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Moving In!Thanks to PODS® for partnering with us on our move!

We are all moved in! I cannot tell you how happy that makes me to finally BE ALL HERE! Our beds are here! Our table and chairs are here! Our furniture is here! We are all here (see the video if you want the “before” house tour so you’ll know where “here” is)!

If being ALL HERE sounds like we are all settled, we are not. Ha! As many times as I’ve moved you’d think I would know the secret to instantly being settled, but I’m not sure there is a secret to that. Is there? Other than just not owning anything so there isn’t much to do, or maybe buying a bigger house, or one that is fully custom or remodeled for you so you just walk right in, set things down, and everything has the perfect home! Even then, you still have to unpack.

In a new-to-you house and/or one that you’ll be remodeling or improving over time, everything will come together slowly, and a bit differently than it did in the old house. And isn’t that part of the adventure? Making a house a comfortable home is a process, not an event.

Moving In!

Anyway, we were so excited to have our PODS containers delivered so we could see our furniture again! After almost a month without it, we were really ready. There’s something comforting about having places to sit in a new home and familiar pieces to prop up your feet and rest a bit. Even the dogs were happily sniffing everything that reassured them that they are in fact, home. Once Jack’s ottoman arrived, he was in heaven because he was able to look out the window again.

The experience with PODS was great, it was the perfect solution for us, especially knowing they could store our belongings in the same containers during the time we were without a house. That worked really well. We also loved that we could have one of the storage containers returned to us at a time, so we didn’t overwhelm the street or ourselves!

Moving In!

We had a couple of movers help us again from Hire-A-Helper (who sent over Washington Moving Labor Services), which was wonderful! They were really helpful, we were so glad that PODS had referred us to these professional movers. They had packed our PODS containers so efficiently and effortlessly that we knew we wanted their assistance (and strong arms, ha!) to reverse the process. If you want to find out about hiring helpers in your area, click here!

This house was a breeze to move into, as we didn’t have to haul furniture up or down flights of stairs. It’s just a compact but open one level house with the basement family room you can access easily from the garage. The only container we unloaded ourselves was the one that held our outdoor furniture and even that was an easy shot for us right to the backyard.

Moving In!

To help us space plan and to assist the movers, we ran around taping paper plates to the wall to identify where we wanted our furniture placed. We couldn’t find paper so in a pinch, you use what you have!

While we were right there to direct everyone, the plates on the walls still really helped us to make sure we had a place for everything and everything would find its place. Even so, there were a number of pieces we forgot about and had to think on our feet. And of course, many things that will feel a little out of place until we rearrange and get them settled in properly.

The furniture delivery was the fun part, but all the bins? That’s where things are a little more crazy. Even though we had downsized so much over the years and felt pretty comfortable and organized in our last house, it is still kind of shocking to see all of your belongings out of cupboards and closets and stacked in front of you creating a maze-like wall of bins and boxes you have to navigate.

If the thought of unpacking all that stuff doesn’t make you more determined to say good-bye to stuff, I don’t know what will! This house has a smaller (much smaller!) kitchen (and my other one wasn’t even huge, compared to some!), so there’s another good reason for us to downsize further.

Moving In!

You know we will have to be very deliberate about what we keep and what we have to rethink! I don’t mind though. Y’all know I love a good design and organizational challenge. Moving into a new house or a smaller space is like a puzzle.

As I mentioned before, we rented some plastic moving bins to use for packing, and we are so glad we did! We rented them from EZ Binz in Seattle, a wonderful company that services the Seattle area. I’d highly recommend using them if you’re in the area. They dropped off the bins right to our house and will be picking them up for us too. It’s not only convenient to not have so many leftover boxes around the house after moving, but it motivates us to get them all unpacked sooner than later!

We decided to leave a lot of the bins in the garage and downstairs so we wouldn’t feel as overwhelmed right away. Nevertheless, we still ended up with a lot in the house (after these images were taken!). We will just work our way through putting things away, one room at a time!

If I had all day every day to organize, I’m sure I could be done in a shorter period of time. But I’ve got a lot going on right now with a new book project, so I’ll just have to be patient and pace myself.

