The One Thing Pro Organizers Don’t Obsess Over When Moving Into a New Kitchen

Come this fall, Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, the founders of The Home Edit, won’t just be colleagues. They’ll also be next-door neighbors. “Our houses will be 600 steps away from each other,” says Teplin, who is a month out from moving into her new house. Shearer, on the other hand, is still in the construction phase. This will be her fifth home in Nashville in the last eight years. “I’m obsessed with moving,” Shearer says. “It’s an opportunity to set yourself up for success.”

The professional organizers and new hosts of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition recently teamed up with national home builder Taylor Morrison to launch a video series centered around organizing a fresh space. Given we’re already in the midst of peak moving season (June, July, and August are considered the busiest months), we sat down with Teplin and Shearer to get their top tips for a stress-free and superbly tidy transition, including the one area of the kitchen to not fret over. 

In the Weeks Leading Up to the Move

While Teplin argues unpacking is more fun than boxing up everything in your old space, she notes it is an opportunity for editing. The most common items they see their clients purge? “Fondue pots…or basically any wedding gifts,” Shearer attests. “I always tell people, ’Don’t put it on your registry. We’re just going to have to take care of it.’” True to The Home Edit’s extra-thorough ethos, the pros suggest going through everything you own and making an active decision about whether you want to toss, donate, or keep it. “You save yourself time if you do it on the front end,” adds Teplin. 

In the Heat of Boxing

Color-coded sticky notes and descriptive labels are no-brainers for Shearer and Teplin, but one thing you’ll never find in their mix is a box with “miscellaneous” written on it. “Those are the ones that end up in the attic and never get opened,” says Teplin. Rather than throw some articles of clothing in with coffee-table books because you’re in a rush, keep your containers hyper-focused on categories and rooms so you know exactly where they’ll go in your new place. 

In the First Few Hours of Unpacking

If you’re considering storing all your boxes in one room to keep your space clutter-free as you slowly work your way through things, think again. “I don’t like that method,” says Shearer. “It’s giving yourself a pass to not unpack them.” Instead the duo prefer carrying the boxes into the rooms where they need to be unpacked. “I like to be out of my boxes in 36 hours,” she points out. “I put myself on a pretty strict clock.”  

In the Kitchen

The first room they set up is always the kitchen—the hardest-working space. In their first video tutorial with Morrison, the organizers lay out their top tips: Store pots and pans near the range; create zones in the fridge with clear containers for dairy, beverages, eggs, produce, etc.; and use risers to take advantage of vertical space within cabinets.

A handy strategy for setting up the pantry? Don’t get overly specific with your categories. Instead of labeling bins for “granola bars” or “cereals,” keep them broad—“breakfast” and “snacks” will suffice. You’ll feel instantly at ease once your cooking zone is set up. “Putting books on a shelf is one of my favorite activities, but it’s not going to make or break the space,” Shearer says.