This week, I’ve learned the hard-way that when moving into a new place, you should make sure the box with your coffeemaker (and related supplies) is clearly labeled and easy to find. Same goes for the dog’s food and treats. WHEW, the stress, the peril, the suspense.
So, while I struggle through caffeine withdrawal, what are your hard-won tips for making moving a little easier? I’m also game for any fun stories about moving mistakes y’all have made.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: I just found my coffeemaker. I repeat, I've found my coffeemaker. It was in a box labeled "kitchen dishes" which... yeah. Okay, let the healing begin.
I've moved twice during this pandemic. Gonna drop a quick brain dump:
– The spreadsheet I created saved my life. All the things you need to buy, all the the calls/arrangements you need to make & the due dates. Color code their status so you can see quickly what needs to be done. Include links & any notes.
– I wanted to reduce cardboard waste, so I rented the U-Haul Plastic Moving Boxes (not the University ones!) & it made organizing packing much easier b/c you can stack them unlike w/ cardboard boxes. They are heavy even empty & stacked, so get help acquiring them. Use a dolly to move them b/c they WILL scratch your floor (😡 ). I labeled each box with duct tape & sharpie so the movers didn't have to think about where to put stuff. Did I still end up w/ garage stuff in the bedroom closet? Yes. But I tried.
– They also have special stemware boxes b/c I feel like you might have some fancy glasses.
– Get the mattress protector bag. My last movers didn't use it & my mattress got dirty.
– Wrap clothes on hangers w/ zip ties (or trash bag ties) at the neck & slip upside-down trash bags over them w/ a punched hole. MUCH easier transportation.
– Use your towels, pillow cases & other soft things to wrap breakables.
– Pack a move-day bag. 2 changes of clothes, all the things you need for your first couple nights in the new space. Maybe a weekend-like bag just in case you can't find stuff.
– If your movers do disassembly, make sure you have quart-sized Ziplock bags to put the screws & stuff into & then TAPE IT to the item. If you're paying them by the hour & can do the disassembly yourself, that saves $$.
– Make sure your bed & shower are setup first thing. That bed familiarity & a shower are going to be a blessing at the end of the day.
– Watch your movers CLOSELY & immediately photograph anything broken, scratched, or bent. I learned this the hard way.
We have moved twice in 3 years and my husband always packs a "Live" box. That means it has stuff that we need to live right away. Also, we try to pack our important stuff in clear bins.
I personally carry a small box (or a bucket, or a tote bag, whatever works) with food, toiletries, a change of clothes, a box cutter, and important documents. In my last couple of moves, I found it very helpful to color-code the boxes with stickers or using different Sharpie colors. I designated which ones fall under "You need this to survive," "You might wanna open this," or "You can store this in the closet and forget about it for six months." It helped make unpacking so much less overwhelming.
Well, I would say that placing a robust plant like that pothos (yes?) in your new kitchen right away is a great way to welcome yourself to a new home. But moving sucks. I have run marathons, and I have never been so exhausted as on the day my sisters and I moved from the Bronx to Brooklyn. Someone (was it me?) took our cat in his carrier on the trip from borough to borough, and he appreciated neither the trip nor the chaos of the new home. I’ve moved twice since then (though both times within Brooklyn), and now I board the cat during the move, welcoming him home a day or two later, after I’ve settled in a bit.
Yes, definitely board the kitties! We moved a few years ago from a condo to a townhouse. We had 4 cats, and knew they would be freaked out/mad as hell about the move. Boarded them overnight for the day of the move, so when they came home to their new place they could explore, climb boxes, come to us for reassurance without the chaos of the move-in period. Some dogs would do better with this too, and any animal needs somewhere quiet and safe from accidentally getting out the door during the move-in.
This is such a good idea. They hate change, they hate tons of new people around, and at least this way they get to have a calm environment to move into.
