Home Organising Vs Home Organizing – Welcome to the UK
Trousers vs pants, Wardrobe vs Closet, Or pavement vs sidewalk.
I’m sure you get the point. These are some examples of the English and American English variations.
Linguistics aside, there are other differences between the two nationalities. American expats living in the UK often point out aspects of everyday life they have to adapt to. Take grocery shopping and food quantities in the British supermarkets to the ones in America. Or roundabouts and driving on the wrong side of the road in the UK, as they claim.
I’ve recently started working with American military personnel moving to the USAF bases in Suffolk, Mildenhall, and Lakenheath. It has been quite a revelation for me to see and understand how different our homes are.
That ultimately determines our approach to home organizing. So, I’ve gathered valuable observations from my clients so far. Hopefully, they can help you better understand what you can expect from your new life in the land of The Beatles, football, and afternoon teas. And where everything is just a little bit smaller.
MEET YOUR NEW HOME
One of the first surprises American expats encounter upon arrival in the UK is the living space.
PCSing to another state is one thing. But PCSing to another country, let alone another continent is another. Your home from state to state will, most likely, be of a certain size and will come with guaranteed rooms, space, and built-in storage. But in the UK, our homes have a very different feel and layout. What you would take for granted back home can be a luxury over here.
When I asked my clients about their first thoughts on that topic, Rebecca immediately said: “It’s very rare to find a detached home here with in our military allowance.” It’s hard to argue with that statement. The UK is a much smaller country. So we have limited space for building here and tend to go up rather than out.
It also automatically determines another vital aspect: our rooms. Homes here cannot compete with the size of their counterparts on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, which ultimately results in limited storage and furniture options.
As Katie mentioned: “There is so much less space [in the UK]. Less and smaller closets. Smaller rooms. Significantly smaller kitchens and pantry. Our last house had a basement where we could store things and get things out of sight, which was both good and bad! Here, there is not really anywhere to hide things. You have to find a place for everything. Otherwise, it feels crowded and cluttered.”
But even with these space restrictions in mind, some Americans praise British homes for their clever design.
Christopher told me, for example: “The UK is very creative at storage in awkward space, nooks and crannies, and non-standard storage. In the US, most of these aspects would be considered design flaws in the house, as space is hardly a constraint.”
In other words, with less space to stow things away, you learn to appreciate every drawer, every closet, and every unused corner. You will be surprised by what you can create from the area under your stairs.
Another thing Christopher pointed out is the distribution of that living space in the UK. “The second factor is how vertical this home is,” he said. “Except the [US] houses built inside of cities, a lot of homes are single-story homes. It is unique that [in the UK] we have four separate floors where we live day-to-day. Even if a US home has a basement, it is typically utilized as storage. Most of the time, it is an unconditioned living space.”
But that’s not all. According to Jenifer, the entire house layout can be often quite different, too. “Most US houses have an open floor plan. Garages or carports are usually standard as are either a basement or an attic storage space. The lack of built-in closets is also a factor. And the houses lack guaranteed space for laundry units,” she shared.
So, I’d like to leave you with two key observations when planning your move from America to Suffolk. Firstly, one size does not fit all. And size does matter on this side of the pond.
ORGANIZE YOUR NEW HOME
Once you’ve embraced your new living space, it’s time to start figuring out how to organize it.
American expats often struggle with this part when PCSing to the UK. I know it for a fact because I’ve given a hand to a few already.
So, a heads-up here to begin with. Limited space means you have to be creative and make some harsh decisions. I talk about this in a series of four blog posts entitled “How to start decluttering and organising your home.”
Also, bear in mind that where the removal men place your furniture doesn’t have to become its permanent home. Or just because an item was in your bedroom in the States doesn’t mean it cannot have a new function due to space restrictions in your British bedroom. An open mind helps solve a lot of home organizing challenges.
As Rebecca stated: “A lot of US furniture doesn’t fit well in UK homes at all. US Furniture is low, long, and bulky, whereas UK furniture seems to be tall and narrow, streamlined even, using the vertical space available.”
Here’s another “strange thing” for American expats. British homes are not always fitted with the same appliances and modern gadgets that are standard in the US.
Did you know, for example, that in the UK, you’ll most likely find the washing machine in the kitchen? So you don’t necessarily want to store your laundry basket or fabric softeners in the bathroom or utility room (if there even is one). Or are you aware we don’t have power outlets (aka “sockets” here) in our bathrooms? It means your hair dryer will probably live in your bedroom instead.
Katie brought up another example of these unique differences: “Some appliances are small, or they’re missing in general, like a dishwasher.” I know – it sounds terrible! But in my experience, you can get used to everything.
