Military families tend to move a lot, except us. There's an old saying to the effect of 'once in the 82nd, always in the 82nd' and it seems my husband has fallen victim seeing as we've been here for 3 1/2 years with no glimmer of orders elsewhere (not that I'm complaining, we love our house and I despise moving!). However, I moved a lot as a kid and have several times as an adult, so I've added a few tricks to my arsenal. A friend of mine is preparing to move, so her need for advice has prompted me to write this blog and share my ideas with everyone! Some of these apply only if you are moving yourself, some if you have movers coming to pack and/or move you, and some are just general tips.
1. Take a household inventory video.
Not only is this tip extremely useful in the event of a fire or burglary (yes, I work in the insurance industry, this is something everyone should have!), its very useful when moving for several reasons. First, it'll give you a run down of everything you have, what room it belongs in, as well as serial numbers (make sure to records those). Second, it gives you a chance to really see what you have and gives you the reminder to get rid of things you don't need or use any longer. It's as simple as it sounds, walk through your house with a video camera and record everything from top to bottom, making sure to open every cabinet and closet and get its contents. You could do 1 long video or break it up into room by room sections. Feel free to talk during your video if you feel an explanation is helpful-you could add where you purchased the items, approximately when you got them, etc.
This goes hand in hand with my first tip. These days most homes have a TV in every room, along with DVD and blu ray players, gaming systems, tablets and computers. Not to mention any jewelry or art collections you may have. The more info you have on these items the better, in case they get lost or damaged in your move. Every moderately priced electronic item should have a unique serial number, record that along with the date you bought it, where you bought it, how much you paid, and any other pertinent info on the item. Don't forget to make a list of each game that goes along with gaming systems and computers. Do the same for expensive jewelry items. Many high end watches have serial numbers and (as an insurance agent), I recommend you get an appraisal on any items valued over $5,000 to ensure proper replacement. It's sometimes hard to remember all of the data about an item, so I've found if I keep this list updated as we purchase new things, it makes moving time a lot easier!
3. Clean out the clutter!!
You would be amazed at how much clutter you can accumulate in just 1 year! Between the endless piles of kids toys and clothes that they are constantly growing out of and those expired products that seem to get pushed to the back of the shelves, you will have a lot to get rid of! Tackle this project one closet or storage shelf at a time to make it more manageable. Have a bag for trash, a box for donation items, and another box for yard sale items. Why not make a little traveling money for your move while you de-clutter?! Don't forget the attic and kids closets! If you still have unpacked boxes from a previous move, you obviously haven't been using those items, now might be the time to get rid of them!
4. Get your bills organized!
Make a list of all of your current household bills, including account numbers, payment due dates, customer service phone number and shut off date. This will make it easy to keep track of what services you need to have shut off (cable, water, etc) and which ones are taken care of. Do some research and start making this list for your new home as well with connection dates and any possible deposits and/or connection fees.
5. Label, Label, label!!
Buy or make labels with your name and phone number on them. These will be extremely helpful should a box get lost. Without this info on them, you will never get your box back. Having your info on it will at least give it a fighting chance to make it home to you. With our last move I made some on Vistaprint because I did not have time to buy label sheets and print them myself (I probably had a coupon code as well!), but making them on your computer works just as well!
6. Color code your rooms/boxes.
Assign each room of your home a color-Red for the living room, Blue for the kitchen, and so on. Then color code your boxes once they are packed. There are a few ways you can do this. Get those little colored dot stickers to stick on each box, or you can also use markers to put a large X on each box, or use colored labels from the previous tip instead of plain white ones. Don't forget to make a master list of your rooms and their colors so you don't forget before you arrive to your new home! At your new home, hang a piece of paper indicating each rooms color in the doorway of the room, this way it'll be easy for your movers to know which boxes go where.
7. Details are important!!
If you have movers packing your items, they should be numbering each box AND listing every item in said box. If you are packing yourself, I'd advise doing this as well. Yes, it may take a little longer to pack, however, when you wake up after the first night in your new home and only have to locate and open box #73 to find your beloved coffee maker, you'll be glad you took the extra time.
8. Think outside the box!
Use your roller suitcases to move books and heavy items that will just fall though the bottom of a flimsy box. Put garbage bags over hanging clothes (or save dry cleaning bags) and tie the bottoms--why take everything off the hanger to move it just to put it back? Fill your large pots with smaller pots and pack your spices in your crockpot! Use styrofoam plates in between your ceramic plates instead of wrapping each plate with a bunch of paper. Use kitchen towels to wrap dishes and bowls before packing. Use Press and Seal wrap over your utensil organizer to keep forks and spoons in their home the entire move! Tuck a bath towel over and around the clothes in your dresser so they don't fall out and put the drawers in the dresser once it's in the moving truck-less packing and unpacking! For local moves, use laundry baskets and coolers to easily move refrigerator and freezer items to your new home.
9. Move irreplaceable items yourself!
Pack and move all heirloom items yourself (if you have movers packing the rest of the house). You can inventory until the cows come home, but if your great grandmothers ring gets lost, no one can really ever replace it. Same thing goes for important documents (birth certificates, marriage license, etc). I had all of these items in a binder in page protectors and that book was never far from my side during our entire move. If you have packers coming, be sure these items are packed and safely locked away (in your car is usually the best place) on packing/moving days.
10. Be extra prepared!
Pack a box (or two) with basic essentials and keep those with you in your travels. This box will be your life line in case your movers get delayed and you have to spend a few days in your new house without your belongings. While this is not a necessity to some, it might save you from being on fast food overload and wasting $300 at Walmart when you first arrive. Some items you should include are:
toilet paper, bath towels for each family member, paper towels, plastic utensils, kitchen spoon, spatula, 1 pot, 1 pan, oven mitt, dish soap, paper plates and cups, trash bags, small first aid kit, Tylenol (because moving is literally a pain in the butt and legs and arms!). Of course you'll want each person in the family to have their clothes and toiletries, necessary medications, and entertainment for the kiddos. An air mattress or two with blankets and pillows might not be a bad idea either (I've heard my share of moving horror stories!). Don't forget your furry friends and anything you may need for them during your trip and the first few days at a new home.
11. Make a moving binder!
I've mentioned making lists several times in this post, and it's best if you keep all of these lists in one place so they are easy to find. Make sure to include a pen and a few pieces of blank paper for any notes you may need to take. Don't forget to include copies of insurance policies, your new lease (if you are renting), PCS orders (for my military friends), and I also had a place to put all receipts from our travels, to make sure we would get reimbursed for gasoline and meals. I'd be sure to write your new address on the front as well for easy access. This is also where I kept all of our important documents as we traveled (birth certs, etc).
I've included a link to the spreadsheets I made for our moves, feel free to download them for use on your next move! Check them out HERE!
Are you totally overwhelmed by the thought of moving? Yup, me too. Moving sucks, but the more organized you are, the easier it will be! I hope my post has helped ease your mind a bit! Comment down below with any tips you have!!
-A
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