A few days ago I asked myself this question. “Why do I enjoy and want to rearrange furniture in my home often?”
Is it because I moved a lot during the first 30 years of my life?
Is it because when we were an emergency and special needs foster home for almost 20 years with a lot of changes?
Is it because I need a change?
I don’t think moving so many times has anything to do with it. I did not like moving at all and I still don’t.
Maybe having to change the type of bed or beds or even the furniture in a whole room on a moments notice has something to do with it. We had to make changes often depending on the age and gender of child or children coming to our home.
Big changes I do not like and hope to never have to move until my time on this earth is over.
Sometimes I will be sitting and relaxing and all of a sudden I will get up and start rearranging the furniture in one room or more.
I enjoy the results most of the time. Other times I will end up putting it all back like it was before I started moving it.
I have learned one good thing about it. I get extra exercise which I can always use.
Do you have any ideas as to why I do this?
Thank you for your visit it is much appreciated.
Love, hugs and blessings to all.
64 responses to “No answer as yet”
I can’t help on this as I am a furniture “rearranger” myself 🤦🏼♀️
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Than I am not alone. Happy furniture rearranging to you. I have decided the “why” doesn’t matter as long as the result feels good.
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Thanks for finding me at my LightWriters blog. I am enjoying checking out your blog and I loved this post! I was a big time furniture mover at my mom’s home for years. I was a young woman who got bored easily and with too much sameness so I did it to try to give mom and dad a “refresh”. They were both always too busy with work or my mom with her kitchen or garden, etc., to allow time to make the family home little more than functional. I tried to throw in some creative ideas. I am amazed now that my parents especially my mom (whose home was her castle despite being a little hodge- podgey) let me do it. 😉
lol 😂
I think it’s ultimately a creative spirit that inspires one to like rearranging and trying out different ways of seating, decor, etc. To me, it’s good for the mind and body, and is not unlike the satisfaction found from solving a particularly challenging NY Times crossword. Writing is also all about moving words around, so the more I got into writing in my career and for fun, the less I moved furniture around. I guess I found things had their place and I think my back needed a rest too 😉
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I enjoyed reading your comment. I think creativity has a lot to do with why I move furniture. At my age I can no longer do some things that I did when I was younger so moving furniture has taken their place. Thank you for visiting and for your comment.
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I think you just like a new setup that’s new to your eyes. I like this, but it’s time-consuming for me. I’m not into arranging much.
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Thank you Hazel. I think you may be right.
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Yes. My pleasure, Win
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I have less urge to rearrange furniture now than what I did when I was younger. The furniture seems much heavier than it once did.
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You are right about it feeling much heavier now. I do not have to lift any of mine it slides easily. If I had to lift it there would be no moving it.
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After half a century of bliss, my wife still does her furniture musing and I do the moving. I think it’s in her DNA.
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Good for you moving the furniture for you wife. She is blessed.
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I would agree with others that it is just for a refresher. I remove things to refresh lol
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I have removed some things also to refresh. It just makes one feel good doesn’t it?
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Yes, very much :)
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I also change the furniture periodically. I like to adapt to my current needs and ideas. It refreshes everything, Mags.
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I agree that it refreshes everything.
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I would say that you like a little freshness or newness in your furniture arrangement or it could just be your way of expressing yourself. Was there a time when you wanted to do interior designing? In any case I don’t think it’s anything to be concerned about. Do it as much as you want to! Cheers.
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From all of the nice comments including yours I have read I have come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter why I do it. I like being creative and that is one way to create. Thank you, Lynette for stopping by and leaving your nice comment. It is my plan to keep doing it as much as I want. Enjoy doing it and it makes me happy.
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I too like to change the position of the furniture and in the kitchen too. I liked the change and I feel we should not get used to the same routine, the brain takes all for granted.
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I am glad you enjoy moving furniture too. We do need to do what we can to keep our brain and body healthy. I rearranged my kitchen too until what is in there was too heavy after I injured my shoulders. Now I can only move what I can slide with my hips and feet. Thank you so much for your comment. Keep moving furniture for as long as you like and enjoy it that is my plan.
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This is one of life’s big mysteries for me, Mags and I don’t know why, but enjoy it immensely. Some of it is probably what we became conditioned to as you mentioned, but I’ve come to believe that energy gets stuck when items sit in one place for a prolonged period of time. Maybe this is why a freshly rearranged room feels good and has new energy. I move stuff around on a regular basis and as you’ve experienced…sometimes it goes right back to the same spot a few days later, but it was good exercise.
