It's official, today we opened escrow on a new house. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we put our house on the market and we were very lucky that it sold in less than a week!
Now, the clock begins to tick. Our estimated moving day is August 1!
Yikes!
Sure, I have lived in several different places since graduating from college, but this is the first house that I really put down roots. We have lived here for almost seven years, buying the house the week before we got married. And both of our kids came home from the hospital to this house. As a result, we have accumulated a lot of crap, I mean stuff, in this house!
So, I turn to you for your wisdom and advice. I know there will be some hiccups along the way but I would love for this experience to be as easy and stress-free as possible. Having said that, I would love to hear from you any tips you have for moving and all the stuff that goes along with it. I would also love to find out about your experiences with moving companies, both good and bad. Or maybe, you can share with me advice or questions I should ask when trying to select the right movers for all our stuff.
Naturally, I do want to provide you with some incentive for this advice. One lucky advice giver will receive a $100 gift certificate to Pottery Barn (which can be redeemed at Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, PB Teen, Williams Sonoma, and/or West Elm).
Here's how to enter:
- Post a comment here with your moving advice
- Be sure to include your name and location (city/state)
- Please post your comment by Tuesday, July 6th at 11:59 PST
- Become a Follower of Houses, Couches and Babies to receive an additional entry (those that are already followers automatically receive an additional entry)
- For a third entry, become a Follower of Houses, Couches and Babies on Facebook (again, if you already follow HC&B on Facebook, you will automatically receive the third entry)
The winner will be announced shortly after July 6th. Thanks in advance for your advice! I am going to need it!
293 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 293 of 293Don't have too much advice other than prep what you need before you move in (painting, cleaning, etc).
forgot to add I'm from Rockford IL
I'm a follower
i2ylee(at)yahoo.com
Start boxing up items early and slowly, take your time, so you dont throw things you havent used or have no need for. Also do so with a big trash bag next to you and throw away items that are broke, chipped or things that have just been taking up space for no reason.
I would love to hire things would love to sell things but no one is paying the price for furniture...
Don't leave packing until the last minute-I did that once. It was a horrible experience.Another thing I learned was not to take stuff with me that I absolutely did not need.
aunteegem@yahoo.com
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I am Julie from Jackson Michigan
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Make sure to label everything. Makes unpacking a lot easier.
honeybeez80@yahoo.com
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honeybeez80@yahoo.com
My moving advice is organize and label. Get rid of things you haven't used in over a year (take this time to declutter as well as move!!)
kimbly at g mail dot com
metairie, la
I would label your boxes of course, and save time and space by hosting a garage sale before a big move to get rid of unneeded items.
clarkmurdock@yahoo.com
we all have too much un-needed stuff, get rid of what you don't really need. You can also get a lot of free packing boxes and bubble wrap on freecycle to save on moving costs
singermagic1(at)yahoo(dot)com
Go through things before and after moving, make sure you need (or really want) it all!
Pack what you need first in the truck last. Put the room that the boxes go in as well as item descriptions. Wrap your dishes in your towels to protect them and save packing room.
Best of luck to you with the move! We had a bad experience with movers when we moved from an apt Hubby was in charge of 1 thing - the movers. He was supposed to call a reputable co. here that I'll call "Charles Jones & Sons". Instead, he called "Calvin Jones & Sons". An old man & 2 young men showed up. They took one look at our building & the 2 younger men left. Apparently they didn't realize that an apt building would have stairs, & didn't want to do the job. They just left me there with my mouth hanging open. I called my husband, crying. All of our friends & family were working (it was a weekday). We had to rent a U-Haul. Hubby offered some guys in the U-haul parking lot some $$ to help us move. It worked out in the end, but it was a nightmare.
Lisa Carr, Wilmington DE
lisacarr7 at aol dot com
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start packing early as possible and purge all that stuff you dont need and donate it to a local non profit organization to help others.
sallstun
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Sonya allstun
Missouri
I am a facebook follower (sonya.allstun)
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Even when moving locally, strongly consider using a large name-brand moving company. If you do use a small independent company, only do so on the recommendation of someone you know. I've had one too many bad experiences with professionalism-impaired indie movers.
While packing I would try to purge anything that you don't need or love. That will be less things that need packed and moved into your new house. After moving ourselves the first time, I would definitely pay the money and hire someone to move the next time. Good luck!
