I forget until I move just how much hard work is involved with moving. I’m in the process of moving into my new place while also moving out of the old.
I had movers for the big stuff and everything that was packed as of Friday. I thought this was almost everything - and in the overall picture, it was. But the little stuff that I didn’t get to by Friday has been the hard part. That’s the kitchen cabinets, fridge and freezer mostly, as well as getting trash out.
it’s hot as heck in Atlanta just now. I’m drinking lots of water all the time and sweating most of it out.
I may have finally figured out the thermostat in the new place. I’m still replacing that sucker though, probably today, because it’s a PITA to try to adjust the temp (a barely functional old touchscreen + a very odd installed program means it keeps trying to let the temp creep up to 85 degrees in here).
I have a desk job, and while I exercise, I’ve been doing a lot more physical labor these last couple of days. I wake up in the morning, and I’m stiff. I sit down too long, and I’m stiff. I feel every bit of my almost 42 years when I wake up in the morning.
Hiring movers, even though I had to pay them for a minimum of 3 hours when it only took 1.5 was so incredibly worth it. I learned this last move, and was very much reminded of it this one.
label your boxes when you move, y’all. I have to find my work clothes for tomorrow. I know they exist in one of these boxes, but I sure don’t know which one. Every time I swear I’ll do better and every time…I don’t.
BUT, almost everything is out of the old place (what’s remaining are some small things that I need to throw out, the footstool, in case I need to replace any light bulbs, and some cleaning supplies). Next Friday evening I have cleaners coming to do the in-depth move-out clean in hopes of getting my deposit back. I need to pick up 2 sets of horizontal blinds to replace, because $5 each at Lowes is far cheaper than the $25 the complex will charge me out of my deposit.
Now to work on getting things settled here in the new place.
One thing I liked about moving is that it forced me to go through my stuff and get rid of some of it. Some went to Goodwill Industries and some was thrown out. (Having to pay professionals to move it all is incentive to get rid of the marginal stuff.)
During the advanced packing stage, whenever you are out and about, pick up some lovely little trinkets and small gifts for yourself. Toss them into any open boxes and keep right on packing.
Now when you get passed the physical move and are left with the unpacking, it will include a couple delightful surprises, to put a smile on my face. (If you have a partner, then you do it for the other!) Anything that can put a smile on your face during a move, is definitely worth it!
Someone taught me this and I do it every move. It definitely helps.
You can step it up a level if you know someone readying to make a move! Just stop by, stuff some little things (with tags that say, ‘Here’s a smile from elbows!’ ) into any open box.
The best part? Everybody gets a surprise this way. Because you’ll forget about it too. And then the phone will ring and your excited friend will be all squee, and you’ll be all big grins and laughing! Fun for everyone! It’s such a tiny little thing, really. But it’s a such fun!
Because the universe only sends you so much fun, you gotta make the rest yourself!
I love the idea of putting small gifts into moving boxes. We are going to flee Houston when my Beloved Butthead retires but that is far enough in the future that I’m not even thinking about it now.
I do agree that moving just sucks. It doesn’t matter if you are moving into your custom built dream home, the process just sucks.
Ugh. I am moving on a couple weeks, and not looking forward to it. Once again, I am going to be too cheap to get movers, and despite knowing full well it is going to be a mistake, that’s just how it’s going to be.
Once I decided to try movers once, I realized just how much they were worth the money. Unless I have no other choice, I’m not moving without hiring movers again.
I had carpeting replaced through my house last week and essentially had to pack everything and pit it in the garage. I am taking my time putting things back. I truly like the decluttered look and I am seriously purging. Most goes to assorted donations, but some stuff is just cr@p and it’s going in the bin.
I am planning to move this year again and not looking forward to it. I am definitely hiring movers, though. We are almost 40 and now we just have too much stuff. It was one thing when we just had a futon, but now we have a queen sized bed, and desks, and all kinds of furniture. We just can’t do it by ourselves.
Professional movers have plenty of moving blankets, furniture dollies, shrink wrap and strong backs. And, in my experience, they’re very efficient about getting stuff onto/off the truck and into/out of the house. I used them on the last move and will use them again.
As someone who moved far too many times in earlier years - and I mean moved a family and 3-bedroom house, not a few apartment things - I was ready to let someone else do it when we moved cross-country. We found the best compromise was to pack and move all the little stuff ourselves, and hire some broad backs to move all the furniture etc. You can usually get that for a small number of negotiable hours.
It can get pricey if you have them move boxes, lamps, small stuff in general. Maybe it’s worth it to you. It *almost *was to me.
I’m going to be good and old the next time I move and I’m not looking forward to it. I’m toying with the idea of selling off almost everything in the house and buying new stuff at the new location. Once you factor in the cost of movers and the stress and physical challenge of moving everything, it starts to sound attractive.
