Planning a Move with the Container Concept

what is a little funny to me is that when you are packing for a move a common piece of advice is to first pack all the things you can live without for months. That way you can start slowly and not feel rushed..... but! now it seems like if you have a bunch of boxes you "can live without" maybe those are the things that should be decluttered? haha, maybe not, but it is at least worth some consideration. :)

We are renovating a 4 bedroom house that we might move into, but having serious thoughts about staying in our 2 bedroom house. I hate the thought of packing, but have moved a lot of stuff out since watching your videos, sometimes only one or two things at a time! Something is better than nothing and it really does add up. The sense of calm that it gives me to have less stuff is so good!

Love your hair

What is in the package is a marketing trick, they deliberately under quote how many boxes you'll need so you'll have to buy more at an individual price. Better to look at what's in the 'package' and buy them elsewhere cheaper.

Been working on decluttering in prep for move, another great tool for me to use. Cannot convince hubby to buy boxes, but will try to figure out how many boxes we SHOULD have for our new house and eliminate some that we have here (2 people in a 4 bedrooms in about 2400 sf going to 3 bedroom 1700 sf, but don't want that house to be a FOC as this one is. Getting too old to handle stuff.

As someone who is prepping for an international move, keep these videos coming! I don't care that they're 3 months after the fact, REID.

Perfect timing, decluttering before and during packing for a big move. 😁 new book is great too Dana

I moved from my own home when I got married and told my husband I never want to move again because of the stress. I still think we'll stay in our current house but now we have less stuff it seems more manageable.

Not moving, but when decluttering, I ask myself would I want to take the time and energy to pack it, move it, unpack it and find a new place for it. Is it that valuable to me?

We have a very heavy, very floppy mattress. And when moving, it easily falls down, so having a cover really is a good idea. (Especially if you drop it outside!) which we have done! I love your container concept. We aren't moving but thinking about swedish death cleaning or what happens when we need to move into a smaller place. This concept could help me realistically figure out what needs to stay and go. Thanks. I can't wait to follow you through this process!

I love the picture you had over your couch (the map). Can you share where you got it?

Brilliant!!!

Moving isnt easy. Give yourself a break about putting video out supposedly late!

Even though I moved to a bigger house (from 1400 sq ft to 1700 sq ft), I reduced the stuff I had by half during the packing. Once I unpacked in the new house and put everything in its place, I continue to declutter. I love having empty shelves and extra room in cabinets.

Reid!!! What did you think of this strategy? Did it work for you?

Though I'm not moving I loved this video. I really liked your tip from before where you looked at how many boxes per room to work out what to take. I'll definitely use these ideas If I move. X

The best part of the video-the scream when you dropped the packing tape.

The house you just moved out of was itself the "container" to compare to the new house, since the new house is larger.. Everyone has different stuff for a 3-4-bedroom house -- some have more books or pottery, or some people have more furniture. Idk how U-Haul would decide how much would be the standard. However, you yourself already know what you own and how it fits, so that would seem to be a better baseline, IMO. Hope the move went well.

Thanks so much for sharing a moving video. I’ve watched so many of yours and you really speak my language. I’m moving in with my daughter and 30 yr old grandson in April from a 1 bedroom apartment and overstuffed 10 x 20 storage unit, so I have a whole lot of decluttering to do obviously. I did spend money on boxes too and that helps a lot. Any recommendations for which of your books would be most helpful for me with this move? Love your videos, keep it up!

This is right on time for my move. 💗

My sister is moving. We went to U-Haul and bought boxes. I was the best money we ever spent! I probably wouldn't have thought of it without you. We started with 2-3 bedroom package and added. I thank you so much!

Great video. Reids comments are always 👌. 😂

Love it Dana! Looking forward to learning more about your process. Still need to record my last video of the minimalism challenge I did in January. Not sure how big of a truck I would need to move, but it is way smaller than when I was first introduced to you a year ago.....

I've been waiting for this video since my husband and I will hopefully be buying a house this year. I listened to the podcast about this approach and I'm super intrigued by this approach.

I have been waiting for these videos and hope you post more soon. And maybe some on unpacking and finding new homes for things. because where would i look for it first in a new house isn't really well established all the time which means the second question is usually yes, but I don't know yet.

OMG wardrobe boxes for the win!!! they are the best! you can put shoes or pillows in the bottom of them! Make sure you find some 7 year olds to build a fort with the boxes once you are done!

Great! But , was it enough to do the job? If not, how many (roughly) more did you need?

Okay so I LOVE Dana and she is brilliant and has changed my life 💯 But I’d be lying if I pretended like Reid’s commentary in the credits aren’t my favorite part every time 🤣🤣🤣

I'm preparing for an international move. I love that you're kind of on the same wavelength for now. We originally moved a family of six with 13 suitcases but I've since built a life of stuff. Now we need to pack the last five years into suitcases to go home again. I know it can be done (after all I've done it!) but it's a LOT to think about if I let myself dwell on it. The container concept is one of my BESTIES in this season! Looking forward to seeing how your move progresses! BEST Wishes!!

Wow so I need this right now! We are moving from a house we've been in 19 years, cross state. Also moving daughter to college and college-age son to another apartment. Whew! Most of our house stuff will go in different places...storage, land (we're building and will need tools) RV we're living in for the building time, some stuff goes to son for new apartment...OMG! Is having a garage sale worthwhile for stuff that doesn't make the cut? Thank you SO much, Dana!!!