I carried the coffeemaker and some coffee into our new house and set it up before the movers came with the bulk of our stuff! In college, that used to be my stereo--last packed, first set up. But I was young and foolish back then!
I'm in mid-thirties and I definitely made sure to set up my various Alexa devices so I could listen to music/podcasts while I unpacked but didn't think to be as proactive about coffee which is just as essential.
I recently moved. TWICE. The mantra I used was "What can I do today to make my life easier?" And the answer was sometimes surprising but often had to do with food. Get the cup of coffee from the new coffee shop in the neighborhood, order extra meals so there is something in the fridge when I'm stressed and hungry, buy a new something that makes my new place feel like home. Call a friend for some moral support.
Also, when the house is filled with boxes, just open the first box. You will eventually be moved in. Good luck!
We're in the process of moving, and I am taking note of ALL of the excellent advice in this thread!! This move, we have big plans to not break our backs by packing books in with lighter weight items. We also are big fans of using rubbermaid bins, and have discovered the most comfortable size to carry are the 18 gallon bins.
My dad was in the Navy. We moved frequently. Rule 1: always have toilet paper with you, not packed. Rule 2: set up and make up the bed(s) first. As soon as I hit adulthood and personal moves, coffee & coffee maker joined toilet paper in Rule 1. Love the light in your new kitchen!
The toilet paper absolutely yes for sure. It wasn't until we were moving into our current place that I realized that not only was there no toilet paper anywhere, there weren't any toilet paper holders or towel racks.
I just moved into a new apartment in LA on March 7 and I still haven't unpacked all of my boxes. But I set up my tv first and a little corner, so I could take comfortable, luxurious breaks. Bed second so I could get some good sleep. I'm doing decorating last. So walls will be blank until I get all of the boxes emptied....it's motivating me to get through them. I've ordered a lot of postmates. And yes, coffee. Tons. I have my stash of Community Coffee set up since day 1. xo
Here's a little pay-it-forward suggestion, especially in light of all of the "keep your toilet paper handy" posts. When we leave a place my husband and I always leave tp rolls in the bathrooms, and a paper towel roll in the kitchen. It's an easy thing to do and may make the next person's move just that much less painful.
I am so jaded that my knee-jerk response was "there is no easy way to move it's ALWAYS traumatic" but the very last time I did it 3 years ago, I used smaller boxes and went a bit nuts with the labeling. I also legit ended up carrying the kettle and coffeemaker under each arm with me because THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. I had legit anxiety that you couldn't find yours and am glad you finally did!
Oh boy, do I have hard-won moving tips, particularly from a disabled perspective:
Packing a large collection of books (especially if you're also sorting and culling them) is much more labour-intensive than you expect it to be, so start MUCH earlier than you think you need to.
Also, if you can afford to, then budget to hire a cleaner to go over the place right before you move in, because often the outgoing residents will not have cleaned beforehand (they were busy moving out!) and it will be the last thing you want to do after packing up and cleaning your old place, yet it'll also the thing you most feel the need for. I especially suggest this if you're disabled - seriously, you're going to use up all your spoons for the month in one day, so just make that one thing easy on yourself.
Start making the list of "people/orgs with whom I will need to change my address" early because there'll be SO many of them.
If you're moving into or out of a rental, photograph around the place really quickly before putting your stuff in/after moving it out, because that'll help you verify the condition you found/left it in, just in case the landlord attempts to blame problems on you when you move out (happened to us, sadly enough).
Hopefully friends/family will offer to help. If you're someone who often panic-refuses because you're uncomfortable accepting favours/find it difficult to know what to ask for, then think about making a list ahead of specific things that would be useful in your situation. If you have pets, can someone pet-sit for the day and bring them to your new place when the dust has settled? If you have kids, can someone do the school run/babysit? Are there people who'd be happy to combine hanging out with tedious but necessary jobs like unpacking all the fragile kitchen stuff? Also, there's often someone who's at ease with the tasks you find hard, e.g. if you'll need new flatpack furniture but suck at assembling it, find the IKEA God/dess among your friends and see if they can teach you their ways/lend a hand on the day.
