Baby Chaos!

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​Babies are undeniably cute and are one of life’s greatest joys….that said, they come with A LOT of stuff!!   It’s incredible how that beautiful 6lb. 11oz bundle of love can have the same affect as a grenade going off in your home!  Here are my top 5 tips to maintaining your sanity when bringing home a newborn!

http://www.neat.com

​​1)   MANAGE YOUR PAPERWORK

Aside from all the lovely balloons and flowers that you bring back home with your from the hospital comes a MOUNTAIN of paperwork. Manage your paperwork.  Go paperless with systems like Neat Desk, or set up a filing system or binders with individualized sections to keep track of hospital bills, insurance forms, medical records, maternity/paternity leave paperwork etc.

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​2)   ORGANIZE YOUR MOMENTOS

Baby memorabilia can get overwhelming…stop the madness before its starts by setting up a system.  Keep a designated space to keep your keepsakes and be as selective as possible!

http://www.potterybarnkids.com

​​3) COMPARTMENTALIZE... CATEGORIZE… AND BE CONSISTENT!

Designating a ‘home’ for all the new baby gear that you have acquired is key.  Knowing everything has a place can keep you from feeling overwhelmed and cluttered

​4)   TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGY

There are some amazing tools available to parents these days.  My favorites are The Baby Geek and Total Baby apps.  Baby Geek allows you to track 18 different baby functions, such as growth, feeding times, nap times, immunization schedules, etc. and only costs $0.99 (is not compatible with all versions of the iPhone).  Total baby is another good option, tracking 13 functions and costing $4.99

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​5)   DON’T BE A PERFECTIONIST

Raising a child is hard work and it most definitely isn’t and exact science.  Setting up systems and trying to be organized can be incredibly helpful to the process, but remember not to be too hard on yourself when things get a bit off track.  It’s ok…love your child, enjoy every moment, and the rest will sort itself out!

The Challenges of Furniture Placement!

Now that you are all moved in…where are you going to put everything!! Organizing the layout of your room is key to fully enjoying your space.  Here are some tips to making your room functional and beautiful.

1)   Decide what the function of the space is going to be and allow your furniture placement to facilitate that.  Perhaps you have a beautiful fireplace, but you spend most of your time watching TV.  In that case you should have your largest seating arrangement facing the TV. 

Traditional Family Room design by New York Architect Knight Architects LLC

http://www.potterybarn.com/design-studio/tool/living_rooms_room_planner.html

2)   Play with your layout.  There are a lot of great tools out there that you can use to map out furniture placement that don’t require you to lift a thing!  Pottery Barn’s Room Planner is one of my favorites.  Just insert the measurements of your space and play with your layout to see what works best for you!

3)   Don’t place all your furniture against the walls in large rooms!  You end up creating a lot of dead space.  Don’t be afraid to float larger pieces in the space!

Modern Family Room design by San Francisco Architect Three Legged Pig Design

4)   Edit your room!! Do not feel the need to cover every empty surface.  Accessorize in odd numbers to prevent making the room feel cold and too meticulously constructed.  Layer in color and pattern over neutrals so that they can stand out more.

Contemporary Family Room design by Atlanta Interior Designer Cristi Holcombe

The Overwhelming Move

No matter how many times you’ve done it...moving is always stressful!  In my opinion, as stressful as the move can be, it’s the anticipation of it that causes the real stress.  We find ourselves dreading the looming move date, imagining how chaotic and horrible its going to be, how long it will take you to find everything in the sea of boxes, and worrying about how many things will break in the process!  Its no wonder moving is one of life’s greatest stresses!

http://www.allpromove.com/unpacking-tips/

It doesn’t need to be that way.  Getting yourself organized for the big move can save you a lot of time money and the need for therapy after!

Pre-packing

It’s hard to pack up a home that you are still living in, however there is only so much you can do during the move in weekend.  Don’t waste the lead-time that you may have.  You may not be able to pack up everything, but you can definitely start the process. 

http://freebies.about.com/b/2012/07/23/moving-get-some-free-stuff-to-help.htm

1)   Get moving boxes, tape, bubble wrap, and a sharpie marker (labeling will never be more important than during a move!)

2)   Sort through each room.  Be sure that everything you take from your current home MAKES SENSE in your new home. 

3)   Pack up all the decorative accessories in your home.  Only put off packing what you are still using everyday.  The barren space will also help you feel like you are further along in your move and the actually moving date wont be as daunting.

Hire Movers and/or a Truck

Many of you may think it would be easier to gather up your friends and family with the promise of pizza and beer to get your move over and done with.  And if you are lucky, that may very well be the case.  However, not all friends make great movers.  Movers are an additional cost, but the time, stress, and backache they can save you may make them worth it. 

1)   Yelp is a great tool for finding  quality movers in your area.  Pay just as much attention to why someone gave the company a low rating as you do to the positive reviews

2)   The cost of movers will depend on how many rooms your current and future home have and if there are any stairs involved. Be sure to ask if the cost of moving blankets and pads are included. These are essential! You don’t want to have scuffed up floors and wall at the end of the day

How to Pack and Unload:

http://www.diylife.com/2010/12/21/holiday-arrangments-moving-heavy-furniture-for-entertaining/

1)   Pack all boxes and small items towards the back of the truck.  Leave all large furniture pieces towards the front so that they can be unloaded first.

2)   Put down rugs first only if you have large heavy furniture items being placed on top

3)   Plan ahead of time so that you know room each piece is going into.  You might decide to move it later, but its good to have a rough idea to make the process go faster.

4)   Bring in boxes last so that you don’t have to work your way around them while bringing in furniture.  If you know exactly where that box needs to go, place it in that room, otherwise have a designated area for these items so that you can get to it later and it’s out of the way!

Once the Movers have left…

1)   Take a break!! Grab a drink, eat something, and give yourself a minute to rest!

2)   Start with your bedroom!  You don’t have to unpack your entire closet. but  you should try to create a restful place to sleep for the night.  Set up the furniture and make the bed.  You will be grateful you did at the end of the night!

3)   Go room by room.  If you do little things throughout the house, you will feel like you are getting nowhere fast.  Finish one room before starting another. 

4)   Remove empty boxes and garbage constantly…the less mess you have to look at the less stressful the task will seem!

Moving is a challenge.  You don’t have to have the whole house picture perfect instantly.  However, the more organized you are going in, the faster it will be for your to settle in and enjoy your new space!

Image by : Shutterstock​