If you're going to move, there's going to be problems. We would be willing to bet that there hasn't never been a move in the entire history of moving that has been trouble-free. Things break. People don't show up on time. You get locked out of your house and car and you can't find your cell phone to call people. We've gathered a few tips, tricks, and horror story moments from our readers that will hopefully prevent you from making the same mistake. Here they are:
· If you need to get rid of stuff but don't have the time to pile it up and take it to Goodwill, just accept the fact that you're going to have to throw it away. All you'll do is move it to the next house and let it sit there for ages. Just throw it away.
· If Purple Heart or any of the donation places happen to call always say you have things to donate. That will give you a deadline to put together a bag of stuff you don't want anymore, even if you don't have one waiting when they call.
· For all the packing that can be done sitting down (e.g. folding clothes, towels), save those for the end of the day when you're going to be exhausted.
· If packing is feeling overwhelming just start by putting several empty boxes in each room. Then every time you go in there you'll see stuff that you know you won't need before your move so you'll start putting things in boxes slowly but surely.
· If you're moving really far away or out of the country, try telling your landlord that you'll be in the area for a month or so after you move out. If they know you'll be really far away they might try to deduct bogus things from the security deposit since they know you won't be around to dispute them. If they think you'll be in town for a while they might not go for it.
· Plan extra money for takeout because you won't be able to cook anything once you've packed up the kitchen.
· If you have little kids pack up their beds so that they are the first thing you unload when you get to your new house. Set up their rooms first so they are more likely to get a good night's sleep from the beginning.
· Use a different color tape for boxes that have breakable stuff inside (we got that tip from YHL)
· Have a plan for small expensive items, like jewelry. That is very easily lost or stolen since it is easy to hide.
· If your move is going to take all day, keep a bright flashlight in easy reach until you are completely finished moving. One tipster we spoke to said she and her boyfriend were still moving out of their apartment when it was dark and they dropped the keys to the house somewhere on the lawn. They had to borrow a flashlight from the neighbors to look for them.
Got anymore tips? Send 'em to our tipline.
Photo from Christoph Weihs/Shutterstock
Loading comments...