I agree about having a box with essentials in them, like toilet paper, etc.
Also, if you need garment bags but don't have enough and you are rushed to pack, large garbage bags with a small hole at the bottom center for where one can insert hangers and move nice clothing quickly is helpful. You can even tie the bottom, if you don't want to get certain items dirty... Not pretty, but helpful if you are rushed!
For me it's the packing. I moved every two years for a while there, and I always had a packing moment where it seemed easier to just buy everything new. Usually while contemplating the colander, and if it needed its own box or should I break from the kitchen--chaos!--and throw some socks in there too. So. Maybe this is your chance to buy a new coffee maker? Back up dog food and snacks?
Good luck, that space does look bright and cheery!
This is a great tip. Except I'm thinking how great it would be for the packing - to be able to call someone when I'm unpacking - that I know packed a certain room and ask them about something I can't find!
Your backsplash and natural light are LOVELY. Moving sucks. I feel like the dust and dirt that gets under your nails takes like a week to get out! I am also guilty of throwing shit in a box and then never opening the box :S. Don't be like me: Purge, purge, purge! One tip is that sites like NextDoor can often be pretty awful but they are a great place to ask for moving boxes/supplies and also pass along any boxes/packing materials once you are done with them. Also, if it's safe and you have the time, cruise around on recycling day and you can sometimes find boxes others are done with. But the clear crates for important stuff is genius. Hope your new home is a wonderful place for you and loved ones! xo
I love moving for the chance to ask whether I want all this xyz in my new space as I pack it up in the old one. Not having moved house in 16 years (!!) I really need that forced evaluation of all my accumulated detritus. I like to repeat the process as I unpack; there's always even more that I discover I don't want/need anymore.
I've moved numerous times and every time it always ends up being more difficult than I anticipated. My tip is to prepare by getting rid of as much extra "stuff" before the move as possible. Every move is an opportunity to cleanse my bookshelves and closets and donate it all Goodwill/charities. Moving boxes of heavy books has definitely converted me into an ebook reader.
Excellent advice. And honestly, there should be a "Day One" box: whatever you need to get started that first morning in the new place. It took me two hours to find a pair of scissors yesterday and if you don't have your scissors, good luck trying to unpack those boxes.
Have your (soon to be ex-) wife throw your belongings in the driveway. Pick them up while she screams at the top of her lungs. Take them to your new place. Unpack. Easy-peasy.
This probably doesn’t apply to a lot of people but after I came out as trans I was able to throw out most of the items I owned as everything was cultivated based on what I thought a girl would use/decorate with. Made organizing a lot easier
Arnica is your moving BFF. The sublingual stuff will make your back and shoulders happier and you'll sleep better. The cream is good for all the random bruises.
Also, those magically huge IKEA bags are great for the essentials you pack last and unpack first.
I had a parallel moving experience last month. We lost our rental house, due to COVID, in June of 2020. So almost everything we own was either sold, donated, given away, or put in storage. The rest we carried with us (I, in my car and my daughter to her dorm) or stashed at my mom's. Last month, we finally rented another place and moved what was left out of storage.
At first, it was like Christmas, opening up boxes and seeing things that we had forgotten we even had. Then we started to not see things - and none of us could remember if we gave them away / donated them or if they were somehow lost. And the collection of "missing" things was diverse - not something you could explain away by "we must have lost one box." And, of course, today they all seem like things we would have never gotten rid of...some of that I'm sure is true (i.e. one drawer is missing from my dresser); some of it likely not - likely things we decided we were okay with giving up or were bored with and now - after 2 years of having no place to call home - we want them back.
Your post sparked this for me because I just ordered a new coffee pot and toaster last night, having decided that my old ones weren't showing up.