Fortunately in our old house we had acquired quite a few free standing console cabinets, dressers and bookcases that we were able to bring with us. We packed the contents of each and labeled the bins accordingly, so we can easily unpack them right back where they belong!

Moving In!

Yes, those are dog scratches you see on our (fairly) new leather couch. :) I’ll do an update post on this sofa soon, we still love it even with the character Jack added!

Even though it feels a bit like someone took my house, shook it up and turned it upside down here, I know it won’t be long before we feel like we are reasonably settled again. I’m really looking forward to putting our own stamp on this house and making it our home one step at a time.

So, now that we are finally moved in, I’ll be giving you a closer look at each room in our house with a peek at what we are starting with, the pros and cons of each space, some inspiration for where we could go design-wise with the room, and the next steps we will take to make it more our home. I can’t wait! I also will have more tips for those of you who are moving soon.

Have you moved much? What are your “settling in” tips?

Thanks again to PODS for their great service and support through our move.

Catch up with all of our moving posts here!

62 Comments

  1. Jannean

    Congrats on your new home! I am really looking forward to seeing what you do with it. My family moved a lot when I was a child and I have done more than my share as an adult. I always feel that a place isn’t a home until you hang your art. Seeing empty walls depresses me so I make it a priority to get the art unwrapped and if not hung right away, then at least leaning against the walls to make it feel more like our place.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      I totally agree! And I’m so thankful that 2 weeks after our last cross country move (with 4 little kids) my parents flew out to help us settle in-and the biggest thing they did for us was hang a lot of our art. Otherwise, 5 years later-I’m afraid I’d still be looking at blank walls!

      Reply
  2. Maggie

    So glad you are all moved in.. The most important thing is to label your boxes for each room.. That really helped us..anxious to see how you decorate it.. Have fun.

    Reply
  3. Ms. Maggie the elder

    Funny how sitting in a somewhat empty house makes you feel closer to those who you love but cannot stand for now: shower and eat and all will be well.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      A shower always feels extra great after being so unsettled and tired and grungy from moving, doesn’t it?

      Reply
      • Ms. Maggie the elder

        and things will break but hopefully not hearts!!!

        Reply
  4. Mary Bogart

    We recently moved from the midwest back to Southern Ca. I, too, have moved many times over the years. Our new home is much smaller then the one we just came from, so we purged before we moved. I was left with the task of packing up all of our belongings because my husband had to be here in Ca to work. I would say my number one tip for moving in to a new home is to get the bathrooms and bedrooms ready first since most of us are exhausted after any move. I always wrap clean sheets inside the duvets or comforters and place them in a plastic bag (the kind you use the vacuum to suck the air out. Those go in the car and dont take up much room. Once the movers get the beds set up, they come out of the trunk of the car and brought in. I make the beds immediately so we all have a place to drop into at the end of the long move. I also get the bathrooms set up ( all this while the movers are still bringing in furniture. I hang the clean towels and put the bathroom boxes inside the bathrooms so we can take a hot shower and clean up before we climb into bed.

    Reply
    • Carolyn

      Great tips!

      Reply
  5. Mary Bogart

    P.S. Congrats on your new home!

    Reply
  6. Claudia

    In 33 yrs of marriage we have moved 17 times, whew, and no we aren’t in the military, lol. I tackle the kitchen/eating area first since it is where most of us gather at the beginning and ending of our day. Besides, you need that coffee! Clean counters and that coffee maker help put a smile on my face. Next it is the bedrooms. You really need that bed to rejuvenate the body and spirit. Good luck!

    Reply
  7. Jenny@EvolutionofStyle

    Loove PODS! We used them with our past two moves, and they’re the greatest invention ever for moving. Congrats on your new place – is that a wee bit of a water view I see? Beautiful!

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Thank you! Yes, we do have a view that I am really excited about! A wide open view of trees and water and mountains.

