I am currently in the middle of a move…. It is honestly horrible
to move apartments! I know that I shouldn’t complain because I have literally a
rooms worth of stuff, but it is painful to pack everything up just to haul it
to your car, drive ten minutes, haul it out of your car, and then unpack it. Unfortunately, it is
necessary as I am currently subletting one of my friend’s boyfriend’s apartment,
and he is coming back for the school year. How inconvenient for me. Luckily, I
am moving into a beautiful new building with hopefully amazing management and
nice roommates…news on that to come for sure.
Last summer my family moved from Southern to Northern Idaho,
so I feel like quite the moving expert now. I figured, since a lot of you will
be moving back to school, out of your summer apartment, or just to a new city
or state in general, I better type up a quick post on my tips for moving out.
1.
Start with all of the boxes that are tucked away
in your closet. Anything that you have not touched or did not even remember
that you owned, donate! I always have a big garbage bag in my room that I fill
with donations as I repack boxes. All of these old items that I keep for no reason
could be bringing joy to others, so I put them in a bag and donate them to
Goodwill. That way, I am contributing to a good cause. It honestly drives me
crazy when people just throw away old items when they could be donated, upcycled,
or repurposed. It is so wasteful to just go garbage crazy and throw everything
in the dump outside your house, so take the extra 20 minutes and drop off your
stuff at a thrift store near you!
2.
That being said, do not be afraid to throw
things away! Whenever I move I seem to throw away at least one big garbage bag
packed full of crap from my closet and around my room. If nobody else could use
it or fix it, then it is time to send it to the dump.
3.
Next pack up all of the things from your room
that you will not NEED in the few days before your move. Try to pack everything
up section by section so that it is easier to unpack and find things when you
are in your new place. Do not forget to label all of your boxes! I lost all of
my sharpies, so I have been blindly unpacking boxes for the past few days!
Another thing to remember: do not make boxes miserably heavy. Remember you have
to haul them; make sure it is possible to do so. Put heavy things in smaller
boxes (like textbooks) and light things in bigger boxes (like pillows and decorations).
4.
A few days before your move, confirm your transportation
and help! Nobody should have to move alone! Ask your friends, family, and
significant other to help you! I was lucky enough to have my mom and brother with
their big car come and help me move! I could not have done it in just two three
easy trips without their help! Make sure that if you ask you are ready to
return the favor when your friend moves. If you won’t be willing to help them
move in the future, do not even ask for their help! Additionally, make sure the
car you have is big enough for all of your stuff. Do you need to rent a trailer?
Does your friend have a larger car that you could use in addition to your own?
I have a little Lexus, so I needed all the help I could get!
5.
The night before you move, pack as many boxes
into your vehicle as you can. I did not listen to this advice because I was
foolish and it seriously killed the next day. I could have had a full load in,
saved some energy, and streamlined the move! Instead, we had to haul an entire
extra car’s worth the day of. It is also nice to remove some of that stuff from
your place so that you can see more easily what still needs to be packed and
gauge how many trips you might need.
6.
The day of the move, wake up and pack everything
else as you use it! Check every drawer, cupboard, and closet and pack anything leftover
you see. At this point, you can pretty much just throw it all in a box and
label it “essentials.”
7.
Finally, clean! I think it is super important to
leave a nice clean space. Take the time to wipe down the surfaces and vacuum the
floors. The cleaning crew or the next tenants will thank you. If you expect to
move into a clean space, you should leave a clean space as well.
Moving in can be just as stressful, but I love slowly integrating
myself into my new place. Here are my tips for moving into a new place:
1.
Move all boxes into their general locations.
Remember those labels you put on all your boxes? That is your map! Try and separate
out boxes and you unload and put them in their appropriate rooms and areas within
rooms. This will help you later as you look for specific things.
2.
Start with your bed! At the very end of the day,
the most important thing to you is going to be flopping down on your comfy,
overly-pillowed bed. Take the time to make it up!
3.
Unpack section by section. At this point I like
to kick my helpers out and just enjoy my time getting to know my space! Nobody
else knows where you want things as much as you do, and it is important that
you make it your own and make it special!
4.
Unpack section by section. This will help you to
determine what you need to buy for each space. I already know that I need to go
thrifting for a few shelving units to contribute to my storage. I have way too
many things for my little space! Anything that you do not have room to unpack
right now, jot down that you need a storage solution, and then put the box in a
closet or under your bed. It is important to clear boxes away rather than leave
them scattered about, but take note of what you need so that you do not forget!
5.
Thrift to your heart’s content! Take your
shopping list and make it a reality on a budget! I am addicted to thrifting
because you can find all kinds of things for cheap, and the proceeds commonly
go toward a great cause!
6.
Finish off your space by making it your own! Add
pictures and design elements that you are excited about! As many of you know, I
love my picture walls! Really take the time to create a space you love and want
to spend time in. That is a really important part of environmental wellness!
If you have yet to check out my post about making a space
you love on a budget, you can find it here. I hate moving…but I love creating a
home out of a new space! Also, the tips up above can make the moving process a
lot less stressful and more exciting! There is nothing better than a fresh chapter,
so embrace the change!
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