Moving universally sucks, so I have no advice or stories, just wishing you all the happiness once you're settled into your new place, which looks quite lovely.
As you know, I moved two weeks ago with two cats. First thing I did, the day before the move, was bring in some cat food/litter/a litter pan to install in the bathroom and a Feliway plug in. The next day I brought the cats in first (a couple hours before the move, doped on Gabapentin), put them in the bathroom and locked the door until all the stuff was in, the front door closed and the movers gone. I also made sure I had my coffeemaker/mug/coffee in a reusable grocery bag that I carried in the house myself.
My "fun" story was, I dumped everything from the top of my desk (wireless keyboards, peripherals, mice, etc) into a box I thought was plain on the sides but was actually a reused box from my friend's move marked "GLASS - FRAGILE - KITCHEN" that the movers put at the bottom of the fiftyleven kitchen boxes and I had to run out the day after the move to get myself a keyboard/mouse so I could work on a project due the following Tuesday. I found everything... this past Sunday.
my therapist reminded me that even though my move was positive that it was still an instance of change and therefore loss. allowing myself to feel through it allowed me to really settle into my new space.
crying and a good spreadsheet with measurements of each room, your wishlist, your utilities passwords and to-do lists, and i know you moved very locally, but a good list of local eateries is fun too.
Plan on takeout for the first 2-3 days. It gives you breathing room while you unpack your kitchen. Do it without guilt—you’ll have plenty of time to flex your culinary muscles after your kitchen is in order. I feel like if I have something to eat (that I didn’t have to cook) and clean sheets for my bed, I can really roll on the crest of the move-in stuff.
My tip is to check all the drawers and closets before you hand over the keys. The day after we moved out of our first home, I went over to enjoy the morning light one last time and say goodbye to the place. As I nostalgically opened a drawer in the kitchen, I found all my casserole dishes and roasting pans! I guess I had forgotten to pack that drawer?! I had to bring them to our new place in grocery bags and I missed the rest of the morning light frantically checking every other drawer and closet shelf. Congratulations on the new place and finding the coffee maker!
when you buy a house make sure you write everything you want to keep in the offer to purchase. we bought a house when we were super young, it was the realtor's first sale on his own. We forgot to write the refrigerator in the offer to purchase. The fridge was gone at the final walk through, we closed on the house and went and bought a fridge. The realtor split the cost with us.
I haven't moved for over 35ish years (1988). Then we watched Richard Pryor's movie "Moving". Now I'm scared! lol. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095662/
My mum’s rule for moving was set up your music first and your bed second - so you have something to listen to while you unpack, and no matter how far you get through unpacking you can collapse into bed immediately that night.
Maybe not for all, but true for some who enjoy the mellow mindlessness of unpacking, know where you packed your vaporizer. I find nothing reduces the stress of unpacking better than a little cannabis.
It’s been an hour since you posted and you’ve found the coffeemaker. It’s all easy peasy from here, right? Did you remember Ceasar? How about a few good books? If so, you are as good as moved in. When you get sick of the boxes, take another one of those beautiful walks so you can walk into your new place and revel in the newness of it. I’ve learned that many boxes can wait as long as you have your dog, your books, your bed, and your coffee.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: I just found my coffeemaker. I repeat, I've found my coffeemaker. It was in a box labeled "kitchen dishes" which... yeah. Okay, let the healing begin.
So glad you found the coffeemaker! Everyone's advice is so helpful - taking plenty of notes for moving advice. ; )
🎉🎉🎉
I've moved twice during this pandemic. Gonna drop a quick brain dump:
– The spreadsheet I created saved my life. All the things you need to buy, all the the calls/arrangements you need to make & the due dates. Color code their status so you can see quickly what needs to be done. Include links & any notes.