      Reply
  8. Jo

    Enjoyed your post and so happy for you that all your belongings are there with you finally. Looking forward to your future post with tips about moving. My hubby and I have made several out. Of stae moves in the 40 years together…and recently sold our home and recently moved to an apartment for 6!months (about 4 more or so to go ) before our new home in another state is completed. Most of our belongings are in storage. Our last move was 27’yesrs ago. Looking forward to making our second move into our new home in 4 months, and I know seeing all our stuff again will be like Christmas morning, but not looking to all the unpacking..ugh. I know that reading your blog as you are getting settled will inspire me to have a positive out-look and keep me from wanting it all done yesterday….I will be inspired to,pace my sel, I am sure. Again, congrats on your move! God bless~

    Reply
  9. Susan Kolton Kohenak

    I just moved into a much smaller home with no attic or basement and a very small garage. The best investment I made was a full wall unit for the den from IKEA (Besta). This wonder holds our large screen TV, cable and DVD equipment, stereo, turntable, speakers as well as a bookcase and tons of closed cubes with shelves for storage. The second best investment was to pay to have the unit assembled and installed.

    Reply
  10. Yvonne

    So glad you’re in your new home! I hope you’re loving it all.

    On our last move we made sure to make up the beds as one of the “first” things once the furniture was in. We also set set table. That first dinner and sleep in our new home was the best! We also had a wonderful friend bring us lunch and stay to eat with us, making sure we actually stopped the crazy unpacking frenzy for 30 minutes.

    Reply
  11. Renata

    I’m so excited to keep reading about moving. I’ll be moving again in about a month and will be working with my sigother to make it ours. Can’t wait!!

    One question… Obsessed with your table. Is it new?

    Reply
  12. Stephanie Dale

    I must confess this is my first comment! I’ve been reading your blog for quite awhile (go Pinterest!) when I was looking up water jug lamps! I just love this post! My family is in the same moving, getting settled stage. I’m from Gig Harbor, so we are neighbors sort of. Or were, we just moved to Florida! How fun to read your posts (most recently all your white couch/covers and organizing posts) and be doing the same thing in our new home.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Thank you so much for your comment! So happy to know you are out there! Wow, you moved from Gig Harbor to Florida, that’s a big move. I love Gig Harbor, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy lots of sunshine in Florida!

      Reply
  13. Alyssa @ Sweetly Tattered

    We moved from Ohio to Arizona a year ago and are in the middle of moving back! Its so crazy! I feel like we just finished settling in just to pack up and do it all over again! My one tip for feeling settled in quickly is unpack the kitchen first. The first morning always feels so overwhelming. It took us an hour just to find everything for breakfast! I ended up unpacking the kitchen immediately. It made everything seem a lot less stressful. :)

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Such a great tip, it is so unsettling to not know where things are. I have to confess we still can’t find all of our silverware. Ha! I’m sure it’s here somewhere…

      Reply
  14. KATHYSUE

    This is soooo exciting, and I could not be any happier for you all. You are so right it is an ongoing process when you move into a home and it is fun to try to enjoy most of it. I like to have all boxes in the garage and work out of the garage, mainly because I can’t stand working in a mess, but this time when we move I might get to do it that way so I am dreading that part. I have to have order , or what I call an organized mess, LOL. Keep us posted on your progress, know that I am in Calif. cheering you along and trying to become inspired about our move in a little over a month!!! I looooove that view out your big living room window!! Your new home has a great flow.

    Reply
  15. Anna in Albuquerque

    You might be interested in checking out the Atomic Ranch magazine ( https://www.atomic-ranch.com/ ) == a good source of information about mid-century homes. Totally NOT suggesting you toss everything and acquire different furnishings, just thought you’d enjoy exploring the design and mode of those mid-century marvels.

    Reply
  16. debbi s

    As many times as we’ve moved, you would think it would somehow become easier. We are very organized and have all the boxes labeled where they go. It just seems each house “feels” different from the one previous and requires decorating in a different way, so finding a place for the decorative items that worked before is a difficult task. Placing the big furniture is easy and I enjoy getting those spaces fitted out. I can never get completely unpacked as quickly as I would like and requires even more purging after a few months. My grandmother always said, “three moves equals one house fire”; now I know what she meant.

