As much as the days seem to drag during our stay-at-home order, I have recently felt the time passing faster than ever. It is almost time for me to move into a new apartment, and after months of searching to find the perfect home, I have finally found one. With that being said, the time seems to be passing even quicker because I am in the process of packing. Though I have given myself a generous amount of time to get all of my belongings together, I am also taking this down time to place a heavy focus on organizing everything that I am packing.

Before I moved into my current apartment, packing was something I absolutely dreaded. I saw no value in taking the time to pre-organize any of my belongings. I figured that, once I moved in, I could set everything up the way that I like, so there was no point in doing it all twice. After tearing apart everything that I packed to find the things that I was looking for, I was so focused on decorating my apartment and making it feel like home that I never really bothered to put any excess things away in an organized way. Now that I am ready to move again, I am faced with constant clutter and everything seems out of place. I know this for certain because, when I pack now, I often come across something that I have been looking for but just assumed I lost - many months after I needed it. This time around, I am trying to take my organizational skills to the next level.

Throughout this experience, something that I have found incredibly helpful is to purchase clear, plastic bins to pack specific belongings in. Though you can never go wrong with a cardboard box, I have realized that it is a lot more complicated for me to try and remember what belongings are in which boxes when I cannot get a clear look inside them. To ease the struggle of having to dig through multiple boxes to find what I am looking for, I am utilizing these clear bins to my advantage. I have found it especially helpful to take a piece of paper or a large notecard and mark the contents of the box in it. When you are done, I simply slide the paper into the clear bin so that I will be able to locate exactly what I need without unpacking unnecessary items. Also, I have purchased clear, stackable shelves that will allow me to do the same. I believe these smaller, stackable tools will be a great asset in terms of storing items while taking up minimal space. Lastly, something I am finding to be an essential part of my packing journey is taking the time to go through my closet. Instead of dragging every piece of clothing that I own during the move, I have decided to take the time to go through all of my clothes and really re-evaluate what I am using. To my surprise, I have discovered so many clothes in my closets that I forgot I even had - let alone use. I then determine my likes and dislikes, as well as wants versus needs, and put aside the clothes I am not using so that I will be able to donate them. Not only will this lighten the load of belongings that I have to move, but it is a great opportunity to donate to people who need these things more than I do, especially in the current state of affairs.

In terms of packing, my three biggest tips are as follows:

1. Take advantage of clear bins and label them to the best of your ability.

2. Find stackable storage to save space in your home.

3. Take the time to go through your belongings and donate the things that you don't use or need.

These tips have been so helpful in terms of this move and are definitely redefining the way I organize my home.