Mindful May: Spilling Our Top Secrets For A Mindful, Seamless Move This Summer
Moving season is here: a time of change and new beginnings. However, packing and moving to a new home is not without its challenges. Perhaps you’re excited, but there’s also a large dose of stress coursing through your veins. You might think, “how am I going to get my entire house packed and ready to move?”
Is an organized move even possible?
Surely there’s nothing about moving homes that is enjoyable.
A stress-free move is unlikely, but there are so many aspects of a move that are within our control, and it’s those things we can focus on. This is why we’d like to share our top secrets about mindfulness and how to apply it to moving to a new home. In this article, we'll explore the benefits of applying mindfulness to the moving season and share some secrets for a “mindful move.”
Why Apply Mindfulness to the Moving Season?
Mindfulness is commonly described as “awareness that arises when paying attention to the present moment” without judgment.¹ How exactly does this approach have anything to do with moving? Mindfulness is not just for your yoga or meditation practice–it is a tool for many scenarios, especially challenging situations like moving. It's a practice that can help us navigate life's transitions with more grace and ease.
Okay, but how exactly do you apply mindfulness in the moment? Great question. Let’s talk about the parts of mindfulness mentioned above: awareness, attention, the present, and non-judgment.
An Unmindful Approach vs. A Mindful Approach–An Example Based On True Scenarios:
Let’s walk through two scenarios: You’re a mom and an art teacher with two awesome kids. You’re moving into a bigger house that you can finally afford because you’ve been working so hard the past few years. You’ve packed some nonessentials and now it’s time to pack your office:
It would NOT BE MINDFUL to start letting in your critical voice. This critical voice might scold you with:
“You never knit anymore, and you’ve been telling yourself you’ll finish this painting for three years.”
“Why are you keeping these decades-old packets of curriculum?”
“You’re such a packrat and your next home is going to be just as messy.”
Yikes, we can be pretty awful to ourselves, right? But if the same person approaches their office WITH MINDFULNESS:
We use our awareness and attention: “There is a lot to pack in this room, and some of it is haunting me a little bit. I am going to take note that this office holds some guilt for me, but for now I’ll have to set that aside for the task that is happening right now.”
What is the present? “Right now, I am moving to a bigger home for my children to grow up in, and while my artistic life is very important to me, I’ll remember to really process these feelings once we settle into the new home.”
And non-judgmentally: “Time to lovingly pack these objects for the person I am in the process of becoming.”
Much better, right? Notice that there is a choice: you can let in your critical voice, or you can put an immediate stop to it. It’s hard–we know! Time to start practicing.
Moving is one of the most difficult tasks because, like a massive decluttering endeavor, we are faced with all our belongings.
We confront every project we put on hold, every hobby we started and finished within a week’s time frame, and wonder: why in the world do we have so much stuff? While decluttering gives you the space to confront items, process your belongings, and make decisions, this time-consuming endeavor is nearly impossible under the pressure of an impending move.
We urge clients to use this mindful approach to feel more in control during the moving process. When we're mindful, we're better able to prioritize our tasks, make decisions, and take action, and this will help make your move more efficient.
Without further ado, here are our top-favorite secrets for a mindful move:
Set your intentions: think about the life you are looking forward to living in your new place. What is your vision for your new home and the person you want to be? With that in mind,
Do a sweep: make time for each room in your home to quickly dispose of obvious trash.
Optional decluttering: emphasis on the word optional! We do still recommend doing some decluttering on the front end of a move to make the unpacking easier, however, remember not to overburden yourself. Be kind to yourself and mindful of your available time. If you have plenty of time before moving day, commit to an easy round of discarding.
If decluttering, mark “to-sell” or “donate” items with bright post-its, stickers, or bag them up. Post the “sell” items or enlist the help of a friend to post them on your behalf and manage the incoming messages.
Begin to consolidate the belongings you have that you won’t immediately need to access for a while. This could be removing photos and paintings from the walls, disassembling knick-knack areas, or pre-packing some small boxes with books and media.
Once moving-day draws near, it’s time to pack a “go-bag”. Think about your move as a trip: what are you going to need to live while your life is in transition? Pack a suitcase for your clothing, toiletries and daily necessary items. If you are foregoing hotels or rentals, what will you need to “camp out” in an empty house while you wait for the rest of your stuff?
Most importantly, remember to have patience with yourself and the process of moving. Take a break when you can, and keep yourself nourished–especially if you’re moving in the Texas summer heat!
In conclusion, the moving season is a time of change and transition, but it can also be a time of mindfulness, intention, and joy. At Organized For Good, we can assure you that moving can be rather enjoyable. If you like the idea of hiring a team of efficient professional organizers to help you unpack and get organized in your new space, look no further than our team of amazing women at Organized For Good. We have helped many stressed families during their moves, and have saved hours and even weeks of their personal time by fast-tracking their housewarming.
If you would like to declutter before a move or would like to reserve our team to help you unpack after a move, book a free consultation today.
¹2020. Harvard Review of Psychiatry. https://journals.lww.com/hrpjournal/fulltext/2020/11000/Mindfulness_and_Behavior_Change.3.aspx?context=LatestArticles