    Reply
  17. sandyc

    Melissa, been following your adventures and wanting so much to comment on everyone, and way behind on doing so but will. I love your new home and I’m so happy for you. And best of all – NO SWINE!!!.

    Reply
  18. Beth Kyle

    We have moved often, and I have found that getting area rugs and lamps in place right away makes a place feel like home right away. Though hanging wall art may need to wait until furniture placement is done, it is a huge boost in helping one feel settled.

    Reply
  19. Whitney

    My husband, myself, our two year old daughter and our now seven week old daughter just moved into our first house about three weeks ago. My husband and I have moved across country twice and live in six apartments in the last six years. I’ve learned that getting clothes put away and the kitchen unpacked helps with everyday life and frees up some mental space to tackle other spaces. But just like you it will be a slow process not because of a book (good for you!) but because of my two little ladies. :) Congrats on your new home it’s lovely and I can’t wait to see your plans for her!

    Reply
  20. Alice

    Unpack the family room first. Usually has fewer knick knacks. Hang up your art and find your pillows and throws. Having one room done that you can collapse in when you are overwhelmed by boxes restores your sanity. At the end of the day it’s also a haven for everyone to relax in and feel normal before tacking the next thing. Good luck!

    Reply
  21. Pam

    We’ve moved 15 times including being stationed overseas. Husband left the service to work in industry so he would have more family time. Haven’t seen him since! My advice is to get the children settled first-rooms, school and activities. You make friends sooner that way too. I have always tried to keep the kitchen set-up as close to the last place as possible-seems to help everyone including my husband. Put a wreath or something on the front door. Looks hopeful. One thing pre-move that I always do-put a set bed linens and towels into the dressers for each room. No hunting through boxes to get that first night in one’s own bed. Also very important-drive the route to your local ER BEFORE you need it! All the best in your new home.

    Reply
  22. SandyL

    Another great post about moving. I’m hanging on every word since I’ll be moving in less than two months. We haven’t moved a lot (fourth time in 38 years) so we’re hardly experts. And as we’re downsizing, there won’t be room for what we don’t need, don’t want and haven’t used in years. My husband and I have been very busy purging, bringing gently used items to consignment shops, donating other goods and discarding the rest. Although it’s tons of work, it feels good. I’ll be on the look out for tips on settling in — I’m going to need some. Just saying!

    Reply
  23. Sharon

    I know you will make your home as lovely as the last and I just can’t wait to follow the progress. Good luck with all the fun work of making a house a home! One of my favorite things to do.

    Reply
  24. Cynthia

    I have read your posts now for at least 5 years, and I love them. Just received the book Love The Home You Have, and read a chapter everyday. It is a process and I don’t want to miss anything. Just to let you know I am 65 years old, have 9 grandchildren, 2 small dogs, and a wonderful husband that works out of our home. So together24/7, but love him being here. My projects, moving furniture, moving accessories around every few weeks has become funny to my grown children and hubby, so is there ever a stopping point? I love being creative with what I have and you taught me that! I look forward to watching you make your home beautiful warm and loving in every way. You’ve inspired this mature woman!! God bless you and your family.

    Reply
  25. Sandi

    I love reading and watching about your move. I love the look so far of your new home. One level is fantastic, that’s what I have! No stairs anywhere. Can’t wait for your next post. Hugs,

    Reply
  26. Lilly

    We moved in to our new house about 8 months ago and little by little have been piecing it together with our belongings. It felt like home right away to us even though there are so many things that are different from our old house and so many things we want to change in the future. I think it helps that we didn’t decide to sell or get rid of our furniture before moving to see what pieces could work. I so happy to see you go through this new journey to be closer to your family and continue to do what you love. I can’t wait to see how you transform your new house in to a home you love. Many blessings to you and your family.

    Reply
  27. Erica Hall

    What is the paint color in the very first picture? Thank you!

    Reply
  28. Debbie from MountainMamaOnline

    Congrats on moving in – isn’t it the best feeling in the world?

