Surviving and thriving during the great migration of 2021

For the past several months, maybe even the past year, a great migration has been taking place.

Family and friends moving up the street, moving to a nearby city and even moving out of state. Moving feels like the hip new design trend these days.

But it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. There are so many logistics that go into a single move.

Finding a new home sometimes feels like the easiest part of this project. Then comes the actual moving – from the simple task of collecting moving boxes to the physical task of moving your belongings into the new residence, and everything in between.

Some have no fear and just get to it. They rent a moving truck, pack the boxes and take care of business. Others hire moving companies to do the heavy lifting.

However you get your belongings from point A to point B, and maybe a temporary point A and a half somewhere in between, moving is equivalent to a major renovation.

People move for many reasons. Two common reasons are downsizing or upgrading to a larger space.

If you’ve invested in furniture at your current residence, furniture that makes you happy, furniture that is in excellent condition, in timeless colors and fabrics, it’s really hard to sell or donate it.

For example, you may be living in a four-bedroom home but you’re looking to downsize to a two-bedroom place. Chances are you will have to sell or donate a good amount of furniture. Most likely, you will keep your most favorite, most functional and most cherished pieces.

If you are upgrading to a larger space, more furniture must be purchased. Like the act of moving, furniture budgets are not for the faint of heart. Sofas can start below $1,000 at retailers like IKEA and Living Spaces and go all the way up to the tens of thousands if you’re buying higher-end retail or taking the custom route.

When moving, existing furniture and new furniture is something to take into consideration.

Lately, many people are looking for some major creature comforts in their new home – a home office, gym, entertainment room and, of course, enough bedrooms and a big enough kitchen for everyone to be comfortable.

Outdoor living spaces have also become more important than ever. We’re expecting our homes to be mini hotels. A well-designed pergola to be used on sunny days as well as rainy days to just get outside. A swimming pool to use for exercise as well as fun. A bocce court for training before you hit the downtown Clayton bocce court. And a grass patch for the kids to play, the dogs to roam and just extra space for that a-ha feeling.

If moving is on your list of activities for the summer, breathe in and breathe out.

Moving into a new residence also means that you may have construction in your budget. Living in the Bay Area, it’s no secret that sometimes a larger home means you may have to do a bit of work.

Updating bathrooms, new windows, a new roof, remodeled kitchen, landscaping or sometimes, most times, all of the above and more.

Moving is such an exciting event. Exhausting and overwhelming, most definitely. But also an opportunity to create a new design aesthetic and find a home and location that you truly feel is yours.

Jennifer Leischer is the owner of J. Designs Interior Design based in Clayton. Contact her with questions, comments and suggestions at jenna@j-designs.com.