A Moving Experience

Late spring and summer is the time when most people move, for obvious school and weather reasons.

The feeling of shaking off the old and launching into the new can be exhilarating but also quite intimidating. There will be an enormous amount of responsibilities and headaches accompanying your move with the clock ticking the entire time. No matter if your move is to the other side of town or the other side of the universe, the word of the day is “organization.” The more you prepare and plan before the first box is packed, the easier—and less stressful—your move will be.

Alicia on “Being Able to Chew Everything you Bite”

“There is no way of getting around it: moving means planning, tracking, and executing tasks both large and small which, seen in their totality, can be overwhelming. That is why you will want to put together a binder, or buy a prepared one like Moving.kit from Buttoned Up. It can help keep all the tasks and paperwork organized. More importantly, it should help you view all those tasks as compartmentalized jobs; bite-seized pieces of huge meal. So, instead of thinking every day for months “We have to move” you can think “I have to hire a mover”; “I have to list my home and schedule appointments”; “I have to contact the power companies here and at the new place” and etc.”

Sarah on “Trust”

“You are certainly going to want to delegate tasks out to all members of the family and it provides a great learning opportunity. Let your kids be in charge of packing up their stuff, with your supervision of course. Since it is unusual to take everything, the first thing they will learn is how to prioritize and let go of the things of the past. And once the move is complete, and any carelessness has resulted in a broken or lost item, they will understand the value of taking care of the things they care about. Conversely, the joy of making sure some things made that long move intact—as well as a hearty “job well done” from you.”

While no one column can cover an entire move, we at least offer these hints.

1. Manga Manga

With the million and one things there will be to do on the days of the move—move out day, travel day(s), and move in day—you want to make sure you have a plan for food. You are all going to work physically hard for a few days and everyone gets hungrier the more physical exertion is required. Accordingly, when people get tired and overtaxed, emotions can get raw. Make sure you have high-energy foods like fruit and trail mix with M&M’s mixed in as well as deli sandwiches in a cooler so that anyone can get something more substantial without a lot of prep time—and don’t forget water!

2. The Long and Winding Road

Life isn’t perfect and neither will your move be. The best way to stay on an even keel is to be prepared for any deviations from your plan. Make sure you have the number for your moving company whether you are hiring a company or renting a truck. You need to take an inspection of all vehicles before heading out to make sure they are road worthy. In case of a breakdown, having the national numbers for a few chain motels would not be such a bad idea. Finally, you should have the number for the power company of your new place with you so that if there has been a snafu you can contact them immediately.

3. The Corners of your Mind

You never truly leave an old home, you just move into a new one. Since memories of your old life will always be with you, leave something behind to tie you physically to your one time home. You could, for instance, bury something in the back yard. The whole family can get together and choose an item that best commemorates the time spent there. You might even have a little ceremony during which each person talks about a special memory.