    I did the same as you when I moved into my new home in April – I left boxes in the garage and carried them in and put them away one at a time. I would tackle a couple of boxes every day, and eventually it was all done, without feeling totally overwhelming. My sweetie broke down the boxes and went to the dump every few days to get all the boxes out of the garage. I also had some metro shelving delivered from Lowes so the boxes I wasn’t ready to put away just yet were stored on the shelving, and it didn’t feel like I was living in a storage unit. The shelving now serves as storage for holiday decorations and also extra pantry storage for paper goods and such. You can never have too much storage!!

    Good luck, can’t wait to see how you make this home your own gorgeous space!

    Reply
  29. Christie

    I never appreciated the ranch style until I lived in one with a great view. After reading library books, I looked at my house with new eyes and fell in love with its asymmetry (yet symmetrical in its own asymmetrical way!) and its connection to nature.

    I think your classic sofas, chairs and storage pieces look great in the new place. Classic always works!

    Reply
  30. Barbara (WA)

    The paper plate signs – brilliant! We moved 22 times before settling into this home in 1988, yes, 22!! In the early days of our marriage, all our possessions fit into the car, heheh. The best part of moving IS being forced to purge. It’s much harder to do in a long term home but I am determined!

    Reply
  31. Barbara (WA)

    PS: are the wing back couches new?

    Reply
  32. annette

    How exciting to follow along with you ! yes, I have moved many times and I always bought some fresh flowers for the kitchen and bathroom to cheer me along during the days of re-organizing. Thanks for letting us have a peek into this adventure.

    Reply
  33. Dee

    Because we will be putting our house on the market in the next year or two, I’ve been printing out all of your tips. Like you, we will be downsizing, but not to another house, but condo. I’ve never lived in a multi-family building before, but with my husband’s dementia it seems to make sense. I’m so looking forward to seeing all your creative ideas come to life in your new location. So happy Jack has a beautiful view to look at, he looks very much at home in his new space. Good luck and much happiness in your new(old) home. Dee

    Reply
  34. Kristin

    Hi Melisssa!
    I’m so glad you had a great moving experience!

    I just wanted to comment that we had a great experience with PODS when we moved from Massachusetts to Austin two years ago, however I would caution folks to be very wary of Pack and Load services, one of PODS “referred loaders”. I can’t speak for the others, but this one subcontracted our pack up to some random “moving company” not even close to my home, which in my case proved to be a big mistake. My “movers” were highly incompetent, had no professional appearance or vehicle, showed up late, and did not use the packing materials I had ordered but then charged me for them anyway. Pack and Load would not return my many calls so I disputed the charge with my credit card company. They sent them a document from the movers that had been falsely signed by someone. (my name was spelled wrong.) When I got to my destination, we hired a local reputable Austin company to unpack the POD who were amazing, professional and a fraction of the cost I paid to Pack and Load. They very politely noted that the that packing job on the previous end was awful, and many of my items were scratched or damaged. I rarely write negative reviews but I want others to be careful. PODS is great, but I recommend finding local movers yourself with good references.

    Reply
  35. Gretchen

    My favorite picture is of Jack checking out the new view!
    I’ve posted before that my husband and I are now living with our daughter and her LTC Army hubby, so we are getting used to this moving things after only living in 2 houses our entire married life. One of our close army wives has been living on post at Ft. Knox for a short time when her husband got orders to report to Ft.Eustis in Virginia. Two moves in a very short time! Her girls had their first day of school pictures from Kentucky on her fb page and then had another set of first day pictures from Virginia this past week! Jennie, bless her heart, says she has to hang pictures first! She does not feel at home until her pictures are up. Seems odd to me…those are still in boxes here at our house, but she’s a pro and swears by it!
    Love your light-filled home; so glad you now have all of your own things there.

    Reply
  36. sharon / theprincipledtype.blogspot.com

    your window is sooo clean i thought jack was on his ottoman on the patio! man, i’m going to into your view here (not as much as you . . but you know what i mean:)).

    Reply
  37. Kathy @ In Quiet Places

    Welcome Home! Can’t wait to see the updates, and you are right, nothing like moving motivates you to get rid of clutter!