I forgot to mention in my last comment where I was from: Danville, IL
I'm now following your blog.
Take deep breaths often, and keep in mind that this will be over soon. We all collect more stuff than we need, as others have said, purge, give away and sell what is not needed.
Use blankets and sheets to cover furniture to prevent scratches and dings. Label boxes by room.
traymona[at]aol.com
I'd definitely recommend using the move as a chance to prioritize what you really want to keep and what you don't need anymore and use the "Clean House" method - have a huge yard sale or use Ebay to sell everything you want to get rid of, and the things that don't go can be donated to your favorite charity (with a tax write-off, of course!). Good luck with the move - hope it goes smoothly!
gkaufmanss@yahoo.com
Pack the things that really matter the most yourself (yes, there is insurance but some things you can't replace no matter how much $ they give you.
Also- get rid of as much as you can before you move, take only what you truly love.
Pack one box full of things you can't live without- toilet paper, coffee pot & travel mugs etc and put it in the truck last and take it out and unpack first.
I am already a follower of your blog.
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Make sure to label right,may take longer but well worth it!
Amy
PA
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com
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If it's likely to break, or precious to you, take it yourself, do NOT give it to the movers.
Rosey
Detroit, MI
msurosey@yahoo.com
If you have the time, purge unneeded items and have a sale to get some extra cash for the new home.
My tips is to get the kids involved...a little. Let them help pack a few boxes of stuff from their rooms so that they understand that all their things are coming with them. (My kids cried for a couple days when they found out we were moving because they thought they had to leave all of their toys and stuff in the old house.) By letting them pack up their books and favorite toys, they were able to track their stuff and know it was going to be at the new house.
Oh, and have a moving sale before moving to the new house!
Good luck!
Grace K.
Austin, TX
Try to get rid of as much stuff as possible before you move. Keep everything organized and label boxes. msmith572@yahoo.com
I follow via Google Friend. msmith572@yahoo.com
I follow on Facebook(lisa smith). msmith572@yahoo.com
Start packing just as soon as you know you'll be moving. Also, get rid of as much stuff as possible! It's amazing how much crap you'll find hidden away, taking up space in your home (and moving truck!)
sarahcfiction at gmail dot com
I'm a terrible mover, so my advice is to hire movers and if possible, have them pack your stuff to. Well worth the money
Niskayuna NY
I follow you on facebook
Debra Ford
Let the kids get involved. We made labels with my son's name on them. He helped pack his favorite items and then put his labels on the boxes. When we got to the new house, he picked out his boxes and helped unpack them. This also helped with his fear that his favorite things would get lost during the move. Also, get all of the help you can get! It sure makes everything easier!
Kristy S. Baton Rouge, LA
I am a follower of your blog.
Kristy S. Baton Rouge, LA
I am a fan on FB.
Kristy S. Baton Rouge, LA
If you are packing and moving yourself...I always use my towels and blankets to pack around pictures and real breakable things. semtaylor(at)yahoo(dot)com
I'd advise getting all your friends and relatives together and renting a U-Haul truck.
We usually moved ourselves or had friends help with the refrigerator and appliances. I would recommend if it is possible to take your valuables in your own car or anything really fragile or spec ial to you. We used a mover once that was good, but when we moved to this home 10 years ago the movers ruined many things. I even said please be careful with this special furniture and of course they bashed it up! They also put all our marked boxes in the wrong places in our home and it was a mess! I prefer to move myself but if you can't, I would pack my own glassware and lamps, etc.
spencer1953 at gmail dot com.
name and location-carol lewis
california
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Definitely hire movers for the big items - don't break your back trying to move large stuff by yourself.
Laura from Columbus, OH
what we have fone in the past is get a bunch of friends to help and we then after things settled down had a big barbeques for them..also we help our friends move if they need it..
kathy
west rutland vt
following your blog as klp1965
Get free boxes from grocery stores, have a big garage sale and start packing all non-essentials way in advance of the move.
Melissa B., LA
When we moved we had rented a storage unit to help declutter as part of the sale of our old house. The storage unit made it easy to move in stuff over time, and we ended up paying one month and getting two with a discount. Nice deal.