– I wanted to reduce cardboard waste, so I rented the U-Haul Plastic Moving Boxes (not the University ones!) & it made organizing packing much easier b/c you can stack them unlike w/ cardboard boxes. They are heavy even empty & stacked, so get help acquiring them. Use a dolly to move them b/c they WILL scratch your floor (😡 ). I labeled each box with duct tape & sharpie so the movers didn't have to think about where to put stuff. Did I still end up w/ garage stuff in the bedroom closet? Yes. But I tried.
– They also have special stemware boxes b/c I feel like you might have some fancy glasses.
– Get the mattress protector bag. My last movers didn't use it & my mattress got dirty.
– Wrap clothes on hangers w/ zip ties (or trash bag ties) at the neck & slip upside-down trash bags over them w/ a punched hole. MUCH easier transportation.
– Use your towels, pillow cases & other soft things to wrap breakables.
– Pack a move-day bag. 2 changes of clothes, all the things you need for your first couple nights in the new space. Maybe a weekend-like bag just in case you can't find stuff.
– If your movers do disassembly, make sure you have quart-sized Ziplock bags to put the screws & stuff into & then TAPE IT to the item. If you're paying them by the hour & can do the disassembly yourself, that saves $$.
– Make sure your bed & shower are setup first thing. That bed familiarity & a shower are going to be a blessing at the end of the day.
– Watch your movers CLOSELY & immediately photograph anything broken, scratched, or bent. I learned this the hard way.
Good luck!!
Candace, this list of tips is INCREDIBLE. Thank you for sharing all of these gems with us.
You're so welcome! Hope it helps!
Thank you so much for this list, Candace! Taking so many notes for my upcoming move!
We have moved twice in 3 years and my husband always packs a "Live" box. That means it has stuff that we need to live right away. Also, we try to pack our important stuff in clear bins.
Yes to a "Live" box. And wow, YES to using some clear bins for important stuff. So smart.
I personally carry a small box (or a bucket, or a tote bag, whatever works) with food, toiletries, a change of clothes, a box cutter, and important documents. In my last couple of moves, I found it very helpful to color-code the boxes with stickers or using different Sharpie colors. I designated which ones fall under "You need this to survive," "You might wanna open this," or "You can store this in the closet and forget about it for six months." It helped make unpacking so much less overwhelming.
Excellent advice all around.
We do something very similar!
Well, I would say that placing a robust plant like that pothos (yes?) in your new kitchen right away is a great way to welcome yourself to a new home. But moving sucks. I have run marathons, and I have never been so exhausted as on the day my sisters and I moved from the Bronx to Brooklyn. Someone (was it me?) took our cat in his carrier on the trip from borough to borough, and he appreciated neither the trip nor the chaos of the new home. I’ve moved twice since then (though both times within Brooklyn), and now I board the cat during the move, welcoming him home a day or two later, after I’ve settled in a bit.
I love that neon pothos so much. Hehe.
It looks really good!
Yes, definitely board the kitties! We moved a few years ago from a condo to a townhouse. We had 4 cats, and knew they would be freaked out/mad as hell about the move. Boarded them overnight for the day of the move, so when they came home to their new place they could explore, climb boxes, come to us for reassurance without the chaos of the move-in period. Some dogs would do better with this too, and any animal needs somewhere quiet and safe from accidentally getting out the door during the move-in.
This is such a good idea. They hate change, they hate tons of new people around, and at least this way they get to have a calm environment to move into.
I carried the coffeemaker and some coffee into our new house and set it up before the movers came with the bulk of our stuff! In college, that used to be my stereo--last packed, first set up. But I was young and foolish back then!
I'm in mid-thirties and I definitely made sure to set up my various Alexa devices so I could listen to music/podcasts while I unpacked but didn't think to be as proactive about coffee which is just as essential.
I recently moved. TWICE. The mantra I used was "What can I do today to make my life easier?" And the answer was sometimes surprising but often had to do with food. Get the cup of coffee from the new coffee shop in the neighborhood, order extra meals so there is something in the fridge when I'm stressed and hungry, buy a new something that makes my new place feel like home. Call a friend for some moral support.