    Reply
  38. Rebecca Turner

    Congratulations on your move to a new-to-you home! I hope it will be the best one yet! Your fans have certainly given you (and us) some good tips. After moving four times in five years from apartment to apartment, my husband and I bought a house which we’ve now been in thirty four years. I didn’t know that it was going to be our forever home when we bought it, and I’ve wanted a change for a long time, but I’m thankful to be a homeowner, and I’m learning to lbe content in the home I have. I read your book and I enjoyed it! I’ve recommended it to others. I guess my only tip is to encourage you to enjoy the process. As a child my family moved quite a bit and I learned to love the organization of the settling in process.

    Reply
  39. Barbara Jacobs

    I have been following your blogs through my mother-she sends me stuff I might find interesting-you and I have had very similar situations this past year. We renovated our 1987 home and move this past August. Almost everything we did-you were doing or close to it! I wish I could share our photos and experiences with you too!

    Good luck unpacking! (Ugh!)

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Oh I would love to see your photos! I created a website so that readers can connect with each other and share photos of their homes with me, too! Check it out at homelovestories.com. Can’t wait to see your stories!

      Reply
  40. Jan P.

    So exciting! Congratulations! Can’t wait to see how you make it your own.

    Reply
  41. Angela

    Your moving experience has been so helpful. We are planning a move next spring or summer and were thinking of using Pods to help with the transition. I’m so happy that you mentioned that they can deliver one pod at a time on the unload. I hadn’t realized that! Can’t wait to watch what you do with your new home!

    Reply
  42. Fonda Rush

    We’ve been in our house for a week now. We had color-coded all the boxes, and the movers said that it worked well for them, too. The most important thing for us to set up first was our bed. The next most important space was the kitchen. We had downsized significantly, too. Our kitchen feels spacious. There are a few empty spaces that we don’t feel the need to fill. Everything is settle in the kitchen, and it works well for us, but where oh where are the flour and sugar containers and the air-pop popcorn popper???. We are waiting on the decorating. Now, I have to find some bathroom closet stuff…

    Reply
  43. Jennifer

    Congratulations! We just moved into our house three weeks ago. Even though everything is brand new since we built it’s coming along very, very slow. There are so many rooms to fill! No matter the home, bigger, smaller, older, or newer it seems like only half of the previous furniture goes. Well, less for me! I went from a craftsman to a French country home. Nothing really goes in this house, but, it’s going to be fun buying new things! And, I love your view!

    Reply
  44. Martin

    Hey congratulations! The house definitely looks amazing! I remember moving into my house a couple of years ago and the feeling was ecstatic! I’m glad you feel the same.

    Reply
  45. Sherri

    Is Jack a Wheaten?

    Reply
  46. Tamala Dean

    Congrats on your new home! It looks amazing! Our last move wasn’t the best in my live, in fact it was a total disaster for me. Unpacking took me too much time and moving in day was so uncoordinated at all. Our movers were two too young boys who had no idea what they are doing and all the boxes ended in the wrong rooms. I’m so glad I left the piano at my mother’s house, it could end broken after that move. My conclusion for a cross country moving is to rely only on a trusted and experienced movers. Greets!

    Reply
  47. Heidi Hansen

    I have to know where you bought those matching white rattan chairs? (At least they look like rattan)

    Just ordered your book…..love your blog….cant wait to see how your new house unfolds!

    Reply
  48. Cathy Mapes

    Keeping It Real …
    Simply LOVED your new book! So appreciate your openness about how you feel in your new home. It’s your realness that ties us all together, whether it’s a high or a low, it creates a bond. Thank you…

    Reply
  49. Deborah Clark

    Congratulations for the move! I know what it is to move with all your stuff to a new house. We moved to our new house at the end of October and it was such a complicated process. We also used the services of a local moving company (http://www.putneyremovals.org.uk/). Really great guys! After the big moving day I didn’t have any powers to feel happy that we have finally moved. I was constantly feeling anxious, nervous and unsettled. I still feel strange in the new house, no matter that we live here for a month. I think that moving and getting settled is more of a psychological thing. Thank you for sharing your story! I hope that you feel nice at your new house! Have wonderful time there and happy holidays! :)

    Reply

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