**This post is sponsored by Moving Solutions. All opinions are my own.**
Let’s face it: moving Sucks. It may be necessary to relocate for your dream college, house, job or city, but SO many people put off the move because the actual moving process itself is such a pain.
I grew up in Dallas, TX, attended college at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and moved to Knoxville, TN afterwards to pursue a graduate degree. I’ve endured two MAJOR cross-country(ish) moves, not to mention a few smaller moves within the same city. Today, I’m going to be sharing some of my top moving tips to help make the process as smooth, organized and painless as possible.
Step 1: Marie Kondo the heck out of everything you own.
I’m not kidding here. This is a great time to evaluate a lot of the items you own: clothes, shoes, books, kitchen goods, etc. If you haven’t touched it in months, or forgot you owned it, do you really want to go through the process of packing it up and unpacking it in your new home? I know you thought all those mismatched coffee mugs were cute in college, but do you really want them at your new place? If you are anything like me, I had dozens of random single-purpose kitchen gadgets that I NEVER used.. donut makers, duplicate crock pots, etc. If you are organized enough, you can create a donate vs sell pile. List unwanted items on craigslist, Facebook marketplace, etc. and you can save a little money to help with moving costs. I also recommend comparing the layout/square footage/storage from your old place to your new place. Are you downsizing? Upsizing? Will your furniture fit in your new place? It will save you time, energy, money, and your sanity if you declutter before you even attempt to pack. This will also give you a better understanding of what you will need to save up for in order to purchase for your new place.
Step 2: Make a reasonable plan for packing/organizing.
If you have a lot of stuff, the process of moving can be really overwhelming. Take note of how much time you have to pack/organize before your move out and break up the things you need to do into bite sized chunks. Having an organized to-do list (preferably broken out by rooms) will help you feel like you are making progress, instead of being discouraged by seeing that you still have so much to do. This is a good time to purchase your moving supplies, and research/book a reputable moving company. If you happen to be in the Nashville, TN area, give Moving Solutions a look. A good moving company will also help protect your old/new homes from any damage during the process, as well as all your items.
Moving is already enough of a hassle, knowing that you have reliable movers who will show up on time, take care of your belongings, and take care of the physical labor makes such a huge difference. I’ve done major moves with movers and without, and I can confidently say they are worth every penny at this point. Not only is it physically less demanding, but time is money. My husband and I prefer to use our precious vacation time at the beach: not hauling boxes back and forth from his truck, driving across town, and unloading them. The money we “saved” by not hiring movers, probably cost us a lot more in our sanity and vacation pay. Moving is a very physically demanding task as well, and there are some things that just aren’t safe to move by yourself if you aren’t in the right shape. Find a Nashville TN moving company with prices that fit your budget, but also have good customer reviews.
Step 3: Start packing.
You are now armed with an actionable to-do list, a moving date, and some help to get your stuff where it needs to go. Now it is time to start boxing stuff up. It seems simple, but breaking stuff into appropriately sized boxes (not over-stuffing them or making them so heavy they will be hard to move/break the box) will make your life much easier. Be sure to clearly label each box with it’s contents and intended location, so it’s easy to find what you need, when you need it. I highly recommend spending the extra time/money to be highly organized during this process so the unpacking and organizing of your new space is a breeze. One major upside to having movers, is you won’t be as physically exhausted from the move out process, so you’ll have a little more energy to start tackling the unpacking process when you get into your new home.
Overall, moving isn’t a fun process. But if you take the time to declutter, get organized, and hire some help, the process is MUCH smoother. If you are getting ready for a move, be sure to let me know what has helped make the process easier for you!
Until next time,
Amanda Kennedy
Follow along on IG: @amandadev4
Amanda Marie Kennedy 