Over the last couple of years, I've helped lots and lots of people move to the Richmond area from other parts of the country and one of the biggest questions I get is obviously, why Richmond? What makes it so great anyway? So I'm going to give you my top 10 Of all the things that I love about Richmond that I think makes us one of the best places to live. 1. There is always something to do here. If you cannot find something to do, you are literally trying to be bored. 2. Second, history. With over 300 historical markers throughout the Richmond area, you can always find history. Again, you'd have to really try not to. 3. Third, art is everywhere from the VMFA to the murals all around town. You can find galleries you can find high-end art and street art. It is a really fantastic place to soak up some art culture. 4. Nightlife and adult beverages shall we say. From craft beers to spirits now to wines and everything in between. You can go on tasting tours that last all day or have a great night out with friends. 5. Festivals, we love our festivals here in the Richmond area. And that means any opportunity to get together with friends, have a food truck, have some music, and have some adult beverages. We are in with both feet. We are there in crowds, all four seasons. 6. I grew up in Richmond but I have lived all up and down the East Coast. And one of the best things about our area is we have four actual seasons spring, summer, fall, winter, and none of them last too long. Yeah, it gets a little humid in the summer. But you know you can deal with traffic. People move, from up north especially, and they want a 45-minute commute. No one here has a 45-minute commute. You really have to have a horse farm to get a 45-minute commute. So you can be almost anywhere in the area within 20 minutes or so. 7. Proximity in the Richmond area. Within two hours you can be in the mountains you can be at the beach, you can be in Washington, DC or Colonial Williamsburg take your pick, and you can be just about anywhere in under two hours. 8. We are 6% below the cost of living for the rest of the state of Virginia and about on average with the rest of most of the country so you get a lot of the perks of being in a metropolitan area without paying for them. 9. Food. National Geographic voted us a few years ago as one of the best places in the world to visit for food and we are holding to that whether you want something really unique and delicious that you can eat on the sidewalk or you want to go have a world-class dining experience. We've got it all for you here. 10. Last but not least, the James River. That is probably one of my favorite things and it runs right through the city. So you can literally be in downtown Richmond drop in with your paddleboard or walk right up and rent a kayak and hop right in the river, 10 minutes after you get off work. Where else can you do that?

Let’s face it. Moving stinks. We never realize how much stuff we have until we go to move it, and it’s nearly always a bigger job than we think it is. While I always walk through and give my seller clients a list of things to do to maximize their sales price, there is so much you can get started on months before you move, that will make it exponentially easier when the time comes to actually put your home on the market. Since you may be months, or even years, away, from moving, you’re not really focusing on the buyers and their opinion yet. Right now, focus on what you’ve been putting off. (I guarantee you there is something, and it’s usually the attic or the garage.) The only thing less fun than doing some of this purging and organizing is doing it when you’re on a deadline to get your home on the market. My recommendation? Start with one area at a time. You’re ahead of the game, remember> That means you can allot two hours every Saturday (or whatever is comfortable for you and works with your schedule). Why do you need to purge and organize these deep recesses of your home? Who even looks at those things anyway? There are a few reasons, actually. First of all, you probably don’t want to pack and move things that you don’t want to keep, so it just makes sense to go through it periodically. Second, especially if you’re downsizing, you’ll want to know what you DO want to keep so you know how much storage space is at your new home. Third, if you’ve been in your home for a while, there are probably lots of things in closets, pantries, garage, and attic that you’ve totally forgotten about. Thinning all that down will help the potential buyers (even if they’re a few months away) see themselves, and their “stuff” in the space. So where to begin? You’ll need to - literally - decide where to begin. Attic? Basement? A hall closet whose contents haven’t seen the light of day in years? It’s okay to start small. One shelf or one corner of the attic is still progress. Have boxes on hand for items you want to donate. You’ll also make piles for keep, recycle, and trash. As you’re editing, be brutally honest with yourself. If you have boxes that haven’t been opened since your last move, you probably don’t need those items anymore. As yourself these questions as you decide what to keep: Do I use it? Do I need it? Do I love it? If you don’t answer yes to at least one of these, let it go. Remember, every item you keep will have to be packed, moved, unpacked, and require space in your new home. When you’re done with your purging for the day, make sure you get the items you aren’t keeping out of the house! Leaving boxes of donations sitting around only gives you an opportunity to second guess yourself and undo all of your hard work and decision-making. Plus, you’ll be one step closer to having a home ready to put on the market!   Do you need to get started but don't know where to begin?   Hiring a professional organizer is a great place to start! Mary Davis from In Good Order is a fantastic resource, and has helped me tremendously. She can help you both make a plan and help you execute it. (She can also keep you from going down memory lane with everything you're trying to purge!) Tune in every Monday in May as Mary and I team up to work through the whole process of moving! Get more info on Mary HERE.