We have now moved our family FIVE different times. Most were giant, cross country kind of moves. We've definitely gotten better at moving, more organized and the process doesn't seem too daunting now. Our last move was by far our easiest move for lots of reasons. We had great help, had a great game plan and we were really organized. I thought I'd share my tips with you today so that you could file them away for the next time you have to move.
1. Call around to rental truck companies and get quotes. Start doing this early and be prepared to negotiate. We've found that Penske trucks have been the best deals for us. Uhaul is always enticing because their trucks sit so low to the ground. Penske trucks are high up and have a long ramp. Keep those things in mind when you pick the best truck for you. I usually leave this job up to my husband.
2. Accept free moving supplies - newspaper, boxes, packing paper, etc. These supplies add up quickly so it's nice to take any free things that come your way. The boxes at Home Depot are better than Lowes. Their heavy duty ones are much sturdier and will hold up really well. The price is similar so go with Home Depot if you can. Also, buy SCOTCH packing tape and don't skimp with off brand tape. We bought some of both and the cheap tape was not sticky enough. It kept peeling off and boxes assembled with the cheap tape busted open. The more packing supplies you buy, the better your things will travel.
3. Hire help. We found our truck loaders on Craigslist for our move from Utah and our move from Mississippi. The ones in Utah were terrible and the ones in MS were amazing. Check references, pay attention to how professional they are (do they have a website, wear uniforms, have knowledge about loading a truck, bring their own equipment to load with, etc.) If they have great reviews and seem really professional, they are worth the investment!! We hired loaders to load our truck and had family help us unload. Money very well spent!
4. Start packing early and don't leave everything to do at the last minute. Kitchens take forever to pack and so do closets. Work on packing boxes for several hours each day and then you'll be ready when moving day comes.
5. Come up with a game plan for packing up your house. We did a room a day and then divided up tasks. We were very fortunate to have my parents come down to help so we factored their help into our plan. Do the outside things in the morning when it's the coolest and then move inside when it gets too hot.
6. Stop using your kitchen 5-7 days before you move. Switch everything to paper plates and disposable things so that you can pack up your kitchen and not be doing dishes. I should have done this sooner and was running a load of dirty dishes the day before we left.
7. Be VERY DETAILED when labeling your boxes. List the room they came from, exactly what is inside and you will thank me later. On one of our early moves, I think I ended up labeling every box "decorations" and had a horrible time finding anything when I went to unpack. Lesson learned. This move was much easier because of the detailed labeling.
8. Plan to say goodbye to your favorite spots around town the week before you move and same goes with your friends. It's hard to get in goodbyes when you are sweating and trying to get work done. Our move was so fast that I was saying sweaty goodbyes the day we left MS.
9. Have a garage sale or donate items you no longer want or need. We did both this move and it was SO helpful! We had a really successful garage sale and donated 25+ garbage bags of things to charity. It was a big relief knowing we were only packing our must have items and weren't moving junk to our next house.
10. Pets. If you can take them somewhere else while you are packing up your house that is probably best. We moved our cats to IN to live with my parents about 6 weeks before our move. It was hard to say goodbye, but it was what was best for them. If you have to keep the pets at your house (we have done this 4 of our last 5 moves), close them off somewhere safe where they won't get stepped on and they have their favorite things. A bathroom usually works well for this and be sure to post a sign on the door reminding people not to let the pets escape.
11. If you have toddlers/children when you are moving, God bless you!!
It's hard, but it's doable.
Don't pack up their toys in front of them. Wait until they are napping or in bed and slowly decrease the amount of toys you leave out for them.
Give them jobs and let them help. Olive is two and she loved coloring with crayons on our boxes. She even liked sitting in a box and coloring the insides.
Leave their room or their space in tact as long as possible.
Be sure to set up their new space (toys & bedroom) first thing when you arrive at your new house. If they feel comfortable surrounded by familiar things, your life will go much smoother.
Ask for help on moving day. My parents came down so that Olive could have one adult's attention at all times. She was never left to entertain herself and she was happy 99% of the time with this arrangement.
Leave your TV set up so they can watch cartoons or movies while everyone works around them.
Keep their snacks, favorite cups, etc. handy so that their routines can stay similar to their usual ones.
12. Make lists and lots of them. Utilities to turn off, things to do around town, moving details/confirmation numbers, etc. The easiest way to change your address with your bills is to have your mail forwarded to your new address. When you next bill comes, fill out the form on the back of your bill to change your address. No waiting on hold forever for each company. Then keep track of the places you've changed your address to.
Hope those tips help you have an easier time moving!!
I'm certain that our move with easier because of their help :)
Watching the movers at a safe distance
It's so hard to say goodbye...
Goodbye first house!
We LOVED you :)
These were fun packing and unpacking activities
I've missed our Tuesday Talk link up and am happy to be joining them this week.
Linking up with my favorite ladies today!!
ANYONE can join us with their favorite blog post of the week :)
(Starting from the upper left:)
