Page 98 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2025

HOME
THE BIGMOVE Making the Most of a Fresh Start
story by Holly Harrison and Shannon Stage
Home is where the heart is, and most of us like to stay there. We get used to a house much like we do a good friend. We know its creaks and cracks, and we’re aware of the things we’d like to change. But we have history there. Everything
is familiar. We’ve celebrated a lot of love and important life moments in our homes, and we don’t like to think about leaving all of that behind.
Moving is one of life’s messiest tasks. Both of us have made major moves in recent weeks—one from a home lived in for nearly 30 years, and the other making a third move in five years. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived in a place; it’s still full of memories. But moving can be exciting, too. It’s an opportunity for a clean, fresh start. Before you can put your feet up and enjoy a new view, however, there’s the daunting task of packing up everything you own and getting it to your
new address.
We don’t know anyone who enjoys moving. It’s a herculean
task, no matter the size of the home. The only real upside
is that, with enough preparation, it becomes a moment to clean out, pare down and simplify. Less stuff is easier to care for and keep organized. There’s no shortage of strategies for decluttering, with entire books and websites devoted to the process. The box method—sorting everything into “sell,” “give away,” “keep” and “trash”—remains a favorite. Other suggestions include working one room at a time, or sorting by category (clothes, books, kitchen gadgets, etc.). And
then there’s the Swedish death cleaning philosophy, which encourages eliminating anything you wouldn’t want your children to have to deal with. If something doesn’t spark immediate joy, get rid of it—no sense leaving your loved ones
98 | July 2025
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living