Also, when the house is filled with boxes, just open the first box. You will eventually be moved in. Good luck!
We're in the process of moving, and I am taking note of ALL of the excellent advice in this thread!! This move, we have big plans to not break our backs by packing books in with lighter weight items. We also are big fans of using rubbermaid bins, and have discovered the most comfortable size to carry are the 18 gallon bins.
My dad was in the Navy. We moved frequently. Rule 1: always have toilet paper with you, not packed. Rule 2: set up and make up the bed(s) first. As soon as I hit adulthood and personal moves, coffee & coffee maker joined toilet paper in Rule 1. Love the light in your new kitchen!
The toilet paper absolutely yes for sure. It wasn't until we were moving into our current place that I realized that not only was there no toilet paper anywhere, there weren't any toilet paper holders or towel racks.
I just moved into a new apartment in LA on March 7 and I still haven't unpacked all of my boxes. But I set up my tv first and a little corner, so I could take comfortable, luxurious breaks. Bed second so I could get some good sleep. I'm doing decorating last. So walls will be blank until I get all of the boxes emptied....it's motivating me to get through them. I've ordered a lot of postmates. And yes, coffee. Tons. I have my stash of Community Coffee set up since day 1. xo
That's real. My bedroom was the first part of the apartment I got together. A comfortable place to rest was essential for me and the dog.
I remember seeing your place in some of your posts and it was so colorful and beautiful, I can't wait to see what you do in your new space.... :-)
Thank you!
Here's a little pay-it-forward suggestion, especially in light of all of the "keep your toilet paper handy" posts. When we leave a place my husband and I always leave tp rolls in the bathrooms, and a paper towel roll in the kitchen. It's an easy thing to do and may make the next person's move just that much less painful.
I like this one, Ginny! Certainly can't hurt.
I am so jaded that my knee-jerk response was "there is no easy way to move it's ALWAYS traumatic" but the very last time I did it 3 years ago, I used smaller boxes and went a bit nuts with the labeling. I also legit ended up carrying the kettle and coffeemaker under each arm with me because THIS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. I had legit anxiety that you couldn't find yours and am glad you finally did!
Oh boy, do I have hard-won moving tips, particularly from a disabled perspective:
Packing a large collection of books (especially if you're also sorting and culling them) is much more labour-intensive than you expect it to be, so start MUCH earlier than you think you need to.
Also, if you can afford to, then budget to hire a cleaner to go over the place right before you move in, because often the outgoing residents will not have cleaned beforehand (they were busy moving out!) and it will be the last thing you want to do after packing up and cleaning your old place, yet it'll also the thing you most feel the need for. I especially suggest this if you're disabled - seriously, you're going to use up all your spoons for the month in one day, so just make that one thing easy on yourself.
Start making the list of "people/orgs with whom I will need to change my address" early because there'll be SO many of them.
If you're moving into or out of a rental, photograph around the place really quickly before putting your stuff in/after moving it out, because that'll help you verify the condition you found/left it in, just in case the landlord attempts to blame problems on you when you move out (happened to us, sadly enough).
Hopefully friends/family will offer to help. If you're someone who often panic-refuses because you're uncomfortable accepting favours/find it difficult to know what to ask for, then think about making a list ahead of specific things that would be useful in your situation. If you have pets, can someone pet-sit for the day and bring them to your new place when the dust has settled? If you have kids, can someone do the school run/babysit? Are there people who'd be happy to combine hanging out with tedious but necessary jobs like unpacking all the fragile kitchen stuff? Also, there's often someone who's at ease with the tasks you find hard, e.g. if you'll need new flatpack furniture but suck at assembling it, find the IKEA God/dess among your friends and see if they can teach you their ways/lend a hand on the day.
I agree about having a box with essentials in them, like toilet paper, etc.
