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Moving can be a total pain. Yet, somehow, since the day I graduated from college, I have found myself moving nine times in the same amount of years. I’ve lived places as little as three months and as long as two years. Yet the end result has been the same – move. Again. That’s why today I want to share with you eight easy moving tips. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last nine moves, it’s that moving does NOT have to be hard.
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1. Collect Boxes
As soon as you think you may be moving, start hoarding boxes. Ask a local grocery store to hang on to them for you. (Banana boxes work especially well!) Let friends and family know, and they can save a few for you as well. Find a corner of your bedroom or a closet, and start stock-piling those things. I know you can buy moving boxes at various locations, but why spend money on them when you can get them for free? #yesI’mcheap
2. Declutter
The first few moves I made, I just kept hauling junk. Then when I’d get to my new home, I’d sit down, go through things, and purge like crazy. Um…hello?! Why in the world was I moving stuff and then just throwing it away?!?? While it may have taken me awhile to figure out this easy moving tip, it’s definitely one of the most important!
Now I make a point of going through things before I move. Whatever paperwork I can get rid of, it’s shredded or recycled. Things I no longer need are donated, given away, sold, or thrown out. There’s no point in having so much stuff in my life – and I definitely don’t want to move more boxes than I need to! This book is a great way to help you get the clutter under control.
3. Start Early
While I’m going through and purging, I try to pack as well. Let’s face it, after I’ve given my Christmas decor a thorough purge, I may just as well pack up those boxes (unless it’s November or December – then I may need them!). The point is this – pack up what you know you won’t need right away. Andrew and I were able to pack up almost half of our house more than two months in advance. It was a great feeling to be able to spread the work over a longer time frame!
4. Label Your Boxes
As you’re packing up those boxes, label them. A roll of duck tape and a permanent marker as such a timer saver and a definite in the easy moving tips. I always write down the name of the room the box needs to go into and a gist of what’s in the box. This way the folks who are helping me move know exactly what room to put the box into, and it also lets me quickly identify if the box should be unpacked right away or if it can wait.
Andrew, my husband, is seriously amazed by this labeling task. To me, it seems like a simple thing. However, he’s moved five times in his adult life, and he said he’s never seen such an organized way of packing and moving.
5. Call in the Help
Many times there are plenty of people willing and able to help you move. We had every intention of renting a truck for this move, but our family firmly insisted that was unacceptable. Instead they offered enclosed trailers and their labor to help us out. We were overjoyed and incredibly thankful.
As word went around our small town that we were moving, even more offers of help rolled in. Knowing we have a young one underfoot, there were many people who offered to babysit, help move boxes, help pack, or simply haul items out the day of.
The point is this – many people are willing and able to help out. Just put the word out there that you could use a few extra hands. There’s a good chance you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the help offered!
6. Have a Plan
Make sure everyone who is helping out knows the plan. We knew exactly what day we were moving. To make sure everything went off without a hitch, we let all the appropriate people know – our landlord, utility providers, and our moving helpers. Having a rough timeline of the day was also beneficial. It kept everyone on the same page.
7. Keep Things Out
While packing, it’s important to keep a few things out. (This may very well be the most important of the easy moving tips, even if it’s toward the bottom!) We waited to pack our kitchen until the final days. However, we kept out two of everything – plates, bowls, spoons, and forks. I also had a supply of paper plates, napkins, and silverware on hand in a box so we could use it both in the old house and in the new. While I’m not a big fan of paper plates on a regular basis, it helped with the move.
We also packed overnight bags with about three days worth of clothes for each person. This way if we were too tired to unpack things on the first day or two, we at least had clothing to get us through.
Another thing we did was to plan for our first meal in the new house. Since the last move was within an hour of Andrew’s mom and she wasn’t helping with the actual move, we asked if she would take care of supper. Thankfully she happily agreed and brought us a nice, hot meal after moving all day.
Finally, make sure to keep some toiletries out. I literally had a new roll of toilet paper in a box in my car for each bathroom in the new house. Priorities, people, priorities.
8. Expect the Unexpected
It never seems to fail that something will not go as planned. It happens with everything in life, so you have to be ready to roll with the punches. Plan for the worst, but hope for the best. 😉
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