6 Things You Need to Buy When You Move

Disclaimer: Casper and I created a combined list of what could make a new home more inviting. I was NOT compensated for this post at all and all opinions are my own.

I am by no means an interior decorator, but I do really love wandering the aisles of stores like Home Goods and Marshall’s. The home interior spot in these stores is where I spend most of my time and money. One time I really find myself going there and thinking about redecorating is when we move. Being that I rent, because we like to be able to move when the spirit moves us to, I have definitely spent my fair share of time packing up and dropping anchor in some place new. Each time we move, I try to create a new spot to call home with themes and new items to enjoy. For instance, my kitchen has been Farmhouse themed, ocean themed and just black and red. If you are getting ready to move and wondering how to create a new space that you feel right at home in, here are my essential 6 things you need to buy when you move.

6 Things You Need to Buy When You Move

A new Rug- Rugs can really set up a room for a complete look. They can either complete a look or give you a color scheme to go off of. I happen to like lots of busy patterns for rugs, which is why I have these rag rugs in my living room. Our living room in this apartment basically has a bohemian/zen room theme so I thought they went well with it. Plus, they were really reasonable in price. I paid less than $20 each for these rugs at Ross and we own several. Buying a rug can be quite an investment in many cases, though. I have had some that were worth over $100 before and they held up really well.

Artwork and Wall hangings- I keep some of my favorite pictures and artwork when we move, but I also like to start fresh with some new ideas. After all, it does get boring looking at the same thing for years, right? I will be completely honest, though, the best place I have ever found to buy wall hangings and artwork has been the thrift store. You can really find some super funky pieces in there and they are usually really reasonable priced. Currently, I am collecting weird or odd frames to place on my gallery wall that is in the works. Instructions on that one, coming soon!

New Mattress, sheets or Pillows- Nothing says welcome home than a new place to lay your head. We are currently in the market for a new mattress and this one from Casper (the queen size) is one we are considering because I don’t know about you, but I hate visiting mattress showrooms, especially in the middle of a move. The idea of having a mattress just show up at my door in a box is much more appealing, don’t you agree? If you’re not in the market for a new mattress, consider getting some new bedding at least. Just imaging climbing into fresh, new sheets after a long day of unpacking!

New Plants- My husband and I have at thing for raising houseplants and we have cultivated many over the years. We also like to buy new ones when we move to a new space. This is because, well, we are somewhat of a plant hoarding couple, but depending on which direction our apartment windows face, we may need new ones that can accommodate how much or how little light we will receive. If we don’t buy new plants, I at least buy new pots and containers. Often, just like with artwork, some of the best are at thrift stores. Think outside the pot, too! With cacti and succulents, they can often be OK with no drainage so consider vintage tea cups or funky containers for your plants.

Home Fragrance- I almost always have some essential oil diffusing in my home. It is one of my favorite ways to make a room have a certain feel to it. If you are looking for some scents to diffuse that say ‘welcome home’, check out vanilla to create a warm feeling, citrus to create an invigorating feeling or sandalwood to help yourself and your guests de-stress. In addition to picking the right scent, consider getting a new diffuser for essential oils, too. I really am digging these bamboo and wood grain ones lately.

Decorative Pillows- If you don’t have a lot of money to update a bedroom or a living room, but still want to create a new space, decorative pillows are the way to go. They can often be bought for low prices and can make a big impact on how the room feels. I would caution you to stay away from thrift stores for this one, though, as there could be bed bugs in them and that is the last thing you need in your new home.

Tips for Planning a New Theme

Make it simple- Choose a design that is simple to find pieces for. I made the mistake one time of being too specific. It is hard to find decorative or themed pieces for a room when you do. Instead, choose something loose that you can build around. ‘Ocean or coastal’ is much easier to build on than ‘Octopuses’ (although if you knew me well, you would know that a room built on octopuses would blow my mind).

Check out Pinterest for ideas- I get a lot of design ideas off of Pinterest. It’s a great way to not only find a theme to go with, but also find special hand-made items to add to your room since a lot of Etsy crafters sell their goods via Pinterest posts.

Don’t get carried away- Choose something that will be more subtle. It might be great to own 20 cactus items, but if you try to put them all in one room, you might end up looking more cluttered. Instead, choose a few statement pieces and build around them with color.

Packing and Unpacking Tips

Always pack furniture with care- I think we often think furniture just needs to be loaded on a truck and taken where it needs to go. We don’t consider that moving can really damage our stuff. Make sure you utilize furniture padding and pack things with lots of care onto the truck. For items like mattresses, make sure to cover them to avoid dirt, rain and bugs from hitching a ride. If you don’t want to pack your mattress, have a new mattress sent to your home, such as the one that comes in a box from Casper, like I suggested in my list. This will definitely be great because its’ one less thing to move!

Don’t leave empty spots in boxes- No matter what, don’t leave empty spaces in boxes. This is one way to find you have broken items by the time you reach your new home. Instead, if you have odd shaped items that need their own box, use newspaper or even clothing, to fill in these spots.

Take this time to get rid of some clutter- I will never forget the time, that in the midst of my hurry to pack, I realized upon unpacking that I had basically packed a box of nothing but garbage and clutter. Try to take the time to go through everything and get rid of stuff that won’t be needed or wanted in your new spot.

 

I hope these tips have been helpful as you get ready to start a new adventure in your new place! Do you have anything to add? Let me know!