To say that we've been there, done that may seem to some as an understatement but with each move we make we learn more and have new experiences. I am positive that this move will prove the same as we have already had new curve balls thrown our way. The way that I can (mostly) keep my sanity is to organize and prep everything ahead of time.
Start writing out a list. I keep a clip board to jot down things as I remember them and keep a calendar there to write down dates. Yes I am not the greatest with technology and I enjoy having these things written..... if you can keep organized digitally good for you but it just doesn't work for me. I will add important appointments for reminders but nothing replaces my list completely.
Everything from companies you need to call to stop services, reminders of appointments, things you want to pack to take with you, and important dates like birthdays that happen during the hectic part of your move. Think ahead to packing days. We like to have a few prepped meals in the freezer made in disposable pans. You're going to end up eating out most likely during your move (but you can read
HERE about some great tips for reducing your costs of eating out while moving and how to stay sane traveling with kids and pets!) but it beats having someone run out for quick food that won't be satisfying after a long day.
Then start clearing out the clutter! I usually start this long before the list above. You can make a little extra money by holding a yard sale, donate things to local charity/ thrift store, or give things away to your friends and family. Now, we haven't been close on our weights so far but I am just tired of unpacking boxes =) HAHA
Get a nice organizer for all of the papers that you will be hand carrying. I am a big fan of using what you've got and there's no right or wrong way. Over the years we have used manila folders, document protectors, binders, and now we've upgraded to an accordion file with space to organize everything.... it's the little things in life that make me happy. One of the big monkey wrenches with this move is flying, so I have also gotten a new-to-me bag for the plane too.
Now inside the accordion file there are lots of papers everything from current housing, future housing, kid records, pet records..... and the beginning of my organizing. One of the things that I like are lists. This is one of many but I will tell you what it is. This has all of the large furniture items with their dimensions. It may seem a bit crazy but let me tell you when you are at your new location and you *think* that your sofa will fit but when it arrives it seems so much bigger than you remember, this trick will help you tons! Carry a measuring tape in the front of your file and you can map out where you want the new furniture before it arrives. Make large clear labels for each large item and I will get to their use in a little bit. Put these in your file for the new house.
My next list does not have a picture as I am currently entering the information into the computer. This last Christmas I finally went digital with our address book now I am working on a spreadsheet...... keep your fingers crossed for me. However, this is a very important list. Write down all of the serial numbers from electronics and high value items in your house. Thankfully most of these lists once you get the base list then each move after that is just adjusting for items that you no longer have and adding in any new items. The moving company will need these numbers and you will need them if any issues arrive when you goods are delivered broken. <GASP> I know that you are thinking nothing could ever happen to your stuff, but we've yet to have a move where something wasn't broken. Good luck trying to read your copy of the move paperwork where they scratch on the serial numbers and you get the 3rd carbon copy! While you are going around getting serial numbers snap a picture of the items (you could even just take pictures of your serial numbers but I am still a fan of making lists myself so it's whatever floats your boat) I even open all closets and take a picture. If something happens and you have missing boxes or broken items you will have a record of their existence and their condition before being packed.
A few other things I like to do before the movers arrive is consolidate and bag items. Nothing is worse than unpacking boxes to find the entire contents of a drawer just wrapped in paper and you have pens, paperclips, thumbtacks, etc go scattering around your sea of boxes and brown paper and yes that's personal experience talking. So I learned that if I put everything into bags then on the other end of the move all we have to do is open the bag and dump it in the new location TA DA. You can see in the picture above there are storage baskets emptied and consolidated as well as some linen bagged. I can understand padding a box with some towels but during one move they used all of our sheets in different boxes and it was like a horrible easter egg hunt trying to find clean linen. After unpacking most of the house we were still missing some from the master bedroom, only to find them padding boxes from the garage? WHAT?! So since our first few moves I watch them a lot more closely and all of our sheets are folded in a pouch made from one of the pillow cases, then the pouches are placed into bags. Plus it really depends on the crew as well, we've had good ones, decent ones, and BAD ones. I am not trying to say they are all bad but I do my best to make it easier.
