Move Over Marie Kondo — Ali Wenzke is Here

The Art of Happy Moving by Ali Wenzke

Moving is a universally dreaded endeavor that most people will have to experience at some point in their lives. Luckily, blogger Ali Wenzke is familiar with the ups and downs associated with moving and has adapted her blog posts into a guidebook, The Art of Happy Moving (William Morrow). Having moved ten times in eleven years with her husband and three children, Wenzke has experienced it all. She first takes readers step by step through the process of moving from one place to another with ease. She offers a unique perspective on the topic as she is someone who has been there herself and learned from her own past mistakes. Wenzke describes a few important aspects of moving that many tend to assume they don’t need to do and brush past, like shadowing your new hometown and actively trying to make new friends. As Wenzke tells readers about the art of happy moving she incorporates personal stories that mirror the topic at hand. This adds a level of comfort for readers as they can see they are not alone, and positions Wenzke as an authority on the topics she is covering. In fact, many of her most helpful tips come from lessons she learned and things she wishes she had known beforehand. There is a part of the book where Wenzke tells a different kind of story. She talks about one occasion in which she and her family realized that they had made a mistake in moving all together. Typically, people will tell you to give it time and that eventually things will look up but Wenzke explains through her own experience that this is not always the case and sometimes it’s possible to realize afterwards, when the boxes have been unpacked and something still feels off, that the move was not the right decision. This is a difficult topic to discuss but is a very real concern when it comes to moving. Throughout the book Wenzke keeps readers engaged with a multitude of quizzes, open-ended questions, and checklists. This allows the readers to get a sense of the where they are in the moving process and to help them keep going forward. There is also a section at the end of the book that has even more in-depth questions and a checklist for your up and coming move. As someone who is not planning on moving anytime soon, I was unsure what I would be able to take away from reading this book. However, I was surprised at how many of Wenzke’s tips for happy moving could be applicable to other aspects of life. For instance, she has a chapter dedicated to the art of decluttering for a move and many of the concepts could be useful in regular day to day life. Whether you are preparing for your first move or your tenth, whether you are moving across the country or down the street, The Art of Happy Moving will make all impossible moving-related tasks seem possible. The Art of Happy Moving will be available May 7, 2019.