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Thank you Barb for your comment I like it very much. I too think we become conditioned to some things as you saw in my post. A freshly rearranged room does feel good and brings me a feeling of joy. I started moving the furniture very often when I became widowed and living alone. I think maybe rearranging furniture is ingrained in me from our foster parenting years. It may not make sense but now that I think about it maybe it has replaced the feeling of happiness from caring for the foster children and my husband. 🤗
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It’s my pleasure, Mags and come to think of it I began rearranging furniture more often after I started living solo as well. Maybe it’s therapeutic for us in some way. 🤗
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That very well could be.
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I commented but it didn’t appear on your page so will try again. I just finished changing my office around to improve access to things
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I have to approve comments before they appear so that is probably why you didn’t see it. I have changed some things throughout my house to keep me from running into them and fall. I hope your office will work out well for you after the changes.
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Probably for the same reason the rest of us want to change things around. While we are all creatures of habit we do like a new challenge or change of perspective so like does not become boring. I just changed my office around to provide better access to things.
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True but I feel I do it more often than most. I think like some have commented that the reason I do it is because of doing it so many times for almost 20 years. For whatever reason I do it I do enjoy it and gives me a feeling that I have achieved something worthwhile. I like that it gives me exercise too. I guess really it doesn’t matter the reason as long as I enjoy it. Thank you for your comment Ian I always look forward to hearing from you. Blessings to you and Georgine.
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I have no idea why, other than some of us need change and have to have it as part of our lives. I remember doing this a lot when I was still a teenager living in my Mom’s house.
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It is strange that moving the furniture around so often is the only change I enjoy. Other than that I do not do well with change. I didn’t start moving furniture so often or at all until I had no one to take care of and living alone. Thank you for reading and for you comment. I am just a strange creature. LOL ❤️
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You are YOU and that’s what counts!!! If we were all exactly alike it would be a boring world!!!
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For sure it would be. I do love variety. I can’t help but be ME I wouldn’t have a clue how to be anyone or anything else. Thank you!
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I did the same! It wasn’t our house, so we couldn’t change the walls, colors, etc. It was our furniture – we changed that a lot! I moved a lot! Now we are renovating our house and living in it. Looking back to my rearranging days, it feels like rearranging a room gives me a sense of accomplishment. Maybe it’s that for you, too?
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That could be a part of why it makes me feel so good. I started moving furniture often when I became a widow and living alone. I think part of it is that I did it so much as a caregiver. I’m not really sure but I am thankful it is not something I need treatment for. 😊 After this post and the wonderful comments it has dawned on me that the reason I do it doesn’t matter as long as it brings me joy.
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I agree!
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Wow! What a refreshing post and lovely comments! You have given me a glimpse of what I’ve missed all my life. John and I never moved furniture — never really wanted to. When we moved to NC 12 years ago, I told people we were very careful where we put things. They would likely still be in the same place 20 years later. See what you’ve missed? Boredom! Luckily, I’m comfortable with boredom.
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One thing for sure I am never bored. I keep myself busy even if I need to move furniture. Thank you so much for your comment it made me smile. Keep on enjoying not moving furniture. Some things in my house have not been moved since the 1980’s. The living room, dining room and my bedroom are the rooms where I move furniture very often. Sometimes twice in a week. 😊 Thank you Anne I really enjoyed your comment. 🤗
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It’s fun learning about others and how different we can be. I moved my portable desk a few years ago, and now I look out on the street when I’m sitting at my computer. The one time I moved furniture made a real change in my life! I hadn’t stopped to think of that until right now.
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That would be so nice to be able to look out a window while at the computer. I can see the street and the birds out the window in my dining room. I can see the street trough the same window from the living room.
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I used to see a mountain-scape from the computer. That was glorious when I remembered to look up. Usually I just looked at the computer screen.