Also, if you need garment bags but don't have enough and you are rushed to pack, large garbage bags with a small hole at the bottom center for where one can insert hangers and move nice clothing quickly is helpful. You can even tie the bottom, if you don't want to get certain items dirty... Not pretty, but helpful if you are rushed!
For me it's the packing. I moved every two years for a while there, and I always had a packing moment where it seemed easier to just buy everything new. Usually while contemplating the colander, and if it needed its own box or should I break from the kitchen--chaos!--and throw some socks in there too. So. Maybe this is your chance to buy a new coffee maker? Back up dog food and snacks?
Good luck, that space does look bright and cheery!
Wait, socks! Oh my gosh, that's such a good point.
Throw stuff away. Then throw more stuff away.
Okay, REAL.
When I have friends and family helping me unpack, I assign each to one room. That way when I can’t find something, I know who to call!
This is a great tip. Except I'm thinking how great it would be for the packing - to be able to call someone when I'm unpacking - that I know packed a certain room and ask them about something I can't find!
Your backsplash and natural light are LOVELY. Moving sucks. I feel like the dust and dirt that gets under your nails takes like a week to get out! I am also guilty of throwing shit in a box and then never opening the box :S. Don't be like me: Purge, purge, purge! One tip is that sites like NextDoor can often be pretty awful but they are a great place to ask for moving boxes/supplies and also pass along any boxes/packing materials once you are done with them. Also, if it's safe and you have the time, cruise around on recycling day and you can sometimes find boxes others are done with. But the clear crates for important stuff is genius. Hope your new home is a wonderful place for you and loved ones! xo
I love moving for the chance to ask whether I want all this xyz in my new space as I pack it up in the old one. Not having moved house in 16 years (!!) I really need that forced evaluation of all my accumulated detritus. I like to repeat the process as I unpack; there's always even more that I discover I don't want/need anymore.
Okay, I *do* enjoy and learn a lot from the evaluation aspect of moving.
I've moved numerous times and every time it always ends up being more difficult than I anticipated. My tip is to prepare by getting rid of as much extra "stuff" before the move as possible. Every move is an opportunity to cleanse my bookshelves and closets and donate it all Goodwill/charities. Moving boxes of heavy books has definitely converted me into an ebook reader.
That's what my mom taught me about moving! "Pack the coffeemaker last so you know exactly where it is." Sending you strength.
Excellent advice. And honestly, there should be a "Day One" box: whatever you need to get started that first morning in the new place. It took me two hours to find a pair of scissors yesterday and if you don't have your scissors, good luck trying to unpack those boxes.
Have your (soon to be ex-) wife throw your belongings in the driveway. Pick them up while she screams at the top of her lungs. Take them to your new place. Unpack. Easy-peasy.
Well, damn, Dan!
HAHAHAHAHA. I just saw a hermit crab poem with moving tips and this being right in the middle! <3
This probably doesn’t apply to a lot of people but after I came out as trans I was able to throw out most of the items I owned as everything was cultivated based on what I thought a girl would use/decorate with. Made organizing a lot easier
Arnica is your moving BFF. The sublingual stuff will make your back and shoulders happier and you'll sleep better. The cream is good for all the random bruises.
Also, those magically huge IKEA bags are great for the essentials you pack last and unpack first.
I had a parallel moving experience last month. We lost our rental house, due to COVID, in June of 2020. So almost everything we own was either sold, donated, given away, or put in storage. The rest we carried with us (I, in my car and my daughter to her dorm) or stashed at my mom's. Last month, we finally rented another place and moved what was left out of storage.
At first, it was like Christmas, opening up boxes and seeing things that we had forgotten we even had. Then we started to not see things - and none of us could remember if we gave them away / donated them or if they were somehow lost. And the collection of "missing" things was diverse - not something you could explain away by "we must have lost one box." And, of course, today they all seem like things we would have never gotten rid of...some of that I'm sure is true (i.e. one drawer is missing from my dresser); some of it likely not - likely things we decided we were okay with giving up or were bored with and now - after 2 years of having no place to call home - we want them back.