Why are you moving... :) ?

Great video

My storage unit “Container” is improving. It started when I got a bigger storage space And Didn’t Fill It.
#1 There are whole shelves empty, with clean empty boxes available to help remove more things.
#2 At garage sales I got some free or cheap rolling luggage. I use each suitcase to carry things back and forth between using and storing. Summer clothes and Winter clothes share the same suitcase, back and forth between my closet and storage.
#3 I do a lot of crafts, so: resin suitcase, paper crafting, jewelry making, greeting cards, knitting, etc. Each one lives in a rolling suitcase. If I’m using it right now, it’s at home; if not, the whole suitcase goes back to storage. This gives me visual space at home to help me keep decluttering. [Still a way to go, but I keep at it. I’ve had 4 TBIs (head injuries), so my ability to create clutter is pretty stressful.]
#4 I was able to donate a whole big suitcase of knitting supplies, tools, and books to a women’s crafting collective in Mexico, when I decided to do one less thing. Because it was in a suitcase, someone going to Mexico was able to take it for free, no shipping cost, ready to go.
#5 Lately I’ve been thinking about the Afghani women refugees in the US. Could I get them a suitcase of fabric for their handcrafts, to make them feel welcome, and see if some of their handcrafts could help them earn money while they get started, or longer? Seriously, I even have a big pouch of many types and multiples of hand-sewing needles. I don’t even sew on buttons by hand. 🤣
#6 Like for the Mexican women and the Afghani women, I like to look for ways I can give away things in an organized way, help people get some good out of it. I thought I’d make some phone calls (Red Cross, State Department, etc) once I have a suitcase ready to go.
#7 My work is handmade, so it takes room for tools and supplies, not like someone who just needs a computer, a phone, and a desk. The storage unit and the rolling suitcases really help me have mental and physical space. It is more relaxing to not have every possible project calling out to me like the Sirens, Day and Night. 🤣
#8 I’ve been working on this process for about 3 years, that’s how I made more room in the storage space to make room at home. I used the extra space to sort and organize, both stored stuff and stuff from home. The empty shelves at waist level help me to get less! Keep less! (P.S. I am the family archivist and soon that will get a revamping, thanks to you.)
#9 But I literally have almost no overlap between what I knew how to do, and your system. It is such a Godsend! You are the one they mean when they say, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” I am especially glad that I’m learning how to make a visible difference, and make better choices. Most of what you teach is squarely in my blindspots. 🙏
#10 Also, watching your container home move, I can see that someday I might not need a storage unit. I’m looking forward to that.
Now I can hardly wait to see the next videos in this series about your container home move ☺️🕊👌

Same here. We're going to move (hopefully soon 🙄) into a bigger place.
(160 instead of 60m²)

BUT I will declutter & downsize heavily!!
I will ooonly take with me, what I really really really (really!) need, love or use.

The U-Haul boxes and products are worth every penny. Not only for secure containment of your belongings but also uniformity in the actual loading of the vehicle. They are clean and don't have a smell or critters living in them. A surprise bonus was that I sold my boxes later on the local marketplace.

I think I need to know what color of lipstick you are wearing...

You spent the $300. It was worth every penny.

I moved back to my house after 10 years. I did not move out of my first house and i add more stuff in 10 years. Moving back with two moving vans. So your videos have been helping me understand container concept. Lots of complication with new husband who is disabled ( alhizmer). So i dont want to get rid of every thing for a year. Ok now it is a year. I have two of your books and i am hearing you.

We always put shoes in bottom of wardrobe box, hung clothes, then put pictures paintings in between clothes. Safe moving.

Congratulations on the new house!

Living in a 3500 sq ft house. Selling it and moving .... after living in it for 35 years SO overwhelming.

What exactly is a wardrobe box?

I just found you and your podcast this week. I am in the position you were at where you started your blog journey. I am moving next week and have been getting rid of so much stuff. Thank you for all your advice and honesty. I had been praying for something to help me and God lead me to you. I'm currently on your 15th podcast and listening to you while I get my stuff done!

100% recommend the mattress protectors. They get dirty if u dont use it.

I saw the moving kits the price gets me. I’m moving trying to establish a boundary container method .

We left to move to another state last year and rented two 28’ trailers then had to order another then on the other end we gave most away. So we paid to move stuff we gave away, we get the Super Stupid Award 🥇 🙈.

Use the mattress sealer. Trust me. Dirt, damage, and weather make it a must!

I’m struggling with this. Our rental is about 2175. Our rent will be raised by an additional $800 June 1. We have decided to buy a home instead and I don’t want to take crap with me. My adult daughter moved out. My youngest gets are still in elementary school. I will be going back to work full time and I feel like if I couldn’t declutter when I was a SAHM, a mom when y kids went back to school or during COVID then I will not be able to declutter more when we move and I’m working full time. My biggest issue is with how much we need to save that I feel wasteful donating to others who will flip it but I also don’t have time to post and wait and sell either. We already did a garage sale. Since we haven’t committed to which new build we are buying I also have no idea how much room I will even have but I’m thinking closer to 1400 feet. I need help.

Being realistic just isn’t as fun. 😕 However I’m finally ready to let go of the fantasy me who was going to start drawing. I decluttered my art supplies that had been taking up space for several years. Tomorrow I’m going to declutter the laundry room cabinets. There are quite a few just in case items that I know I can declutter. 😊