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😊❤️
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I don’t know what motivates people to rearrange furniture. We live in the house Dan was born in. It is too small, poorly laid out, and lacking in electrical outlets to get creative. I do enjoy replacing a piece of furniture now and again just for a fresh look. I am sure rearranging furniture is good exercise and if you enjoy the results, that’s all that matters! ☺️
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Thank you, Anne for reading and commenting. I do enjoy the results and most likely will continue moving it around as long as I am able to. It for sure exercising some muscles that need it. 😊❤️
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Hi Mags, I bet the need to rearrange does stem from the emergency foster care you were involved with over the years. Especially if you did that for years. And I want to thank you for your service for all the children out there needing foster care. I think it takes special people to open up their homes and hearts to help those in need. 🤗 Good point is the exercise, even if you end up putting everything back the way it was. Haha! My hubby sometimes rearranges furniture mostly because he is the one who does the deep cleaning. I usually ask him to put it back. Haha! Take care, I enjoyed thinking about this today! ❤️
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Thank you Diana. Your comment gave me a giggle. Lucky you that your husband does the deep cleaning. Thank you for your kindness but I never have felt special .For sure my calling in life was to be a foster parent. I could not have done what I did without the help of God, my husband and all the professionals that I worked with. I too think the foster parenting years has something to do with my furniture rearranging. I am glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for your comment I enjoyed it. ❤️
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I too have rearranged furniture, simply for a change of the look and feel for a room. The sizes of my bedrooms and living room dictate that I have to leave things as they are in this house. It’s been the same since 2019 sans changing one bedroom into my office. Rearrange as you wish, Mags!
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Thank you John. My bedroom, living room and dining room are the ones I change the most. Thank you for your encouragement to keep on rearranging as I wish. 😊❤️
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There’s no place like home! Judy was right. 🌹
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I totally agree that there is no place like home.
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I used to rearrange my furniture constantly, Mags. It just seemed to freshen the space up and give me a new perspective. The house I am in now is so small that the way the furniture is configured is the only way it all fits :)
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Thank you, Jean for your comment. It also freshens up the space for me. I had not thought of it until now, but it also keeps dust bunnies from collecting under the furniture. 😊❤️
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Changing the furniture around makes you feel refreshed somehow. Even if you move it back after a week or two because the other way was more practical. It’s nice to have a little change.
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Thank you Anneli and I agree with you. Sometimes I move it back the same day. I enjoy doing it and enjoy the feeling after doing it. I guess that is what it is all about. It brings me joy. 😊❤️
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That’s the main thing, Mags. Stay happy.
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Dear Mags, I’m familiar with those kinds of “rearranging sprees” too… But I’ve never actually been asked why I do it…
It was just “time” and if I liked it, the furniture stayed where it was… or maybe not… In any case, it always gave me joy…
BLESSINGS to you and a warm hug…
All my LOVE, Elke
https://www.deepl.com/de/translator
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Thank you, dear Elke for letting me know that I am not the only one who enjoys rearranging furniture. Thank you for the love, blessings and hugs.
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Interesting question! While I do not know what motivates you, I think changes often reflect a desire to create something, whether new, different, more functional, or just because we like it. I tend to move the furniture when a new piece comes into the house, or an old one departs, or I just see an idea in a picture that appeals to me. Anything that generates movement or cognitive processing (i.e., thinking of how to change something and create something) is useful.
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That could explain it. I do have a desire to create and miss some things in the past that I enjoyed. Thank you, for your comment and a possible answer to my question.
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When we cannot do something we once could and enjoyed, I think we are quite creative in coming up with alternative ways to create joy. Certainly, having to move furniture regularly in order to provide safe and welcoming accommodations for the new children coming could make an impression that stayed with you, for whatever reasons. I imagine that doing all that you did to create that space for vulnerable children was important to you, and those things are embedded in the minds and hearts. You did something that not many were willing to do, and as a former social worker (even if I never worded in child protective services), I admire you and thank you for doing it.
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Thank you, so much for your kind comment. Foster parenting changed my way of life and taught me a lot of things I will never forget. I do miss foster parenting at times and I think that may be part of why I rearrange furniture so often. I admire you for being a social worker no matter in what capacity. Social workers do not get the credit they deserve for the job that they do. Thank you for what you did to help others. ❤️
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It sounds a bit like OCD hope you don’t mind me saying that. It also sounds like an autistic trait perhaps.
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I am very familiar with OCD and Autism after caring for foster children for many years, but I am neither. I appreciate your post and trying to help. I think another blog friend may have answered it for me. She suggested that it could be a desire to create. I do love creating things and miss some of what I used to be able to do that created things. Thank you Mickey for taking time to read and comment. It is much appreciated.
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hope I didn’t upset you it’s just I have OCD and sometimes when I’m sat down to watch the telly something will annoy me out of the corner of my eye and I’ll have to get up to move it and it just reminded me a bit of that. Glad it’s just that you are a creative person though.
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Oh,, no! Mickey you did not upset me at all. I appreciated your thoughtful input and comment. One of my adopted daughters had OCD. Blessings to you and I hope your day is amazing.
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