Your post sparked this for me because I just ordered a new coffee pot and toaster last night, having decided that my old ones weren't showing up.
Moving universally sucks, so I have no advice or stories, just wishing you all the happiness once you're settled into your new place, which looks quite lovely.
Haha. That's hella true; even when moving goes relatively smooth, and this move has, it's still A LOT. Thanks for the well wishes.
As you know, I moved two weeks ago with two cats. First thing I did, the day before the move, was bring in some cat food/litter/a litter pan to install in the bathroom and a Feliway plug in. The next day I brought the cats in first (a couple hours before the move, doped on Gabapentin), put them in the bathroom and locked the door until all the stuff was in, the front door closed and the movers gone. I also made sure I had my coffeemaker/mug/coffee in a reusable grocery bag that I carried in the house myself.
My "fun" story was, I dumped everything from the top of my desk (wireless keyboards, peripherals, mice, etc) into a box I thought was plain on the sides but was actually a reused box from my friend's move marked "GLASS - FRAGILE - KITCHEN" that the movers put at the bottom of the fiftyleven kitchen boxes and I had to run out the day after the move to get myself a keyboard/mouse so I could work on a project due the following Tuesday. I found everything... this past Sunday.
i genuinely found that crying helped
my therapist reminded me that even though my move was positive that it was still an instance of change and therefore loss. allowing myself to feel through it allowed me to really settle into my new space.
crying and a good spreadsheet with measurements of each room, your wishlist, your utilities passwords and to-do lists, and i know you moved very locally, but a good list of local eateries is fun too.
Plan on takeout for the first 2-3 days. It gives you breathing room while you unpack your kitchen. Do it without guilt—you’ll have plenty of time to flex your culinary muscles after your kitchen is in order. I feel like if I have something to eat (that I didn’t have to cook) and clean sheets for my bed, I can really roll on the crest of the move-in stuff.
My tip is to check all the drawers and closets before you hand over the keys. The day after we moved out of our first home, I went over to enjoy the morning light one last time and say goodbye to the place. As I nostalgically opened a drawer in the kitchen, I found all my casserole dishes and roasting pans! I guess I had forgotten to pack that drawer?! I had to bring them to our new place in grocery bags and I missed the rest of the morning light frantically checking every other drawer and closet shelf. Congratulations on the new place and finding the coffee maker!
when you buy a house make sure you write everything you want to keep in the offer to purchase. we bought a house when we were super young, it was the realtor's first sale on his own. We forgot to write the refrigerator in the offer to purchase. The fridge was gone at the final walk through, we closed on the house and went and bought a fridge. The realtor split the cost with us.
I haven't moved for over 35ish years (1988). Then we watched Richard Pryor's movie "Moving". Now I'm scared! lol. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095662/
My mum’s rule for moving was set up your music first and your bed second - so you have something to listen to while you unpack, and no matter how far you get through unpacking you can collapse into bed immediately that night.
So much good advice. Not much to add, but virtually sending you the Jewish mom’s move in gift:
Flour so you’ll never be hungry
Sugar for sweet times
A broom to sweep away any bad spirits left from former folks
And a good bottle of bourbon.
Wishing you so many happy times in your new home filled with love.
Maybe not for all, but true for some who enjoy the mellow mindlessness of unpacking, know where you packed your vaporizer. I find nothing reduces the stress of unpacking better than a little cannabis.
I put as many books as I can into rolling suitcases to make them easier to move.
It’s been an hour since you posted and you’ve found the coffeemaker. It’s all easy peasy from here, right? Did you remember Ceasar? How about a few good books? If so, you are as good as moved in. When you get sick of the boxes, take another one of those beautiful walks so you can walk into your new place and revel in the newness of it. I’ve learned that many boxes can wait as long as you have your dog, your books, your bed, and your coffee.