out again to paint the space.
There is the school of thought that you won’t know what everything looks like until you move it all in, but be honest—painting can almost be as exhausting as moving – unless it’s something you enjoy doing. So don’t wait until you’ve moved everything in to start matching colors.
Don’t forget, if you do paint, just like moving, have a plan. Don’t start a new room until one has finished so you can concentrate on working on one room at a time. It’s also okay to be unsure about specific spaces, such as an extra bedroom or area you may be planning to use as a nursery later on. In that case, it makes sense to decide on color schemes once you’re sure you know the purpose you’ll be using the room.
Go Natural
Another faux pas people tend to make after they move is immediately filling their home full of expensive (or even inexpensive) decorations. If you’ve already brought the majority of the items from your last residence with you, this may create the clutter that you hoped to leave behind at your previous home.
Secondly, you want to create an amount of time to settle in and get a feel for the home and how you feel about it. Instead of getting artwork, knickknacks, and other decor, put more effort into natural items. Add plants and topiaries, which will bring life and natural beauty into each room, while you decide exactly what decorative direction you want to take.
You can also make more permanent decisions that not only add great aesthetic but can also add purpose. A “living wall” is a garden wall that not only looks beautiful but also purifies the air because of the way it’s constructed. It’s a sustainable, green effort that can make any wall in your home look beautiful.
Go Secondhand and Sustainable
Adding to the idea of leaving your old, heavy, and used furniture behind you, you’re looking forward to a new chapter in your life. No matter the reason for your move, you’re bound to have some stuff that isn’t in style anymore. Your first instinct may be to run to the local furniture store, but there are some things to consider first. Did you know that around 12.2 million tons of furniture and carpeting go to landfills each year? Considering sustainability is important these days, and with good reason, this isn’t a cycle you want to keep repeating.
Look into donating or recycling the items you don’t want instead of throwing them away, and also consider alternative options for adding new and fresh pieces into the fold. One of these options is rental furniture, an idea that’s already sustainable by nature.
If you do decide to make a permanent purchase, consider choosing secondhand furniture. CORT’s sustainability mission is to positively impact the communities we serve while reducing our impact on the environment. So whether you rent or buy from CORT, you’re making the world a little greener.
Highlight the Home’s Features
Whether you’re moving into a home or apartment, there is something that jumped out at you and made you say, “This is it!” when you walked through the door. As you begin to decorate, play upon those features, and accentuate them.
Decorating architectural features may sound strange, but if they stood out to you, they would also stand out to any friends, family, and guests you entertain. You can achieve this by using items like area rugs, curtains, or wall art.
While you’re laying everything out, don’t forget the standard rule when staging rooms with light or dark colors. If you’re working with a small room that you want to appear bigger, use bright and neutral colors to make the space look larger. Darker colors will make the space look cramped. If you have a larger room that you want to feel more intimate, use darker neutrals and darker tones to bring the space inward.
If you’ve recently moved or you’re planning for an upcoming change and would love help expressing your style or finding furniture that fits your tastes for every room of the home, CORT can help. We can help with just a few pieces or call on our team of specialists to help you outfit your entire home.
