You’re Moving and it’s Terrifying: Here’s What you Need to Do to Prepare
First of all, I'm sorry. You decided that the decision to move outweighs the process of moving and suddenly you feel sick from all that you have to do. I get it. But like any other painful experience (childbirth, anyone?), you'll forget how bad it all was soon enough. And I'm here to convince you that moving doesn't have to be all that dreadful! It's nothing that a sentence with an exclamation point at the end can't fix. So let's do this. Let's get prepped to MOVE! Here are some tips that will basically turn the experience into a wonderful one:
1) Decide how it's all going to go down. First thing to do is decide if you want to do the move yourself or hire a company. If you're not on a budget, movers are a worthy investment. Unpakt quickly shows you a comparison of cost for various moving companies and it's a great resource for making the first move (no pun intended). And keep in mind: there will most likely be some sort of moving company-related headache in this process. A sad reality.
2) Get the right supplies. If you're packing yourself, make sure you're prepared with sufficient gear so you can chug away and not hit any roadblocks ("WE NEED MORE TAPE!"). You'll need:
Boxes. Plenty of them in various sizes. Some wardrobe boxes for hanging stuff, lots of book-sized boxes for books and other heavy belongings. Medium sized boxes for folded clothing and other lighter items.
Thick Sharpie markers. I said THICK. Don't take this advice lightly. Turn the marker into a necklace so you don't waste time searching for it.
Packing tape. I need not explain.
Ziploc bags. Big ones and small ones. Why, you ask? To contain the contents of your junk or night table drawer. Or to make sure all of your panties/socks/bathing suits are separated and contained. In short: to hold small items that you don't want scattered in a box.
Newspaper or packing paper. You may as well go for the free and less wasteful route here. Dumpster dive.
Scissors. Just in case.
3) Purge before you go. I can't explain how important this part of the process is. Moving with things that you don't want is such a waste of time and energy and breaks my heart to even think about. So take some time to go through the various areas in your home and get rid of anything that no longer inspires you, won't feel good on the other end, or is broken and done with.
4) Label like a crazy person. You will thank yourself if all of your boxes are specifically labeled. So dig deep and list out specific items instead of broad categories. Think "sweaters and pants" instead of "clothing" and "blender, baking supplies, and Pyrex" instead of "kitchen." This way you can unpack according to priority and you won't forget what's inside the boxes.
5) Work systematically. DO NOT LOSE FOCUS AND LEAVE SHELVES HALF PACKED. That will make the entire process more overwhelming and awful. Do your best to pack up one area at a time while also keeping categories together. For example, pack your bag shelf and also throw in the bags behind your closet door and the two by your front door. All bags together so they can be unpacked at the same time. Catch my drift?
6) Make sure the new space is clean before you start unpacking. Wipe down shelves and the insides of drawers. Have liner ready to go if you like lining shelves and drawers. Also, be prepped with garbage bags and recycling bags for packing paper. Start with a clean slate!
Have fun! Or if that's too hard, try not to cry too much! If that's not possible, hit me up. Unpacking is part of the Tidy Tova repertoire.