J and I have started packing up our stuff in anticipation of our move to the ghetto in just a couple of short, busy weeks.
Luckily, our new landlord has graciously told us that we can bring a couple of loads of boxes to the new apartment before our move-in date, since the apartment is vacant. Since we’ve moved five times in the past four years, including this particular move, we have the “how to move” thing down to (almost) an art form.
J has a truck, and in the case that his truck isn’t enough, my dad also has one. I’m sure we could enlist him to help us move. Obviously, having a truck at our fingertips is extremely advantageous when moving. If you’re planning on moving any time soon, I’d definitely recommend making friends with somebody who either has a truck, SUV, or large van.
Here are some things that we do each time we move to make it a little easier on us.
Make A List
One time, when we went to go move, we settled into our new place and realized we forgot our freezer food. Shit ain’t cheap!
I usually make three lists before moving out:
1. Stuff to remember to move
2. Stuff to get rid of
3. Things to remember to clean
Talk It Out
I find that, as a couple, it’s easier to talk about what we want from the move before we even touch the boxes and tape. Our main discussion point is what we’re okay with getting rid of, and what we want to keep.
J is kind of a hoarder. (I exaggerate). He has a lot of trouble getting rid of things. Whether it’s a $1 dish cloth from the dollar store that resembles mouldy Swiss cheese, or a broken fan that slumps forward at the pivot joint, he clings on to every last thing.
I find that it’s harder for him when we’re going through all of our stuff. Our “keep” pile keeps piling up, and our “ditch” pile remains full of stuff that belongs to only me.
However, if we discuss it ahead of time, by making a list of the things that we’re okay with getting rid of, he’s less likely to put up a fight.
This really worked this time. We talked about it before hand, and when we went to go pack up the items, they went into either the “sell” or “pawn” or “throw out” piles.
Divide and Conquer
Your stuff, I mean.
After you have a discussion about what you want to keep and throw out, I recommend that you divide your stuff into three piles:
1. Things that you definitely want or need to keep
2. Things that you’re not sure about
3. Things that you definitely see no use for.
You can pack up the non-necessities in pile #1 right away. As long as you don’t need them for the next few days, they’re probably begging to be boxed up.
The things that you’re not sure about it’s a tough pile. It likely contains mainly things that you are in denial about never using. My favorite coat was one of those things, for me. The boy and I adopted the mantra “when in doubt, throw it out” for this particular pile. If we haven’t used it all that regularly, or it’s broken or not useful or worth a lot of money, it’s gone.
Then, there’s the things that you definitely see no use for. That whole pile should be gone!
This should be done before you move into your new place. This should save time (unpacking stuff you are just going to get rid of) and money (gas money to transport useless stuff to your new place).
Clean Later
Assuming you are moving to a rental, and moving from a rental, a big part of getting a damage deposit back is ensuring that the rental is spotless once you leave.
Before we moved out of our first, awful apartment, we were dumb enough to start the cleaning before all of our stuff was out of the space.
To make your life much, much easier, I recommend cleaning after you’ve moved out. We typically move on moving day, then come back to the apartment to clean it all out once it’s empty.
That way, you don’t vacuum only to move furniture and have to snag up some more dust bunnies. Or have to clean around your food in the fridge. Or clean the shower only to use it a couple more times afterward and have to scrub it down again.
Having a list of things you need to remember to clean will certainly help. Is it in your lease that the oven must be cleaned before you leave? Make sure to do that. Do your cupboards need to be wiped out? Is there any minor aesthetic damage that you can fix?
Unpacking is a whole other animal – like a rabid pitbull – that I can’t even begin to advise upon. That’s usually a disaster around the Daisy household, so you’re on your own for that one.
The four things above have made moving almost organized, which is a tough feat .
What do you always do when you move to make it easier on yourself?
Good luck on your move! This might sound weird but I absolutely love moving. It’s a great time to get rid of stuff. I usually make sure I pack clean sheets/pillows/pillowcases/towels & the one of the first things I do when moving in is clean the bedroom first, get the bed set up so after a long day, I can take a shower & sleep properly in my own bed. 🙂
The last time I moved I bought a pack of bingo dot stickers from the dollar store. They came in 4 colours, so I assigned each colour a purpose: Kitchen, unpack immediately, unpack soon, unpack at leisure. Each box got a sticker. When we got my current home, my friends and I stacked the boxes in different piles by colour. This made it REALLY helpful when it came time to unpack. The next time I move, I’ll do this again.
I try my best never to move… It’s a lot of work. Congrats on Yakezie.
Jai
Definitely agree on the cleaning – although things like the oven can be done earlier, as long as you aren’t planning on baking or roasting anything in the days before you move. Oh, and eat as much of your food as you can before the big day.
I like to have a small bag of essentials with toiletries, towel, outfit for tomorrow, etc to make the morning-after-moving easier. And usually, it’s just easier to buy dinner on the day.
I like to move too, but that’s only because we are allowed professional movers when we move (through the military) It also means we are moving to a new place entirely, which I find exciting. So we really only have to clean. Which you’re right, it’s much easier without your stuff in the place.
I am a chronic mover (14 times in the last 8 years), and I find that being super organized is the only way to go. I try to hoard as many boxes as I can from work, and pack wayyy ahead of time. 2011 was a move-free year for me, but I’m going to be moving at the end of July this year. I’ve decided to get movers this time and pack everything myself. That being said though, I’m still going to rent a vehicle for moving my fragile stuff, clothes, and the inevitable Ikea run (or two, or three). I’m also going to spring for professional cleaners this time as well.
I really like your plan for organizing things before you pack them. Normally I go through everything after I move, but I think I’m going to switch it up and make sure I don’t move things I really don’t need!