I will be moving soon too so I read alot of the advice so far and I really thing the best thing to do is to only move the items that you really want and/or need and donate or trash the rest. No point in moving unnecessary items!
mkjames12000 at yahoo dot com
pack up stuff that you don't use often as soon as you can to get it out of the way (helps with selling/staging the home as well!)
janel_marie at yahoo dot com
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a mom's take
janel_marie at yahoo dot com
Just don't do it, but if you have to hire professional movers. When they are done, walk the house and open every cabinet and closet. My movers missed a cabinet in the kitchen that had my bread maker, mixer, blender, crock pot etc.
I am a google friend connect follower. I forget to say that I am from Hailey, Idaho
Decluter before you pack and hire a professional moving company.
I like to go through stuff as I'm packing it and toss or donate a bunch of it. Often we have stuff that we don't need or want and can eaisly get rid of it, it just takes motivation! Not having to unpack it somewhere else is enough motivation for me!
Sheila Kansas City, MO
fineinsanity {at} live {dot} com
Google Friend Connect Follower! {mom2anutball}
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Wrap glasses and longstem ware in newspaper secured inside a liquoir box from the liquoir store, they usually have divided indiviual compartments.
skyxsky27(at)gmail.com
I'm a follower.
have friends help you and have a yard sale before
maja m. chico, ca
follower
As someone who recently moved (three weeks ago!) I say the best tip is to give yourself plenty of time, label everything and call in all the favors from all your friends!
Start packing as early as possible and do a little at a time. For instance I would pack up books and extra dishes and cookware I knew I would not need soon. Also LABEL, LABEL, LABEL!!! You want to be able to easily find things. Thanks so much! pamelashockley(AT)aol(DOT)com
Central Indiana
Follower GFC
Thanks so much! pamelashockley(AT)aol(DOT)com
Have a garage sale before you move and sell everything that isn't worth moving and give the leftovers to charity.
I forgot my name/location:
Chrysa, Minnapolis
I'm following your blog in Google Friend Connect.
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My moving advice is buy box tape that is pre labeled with bright colors for each room. It helps organize when friends are helping you move in.
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(Liverpool, NY)
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Number boxes and keep a list of contents.
MAKE SURE TO SECURE breakables, it is HORRIBLE to open a box, and glass is shattered! also LABEL LABEL LABEL!
courtneyb176 at yahoo dot com
Let everyone who offers to help, help!
xbeautifulcoma at yahoo dot com
GFC follower
Clearwater, FL
xbeautifulcoma at yahoo dot com
My best advice is to start early. Room by room, any non essential items get packed, even if that means you feel like you're living in an abandoned house for a few months.
My second piece of advice is to never let your SO rent a truck with holes in the floorboards and gears that grind so bad and brakes that squeal so loud that you're sure that you are going to die at any moment on the way to your new house.
ewalsh40(at)gmail(dot)com
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The best advice is if you can afford it, hire someone. I've moved many times and the easiest move for me was when we hired movers to move our items. It was so un-stressful, thanks!
Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com
Label each box well which makes it easier when unpacking. It's nice to know what needs to be unpacked right away and what can wait.
Thanks for the giveaway...make sure you have thoroughly vetted the movers with the Better Business Bureau; call the BBB and make an inquiry on the phone, don't just trust the movers website if it has a BBB logo; ask the movers for references & check them out !!!
senorpiero [at] yahoo [dot] com
I have learned that if you talk to managers of supermarkets, many of them are willing to help you with obtaining boxes for moving. vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com
If you become overwhelmed sit down for a few minutes and relax. It will all get done but when you are stressed it makes the things you have to do so much harder.
Pack 1 box with things you need immediately. Fill with cleaning supplies, paper towels, stuff to eat and drink from, shower curtain and set of towels for a quick shower.
Label every box with what's in it and what rooms they belong in.
Pack room by room and label everything. If possible pacl essentials separetly. We have always rented trucks. We have heard so many horror stories of movers. I think it is important to have a contract that spells everything out. Movers are only responsible for a small percentage of any damages. Protect yourself.
I forgot to leave my name and location. Veronica Garrett Jefferson, Georgia garrettsambo@aol.com
Depending on how far you are moving, the size of new abode, available funding....You may want to consider a storage shed till you get settled. If going into a house..is it large enough for all your accumulations? If a small apartment-Downsize! If a newly- wed, get rid of duplicate items such as appliances, electronics, household supplies and un-needed items.
Some great advice here already. A small thing, but important: Go immediately to the Post office & get their 'moving' packet. Fill it out as soon as you can.
Have some fun and laugh a lot.
Thanks for the contest.
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