Downsizing Made Simple: Professional Organizing Tips for a Smooth Move

I'm so excited to share an insightful Q & A with April Karn, owner of Neat Method Detroit. She offered fantastic tips and a refreshing perspective on how to prepare for a move, especially if you are downsizing or transitioning into your next chapter.

The theme that kept coming up? Edit! I'd say you could apply this to not just your belongings but your mindset , your space and your expectations. If it doesn't serve you positively say bye. (Keep reading it will make sense.)

Whether you're just starting to consider a move or already knee-deep in boxes, these tips will help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed. And if you're already feeling in over your head, take a deep breath - there are people who can help. The key is finding the right ones. Because starting fresh in a new home should be exciting not exhausting.

Getting Started:

1. Once someone knows they’re planning a move, what’s the first thing you recommend they do?

   
   

   A: Pick a room and start editing! We think it’s really important to do an edit of your belongings before a move because it doesn’t make sense to spend time and money to move things that you don’t need in your new house. 

   
   

2. How early should clients begin the organizing process before a move?

   
   

   A: As early as possible. If you plan to move (even if you haven't found a house yet) start the editing process. You’ll want to decide what will stay, and what will be tossed or donated.  

   
   

3. What are some signs that someone could benefit from hiring a professional organizer during this stage of life—especially when downsizing or relocating after decades in the same home?

   
   

   A: If you feel overwhelmed by the idea of sorting through 30 years of life, lack the time to edit and downsize a home, or question what should stay or go, you can absolutely benefit from hiring NEAT Method! 

   
   

Packing Strategy & Emotional Support:

1. How many days do you typically need to help pack a 2,000 sq ft home?

   A: We don't offer packing services, but do we manage entire moves from start to finish, meaning that we can coordinate movers, help with pre-editing and downsizing, preparing the home for movers, and then everyone’s favorite service – UNPACKING! Unpacking a 2,000 sf home (not including the garage) is likely to take about three, 8-hr days with a full team of organizers.  

   
   

2. Does your service include the entire home, or can clients choose specific rooms for support?

   
   

   A: We can unpack and organize a small area, one room, or the entire house. It depends on the client’s budget and priorities. The two most popular rooms that client’s hire us to unpack - outside of an entire house, is the kitchen/pantry and primary closet. 

   
   

3. Is there a particular room that tends to take the longest to pack or organize?

   
   

   A: Kitchens and pantries are the most time consuming to unpack and organize. Garages are also VERY labor intensive and time-consuming. 

   
   

4. What strategies do you use to help clients emotionally prepare to let go of items they’ve had for years or even decades?

   
   

   A: We are very respectful of these feelings. We never force anyone to let go of their belongings. However, we do have a lot of questions that we ask our clients to help guide them to their own decision on what they need and want to keep.  

   
   

5. Do you have tips for helping couples who may have different emotional attachments to their belongings?

   
   

   A: We pay close attention to what each party is saying and offer ways to accommodate their requests so that both individuals feel heard and respected. We’ve been lucky and haven’t really had any couples battle over letting go of something. 

Packing & Moving Logistics:

1. What organizing systems or methods make both packing and unpacking easier and more efficient?

   
   

   A: I cant recommend editing enough before you move. It is highly inefficient to pack and unpack items that you don’t need or want into your new place. 

   
   

2. How do you help clients make confident decisions about what to keep, donate, or sell?

   
   

   A: We ask really specific questions to help our clients decide what they really need/want to keep, donate, or sell. Items may be practical, but never used. Something may be broken, but very sentimental. We never judge and always help clients make their own decisions about what to keep, donate, or sell. 

   
   

3. Do you have any favorite tools or tips for labeling and tracking boxes during a move?

   
   

   A: We love using STACHD color coded labels for moves. If you’re packing yourself we recommend color coding with Sharpies, and making room signs to keep the process organized.  

   
   

4. How do you prepare clients before the movers arrive to ensure move-in day goes smoothly?

   
   

   A: If you’ll be staying in the new home that night, pack an overnight bag. We typically start our work in the kitchen, so your overnight bag will allow you to have the essentials without having to tear open several boxes. In the kitchen, we wipe down shelves, but recommend your house is clean and ready to move in to before our arrival. We also suggest that you complete your grocery shopping if we are organizing your pantry.  

