How to Say Goodbye to Your Old Home Before You Move

Published: August 24, 2017

Au Revoir. Adiós. Auf Wiedersehen. No matter which language you say it in, saying goodbye to a home is never easy. We know it’s the people and memories that make a home, but we still grow attached to the building that’s become our emotional and physical shelter. Whether it’s your family house or your favorite college apartment, read these tips on the best ways to say goodbye at your home when you move:

Throw a party

Moving is a stressful time, but it’s also the perfect occasion to party. Even if you’re just moving across town, call up your friends, family and neighbors, and invite them over for one last shebang in your old home. It’s not so much a going away party as a chance to gather with your loved ones and reminisce on the good times you’ve had there. Play some happy music, get games for the kids and beer for the grown ups, and sit around retelling favorite stories and memories.

Document each room

Now is the time to make use of your scrapbooking and photo taking skills. Before you pack up your old home, go around taking pictures of every room you have good memories in. Print them out and put them in a book with notes about your favorite memory from that part of the house. Don’t just take pictures of empty rooms, though. Get some candid photos of your loved ones around the house and ask them to share memories as well. It might sound cheesy now, but you’ll be grateful for the chance to briefly relive your time in your old home after you’ve moved.

Take a piece with you

Yes, all your furniture and possessions are coming with you, but we mean an actual piece of your old home. If your kitchen door has height marks from your growing children, remove it to install in your new home. Whether it the front door knob or a plant from the backyard, these tangible memories of your previous home serve as souvenirs from your past. Once you’ve chosen with piece to take with you, be sure to go to the hardware store to get the new substitute to repair what you’ve removed. That way the new homeowners have a blank slate on which to build their own memories.

Leave behind a message

Mark your time in your old home by hiding a secret message somewhere on the property. While it may never be discovered, the note will serve as a way to say “I was here.” If you’re painting the walls before you move, sign your names before painting over them. Write a letter to the next residents and hide it in the attic or put it in a bottle and bury it in the backyard. Think of the message as a type of time capsule that shares your memories of the home with future owners (or bury a real time capsule in the backyard!).

Welcome the new owners

A fulfilling way to say goodbye to your home is to give a gift to the new owners. Think of a gift that relates to the memories you’ve made in the home and that the new residents will find useful. Consider getting them a monogrammed door mat with their initials or a new tree that they can plant in their yard. Welcome them into their new home, and share your hopes that they will come to love the house as much as you do. Sharing the excitement of the new homeowners will help you move on to the next chapter of life.

As you prepare to say goodbye to your old home, keep in mind these tips and remember that it’s okay to feel sad. However, don’t forget the exciting new opportunity right around the corner. And, as you move, let UNITS Moving and Portable Storage transport your possessions to your new residence so you have more time to say hello to your new home.