By Madeline Albertine
A couple of months ago, I officially moved into my new apartment. While the excitement was real, so was the overwhelm. Moving has a funny way of forcing you to confront all of your belongings at once, from things you use daily to things you forgot you owned to things that probably should’ve been discarded years ago. While there were plenty of chaotic moments, this move also became an opportunity for me to be intentional and organized.
The Plan: Start with the Big Stuff
Before moving a single box, I had to think through logistics, especially the big, heavy furniture. My bed and dresser weren’t things I wanted to (or realistically could) move on my own. Hiring someone to help with those heavier items was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It saved time (and my back!) and let me focus my energy on the rest of the move instead of stressing about how I was going to get a mattress up the stairs.
Once the big furniture was in place, I shifted gears. Instead of immediately bringing over every box I owned, I took time to build the furniture that would help keep things organized, like dressers, shelves, and storage pieces. Having these set up first made unpacking feel far more manageable and prevented that dreaded “boxes everywhere for weeks” situation.
The Process: Organize Before Unpacking
One of the most helpful steps during this move was labeling boxes clearly. Instead of vague labels like “miscellaneous,” I tried to be specific: kitchen utensils, bathroom storage, winter clothes. This made it easier to prioritize what needed to be unpacked first and helped everything land in the right room from the start.
Since my furniture was already assembled, I could put items away as I unpacked rather than piling them on the floor or countertops. This small shift made the apartment feel functional (and less claustrophobic) much faster and kept me from feeling overwhelmed by clutter.
The Purge: Less In, More Out
Moving is the perfect time to purge! Before packing, I went through my kitchen, bathroom, and clothing items with a critical eye. In the kitchen, I let go of duplicate utensils, mismatched containers, and items I hadn’t used in years. In the bathroom, I tossed expired products. And clothing? That was the biggest challenge. I got my roommates to go through their closets with me, and the three of us probably donated 10 boxes full of clothes we hadn’t touched in years.
Letting go of these items meant fewer boxes to unpack and less clutter filling my new space. More importantly, it allowed my apartment to feel like a fresh start!
What I Learned
This move reminded me that organization doesn’t start after everything is unpacked – it starts with planning. By tackling heavy items first, building furniture early, labeling intentionally, and purging along the way, I moved in with less stress.
A new apartment isn’t just a change of address; it’s a chance to reset routines, spaces, and systems. And while moving will probably never be completely stress-free, it can be a lot more manageable by Thinking Organized!