   
   

Unpacking & Settling In:

1. Once your client is in their new home, where do you usually begin the unpacking process—kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom?

   
   

   A: The Kitchen is always top priority, then the primary bedroom/closet 

   
   

2. Which areas of the home tend to become disorganized quickly after a move, and how can clients proactively manage them?

   
   

   A: The kitchen and bedrooms are usually the most disorganized because you’re looking for things and have to open multiple boxes to find it. Hiring organizers to unpack and organize sets you up for success on day one so that you’re not drowning in a sea of boxes looking for a mixer so you can make dinner.  

Collaboration & Success Stories:

1. How do you and a designer typically collaborate to create a smoother, more efficient move?

   
   

   A: Careful planning and communication with the designer. We have the flexibility to work around designers, painters, plumbers, etc...  

   
   

2. Have you seen any standout examples where teamwork between a designer and organizer made a big difference?

   
   

   A: Yes! When the two work as a team the experience is more seamless for the client. We’ve been in situations where a client has contacted us to unpack their new construction home.  We arrive to unpack only to find that there are no areas in the kitchen large enough to hold the clients collection of oversized platters.   

Kitchen & Bath Tips:

Kitchens:

1.   Kitchens often hold a wide variety of items—where do you begin when organizing this space for a move?

   A: We begin by unboxing/unpacking everything. We don’t start our space planning until we have a full picture of all of the items that will live in the space. Once we have sorted and categorized all of the items, we begin deciding where  each category will be placed in the kitchen. 

   
   

2. What are some common kitchen items people tend to hang onto but rarely end up using in their new home?

   
   

   A: It’s usually multiples of cooking utensils. We also find that many people are attached to small kitchen appliances that are rarely used and take up valuable real estate. 

   
   

3. Are there steps you take to pre-organize kitchen items before a move to make unpacking easier?

   
   

   A: Yes, we have a similar process for pre-editing. We place items into categories so it’s very easy for the client to see that they have seven spatulas, five tongs, and 19 wooden spoons. At this point they can make a decision to pare down in preparation for the move. 

   
   

4. What are your favorite products for organizing a kitchen?

   
   

   A: Our favorite go-to products are drawer dividers and inserts.  They’re game changers in kitchen drawers. We also love risers and turntables! 

   
   

5. How do you ensure fragile kitchen items are protected during the move?

   A: We trust the professionals to pack according to their best practices. When we manage some of our moves, we’re onsite supervising the movers to ensure items are packed and labeled appropriately. 

   
   

Bathrooms:

1. Bathrooms are small but often packed with products—do you help clients sort through what to keep versus toss, or do you pack everything they currently have?

   
   

   A: Yes, we absolutely help sort bathroom and beauty products as part of the pre-edit.  We sort and categorize items, and check labels for expiration dates. This area is edited in the same way we approach a kitchen, or pantry. 

   
   

2. How do you pack bathroom essentials so they’re easy to access right after the move?

   
   

   A: When we manage the move we make sure that all bathroom items are together and ensure that the movers are packing them together and properly labeled .  

   
   

3. What are your favorite organizational products for a bathroom?

   
   

   A: We find that using clear acrylic organizers in bathroom drawers is the best for ease of clean up. We love using our bins and baskets under the sink to contain bathroom items. 

Don't Forget:

1. Is there a space in the home that’s often overlooked during the moving process, but you think deserves more attention?

   
   

   A: Bathrooms and linen closets. If we haven’t worked with the client before the move, we find that movers or homeowners tend to just throw everything in boxes and we find a lot of “treasures”, and items that could have been donated or tossed. We use our bathrooms to get ready everyday. We thinks it’s worth it to prioritize organizing your bathroom and linen closets. 

   
   

2. If you could give just one piece of advice to someone preparing to downsize after living in their home for decades, what would it be?

   
   

   A: Be realistic and respectful of your new home. You cannot move the contents of a 5,000 sf house into a 2,000 sf condo. Editing your home before downsizing and respecting the physical boundaries of your new space is the key to successfully preparing to downsize. 

"Edit" isn't just for moving it's a great mindset shift for evaluating your current space, even if you're staying put for now. But if you are preparing to downsize and want expert guidance to design your next home with intention, we'd love to help.

Our Signature Move-In Design service takes the stress out of relocating by creating a fully styled, functional, and move-in-ready home so you can focus on enjoying your next chapter.

Let's talk! Contact us today.