This drawer was just a gallon bag but Dollar Tree sells boxes of extra large ziptop bags which we use for most things. They are GREAT and in the new house I save them all for the next go round. Some of the bags in the linen closet picture are the large ones.
I also LOVE these. Look familiar? I save bags from curtains, sheet sets, pillowcases.... anything that comes in a heavy duty zipper bag. If your new house has wire racks in the closet these can also hang nicely and can keep all of your power cords organized. I keep these in the bags year round.
Also get a large clear bin. Put all of your first night items in it. Bare minimum but put sheets, towel, shower curtain & rings, coffee pot, trash bags, plates & cup (or throw in a dollar store pack) baby or pet items whatever you aren't personally taking but will need first thing. Being clear it will be easy to spot in the sea of boxes and totes.
Make several DO NOT PACK signs ahead of time and keep them in your file. Set aside a staging area for all of the things that you are not having the movers pack. We've used closets, corner of a room, and even the tub. I try to keep these areas out of their way and clearly marked. (and when I say everything I mean everything. Have your trash can cleaned for them to take but make sure your bag of actual trash is out of the way!) Another tidbit if you are driving use laundry baskets to keep your things organized during the move. Our last move we used very few suitcases and just used laundry baskets and it was great! We've even found some now with handles that fold inward to stack them, wish we had those on the move!
My next piece of advice is brand spanking new and has no picture (yet) because at the moment I am still working on ours. I am using the template for making address labels and putting our personal information (name and phone number) but printing on plain paper. Going to have the kids cut them all out and as the packers fill a box I am going to slide one of the tags in there. Technically these companies should be able to track you down by the stickers they place on the boxes but I can tell you that this doesn't always happen. This move we are going to try to ensure that if any boxes are lost that they can still find their way home to us. We've had some sentimental items go missing, never to be seen again and it's sad.
On packing day keep some ziptop bags and a marker handy. When they take apart furniture place all hardware in a bag and write what it's for.
Once again I love just using what we have around instead of buying special items so here's my DIY Fancy Schmancy box marking. One thing I will never skimp on again though is REAL duct tape versus cheapo tape 2 of these colors were cheapo and they are the only ones that fell off after a 3,000 mile move. When the movers were done sealing the boxes they leave them in the room so I would go through and put my own sticker on that doesn't interfere with any of theirs. Understandably, their writing isn't always the easiest to read. This box thank goodness for the word cookbooks and the bacon duct tape.
Go ahead and make room labels for the next house too with the coordinating colors. It's so easy to tell them Blue Room, Purple Room, or even Owl Room. Put these in your file for the new home.
On the first day of the move, the lead person will do a walk through of your house while the others are prepping the area with carpet pads and dropping boxes in rooms. When our kids were smaller I always asked that they pack the nursery first. Once they were done (which didn't take too long) we would put up a plastic baby gate and turn that into the play/ sleep/ just be out of the way area. It also works great if you have family or friends to help with little ones but it doesn't always happen that way. It makes it more difficult to keep an eye on the movers..... hence our sheets getting mixed with garage items.
Here are the kids having a picnic in their old bedroom while the truck was being loaded and the downstairs was covered in boxes.
It's been hard for me to put an exact line in the post for prepping old house and settling in new one. Now I will go into a few more tips for the new house.
Remember some of those signs you prepped a while back? Now is the time for you to reap the rewards of being organized. Before the truck arrives to drop off your goods, label each of the rooms with the coordinating box labels. Measure the area to make sure that your items will fit the intended space. Place your note cards on the floor exactly where you want them placed. When movers arrive and you are frantically checking off boxes on the master list you can easily tell by the tape exactly where the box goes in the house and you don't have to try to explain which wall you want to the bed or sofa on..... the card is there to show them. I don't think of this as micromanaging, I think of this as saving your sanity and your back since you won't have to move the big items. Plus our movers have been appreciative that it was clear and easy and they also weren't having to move items more than once. If boxes came in before furniture then they could see easily where to put everything in the room.
I hope that some of these things help you figure out what works best for you and your family. I know that as soon as I hit publish I will remember something to add but that's okay. Feel free to leave comments or ask questions. Hope you have a great move!!
