For the first ten years that I lived on my own, I would pack up my apartment at the end of each lease and move to a new one. It was a lot of work but I always enjoyed it. It was a chance to get a change of scenery and also a way to keep myself from collecting a lot of stuff. Now that I'm a homeowner, I've had to find other ways to scratch my moving itch.
- If you can't move, redecorate. If you're allowed to paint, consider giving a room a color makeover. If you're not allowed to paint, try out a new window treatment or a new rug. Sometimes a little change in decoration can make a home feel brand new.
- One of the advantages of moving is that it forces you to get yourself organized — either while packing or after the move. Pretending you're going to move may help you reorganize your home. Take a day to reorganize your space. Clean out your closets and organize your junk drawer to help renew your old space.
- One of the joys of moving is arranging your furniture for the first time. Rearrange your furniture to make your old home feel new to you. If you have a flexible floorplan, consider switching rooms completely.
- When I move into a new home I like to give it a big clean. Give your space a top to bottom cleaning to help it feel fresh,
even ifespecially if you've lived in it for years. - Take the funds you save from moving and invest in a new piece of furniture. Replacing a tired old sofa with a new one may not make your whole house feel brand new, but it will give your living room a little face lift.
Image: Flickr member Mava licensed for use by Creative Commons
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Comments (17)
I totally agree! Before I bought my house, I lived no longer than 14 months in any one rental. Now, I've been in my house for a year and all the (continuing) projects are completely keeping the moving itch at bay. I imagine it will be different in about 5 years when I'm (hopefully) done painting and have figured out the best arrangement for my furniture. So hopefully then, investing in a few new pieces of furniture, trading out art or upgrading the bath or kitchen will keep me from setting out the for sale sign.
Okay, your cat looks a lot like my cat. Just had to share that. So cute, by the way!
I have my apartment painted every three years, and I try different colors in the bedroom and living room, which gives the place a new feel.
I also move my art work around a few times a year just to keep it interesting.
I don't entertain much (my studio apartment is very small), so whenever I do I am forced to reorganize to make room for people & make things look a little more put together. I've been thinking of having an "I just sign a new lease" house REwarming party to force me to get my space in better order.
I know this is ridiculous, but when the title and picture popped up in my reader my first thought was 'Why is AT posting an article about how to pet your cat?'
I like the fifth point though I'm twisting it around: reminding myself of the cost of moving (no matter how cheaply you do it) is one sure way of making do with your current place. The adorable kitty picture also reminds me how stressful moving is, for me and my kitties. If I get the moving itch any time soon, it's probably because I've managed to accumulate too much crap so I know it's time to purge!
Your cat looks EXACTLY like my cat, Pilar. And I've never seen another cat come close!!! So beautiful.
Hahaha Syllogi, that was hilarious not ridiculous!
Beautiful kitty!
I'm seriously addicted to change. To the point that it gives my husband a headache.
He sometimes comes home from a trip away, and I've completely re-organised three or four rooms! I'm worse when he's away.
I make new blinds/curtains/duvet covers for the kids rooms WAY too much. I make new cushion covers all the time, and update the colour accents of the lounge room.
When I reallllly need change, I announce it's trip time, and I/we pack the kids up into the car, and the kids take turn picking a spot/direction, and we go away for a long weekend and camp, or stay in a cheap cabin, or visit family.
The cutest kitty! I always have the itch to move, I think because it's hard to be satisfied with our current arrangements. But i hate the actual moving part. So much work. Oh, yeah, and we need a down payment :)
Only a cat can look that regal inside a moving box. So beautiful.
Before I go away on vacation I always do a big weeding, since I know I'll come home with more stuff.
I bought my condo ten years ago. Except for my parents' house, this is the longest I've lived anywhere. I am just now realizing that without moving you need to make an effort to "de-congest" a place, almost as if you were moving.
Having said that, one of the things I loved about my childhood home was that it didn't really change--no redecorating, other than painting, no new furniture, pictures added but never taken off the walls, etc. It gave such a feeling of security and HOME. I have older brothers & sisters who change things out all the time, and I guess it assuaged their need for moving, but when I visit them, their houses don't feel home-y and i think that is why.
Great post.
I just helped a friend move this past weekend, and I told my boyfriend that it was giving me the urge to move. He just looked at me like I had three heads, since it has the opposite effect on most people, but I love the idea of getting rid of junk and starting over. I will have to try some of these ideas.
I never thought of it as an "itch to move", but I periodically Must Organize. Just had a "staycation" and among other things, reorganized my jewelry-making supplies that have been accumulating in a haphazard way... It probably has similar therapeutic effects to the suggestions above. There are a lot of once-in-a-while tasks that would fit the bill.
Oh, and the cat? Looks exactly like my Widget!
That cat is too darn cute!
Moving is a huge pain in the ass, I hate it! If I could my dream apartment, I'd just stay there for as long as possible. Looking for a new place gives me major anxiety and apartment hunting here sucks.
I actually used to rearrange furniture a lot when I was still living at home in high school. The sameness of it all wore on me and I would rearrange my room every year or so. My dad would laugh at me. It kinda helped with going to college and being ok with having to move my stuff so often. I have actually moved pretty much every year for the past 10 years. After this last one though, I think I'm starting to tire of it... I think I'm going to have to start taking this advice instead of stressing and wasting money with another move.