Putting aside the furniture logistics, I have also witnessed the amount of stuff arriving with each personnel, whether they’re coming to the UK solo or with a spouse/family.
Having conversations with each client, I can see a pattern forming. You have a large house in America with abundant storage space, which is claimed by lots of things. That stuff gets boxed up by removal men and shipped over to your new UK home. Then, the realization kicks in: “WOW, we have so much stuff! And what even is in these boxes???”
In worst-case scenarios, I have also helped open boxes… never unpacked from their previous move! And that means years of not needing whatever is in there.
So, in my eyes, it’s definitely time to have a good old sort-out. This is where I come in to help.
DON’T LET YOUR NEW HOME CLAIM ALL YOUR FREE TIME
“The biggest challenge in organizing the new home is time and vision for sure. Letting go of things is another. Having someone who isn’t attached to help you sort through items is beneficial”, Katie told me.
Time is a big factor when relocating. Not only are you arriving in a new country, but you are starting a (familiar) job in a new territory. A lot is going on simultaneously.
It may be your first PCS. Or you may be a veteran at it. But I can tell already it never gets any easier.
On average, most military personnel/families move every three years. Although three years might sound like a long time, if you have to box your life up and ship it off to another state or country, those 36 months fly by like a supersonic plane. Especially when it takes about six to eight months to pack everything, move, and receive your shipment to start unpacking it… yet again!
So, my advice is this: keep as little as possible. It will help the whole process, save you precious time, and be less overwhelming – guaranteed!
For instance, Christopher shared this observation with me: “Time is the toughest for me. Officers (and especially pilots) in the USAF often work 10-12 hours a day. The rest of the day, I just want to hang out with the family.”
I can relate to that feeling. Getting home after a long day at work, the last thing you want to do is unpack. But the truth is, you can’t get away from that mundane task. All the clothes and personal belongings won’t unbox themselves, I’m afraid. So, it’s good to have a solid plan and execute it step by step.
If you only get three years in each new place, you probably want to settle in quickly, too. So, instead of taking half a year to figure out what goes where and finally unpacking all the boxes, having a professional like me help you get it done in a matter of days gives you more time to explore your new surroundings. I bet you’d also like to head over to Europe for a few short breaks. Because we all know that is why you put your hand up for a UK posting in the first place, right?
Lastly, have you ever thought about disposing of all those boxes and discarded items after you’re done unpacking? Katie told me frankly: “All that box haul can be a huge burden on new military families.”
I’m sorry to disappoint you – yard sales are not a thing here. But you’ll be happy to hear I can take away your empty boxes and unwanted items and distribute them to recycling centers or charities. This service is part of the packages I offer.
ENJOY YOUR NEW HOME
When I asked my clients how my home-organizing services made them feel, I received compelling insights, too.
Here is what Jon had to say, for instance: “There is a lot of dread associated with the amount of time and effort required to stay in a limbo state, living out of boxes or an unfinished home”.
Rebbecca added: “You have saved my sanity on multiple occasions.”
And Jacquel took this away from the whole experience: “Your services have eased my anxiety around moving by creating a clear vision and organized way forward for packing up our house. It’ll also help on the other end when we arrive and make unpacking and sorting much easier.”
I couldn’t have said it better. I know first-hand what it means to move your entire life to a new country (I lived in Asia for five years). Focusing your energy on organizing your new home can be daunting and take all the joy away from other things.
Jon also highlighted: “The time you spent on the house was the time we got to put back into our kids and our own restoration.” Or, on another note, in Jenifer’s words: “[Using your services] made me want to send the kids to live with their grandparents for a few days so I could enjoy the pristine beauty of all the organization.”
It leads me to another thought. We often underestimate how a well-organized home – a safe haven to return to – impacts the quality of our lives. On the other hand, USAF personnal can never exclude having to relocate to countries on the other side of the world. Life happens, and we have to roll with it.
That’s why I’m very happy to receive comments like this one from Katie: “I don’t spend my time feeling anxious about this room that is so out of control that I need to clean up. And it makes me feel motivated to do more! It just feels so good to have a ‘completed’ room. It was wonderful to achieve so much in such a short time, too. Just one day, and so much got done! If I had tried doing that on my own, it would have dragged out for weeks, and honestly, I probably would have never completely finished it. You helped me think outside the box and try some new ways of storing/organizing that I wouldn’t have thought of.”
So even though I spell home organising the British way, I’m sure I can help get part of that burden off your shoulders. Being an expat is already challenging enough.
