Tips for Moving In - Stress Free!

Well, we're all moved in to our new place!  What a whirlwind!  I cannot believe that only 6 months ago we listed our house for sale and started this transition.  Suddenly the house was sold, packed and no longer ours.  We found ourselves living at my in-laws {who we could never thank enough} slowly watching our house being built.  And here we are!

I previously shared with you how to prepare your house to sell, stage your house to sell and free printable moving labels to make the moving process easier.  So, I figured I should take you through the whole process.  Here's how we moved into our new house - stress free!

Preparations

Tip #1:  Create a Schedule and Budget.  This was especially important for us because we were moving items from two storage units and my in-law's house.  Know how much money you will need for the day - especially if hiring a moving company, renting a truck or feeding your moving crew {friends and family}.  Include security deposits for utilities in your budget as well.  Know who is going where in what vehicle to get items.  Extend the schedule past "Moving Day" to cover the order in which you want to unpack the house - which rooms get top priority and who will unpack them.

If you can, plan to paint ahead of time.  Moving into a brand-spanking-new house, we had a lot of work to do before moving in.  We wanted to paint every room and install ceiling fans.  If you have the luxury, do this before moving day.  It will eliminate any delays in unpacking and settling in.

I like using excel to plan and budget.  You can download my Moving excel here.  This is a very bare bones version, but it should help kick-start your planning.

Tip #2:  Don't be a tightwad - turn on your utilities BEFORE moving in.  Yes, I have helped someone move before that didn't turn on their utilities ahead of time - which is pretty much the meanest thing you can do to people helping you move in July... in Arizona.  Yes, you will have to pay a lot to run the a/c that day, but it's one day.  Get over it.

Tip #3:  Pack a First Night Bag.  Toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, shampoo, soap, clean clothes, clean towels, you get the idea.  Pack as if you're going on vacation to a cheap hotel with zero amenities... or camping.

Tip #4:  Drink plenty of water, eat well, and get lots of sleep the night before.  You don't want to be grumpy, dehydrated or hangry on moving day.


Moving Day

Tip #5:  Hire the Best Moving Crew in Town - Your Friends and Family.  I know a lot of people choose to hire moving companies to pack and deliver their items, but I love being surrounded by family and friends in a new place.  It's personal and fulfilling.  Just make sure to feed them good food and have plenty of their favorite beverages on hand.

Tip #6: Label Your Rooms.  Pick up some scrapbooking paper in various colors to match your moving labels.  Hang the paper on the door or walls of that specific room.  I chose to also make arrows to guide exactly where I want the boxes to be stacked to avoid having to move them later.  For instance, I wanted the boxes of books to be stacked on the opposite side of the room from where the bookshelves would be placed.  The boxes were already be out of the way and I was able to unpack from their location instead of pushing boxes around the room.

Tip #7: Make Your Bed.   Once the bed is installed, immediately make the bed.  Don't wait until the end of the day - you won't have the patience or the energy.  Having a pre-made bed to crash into will make the end of the long, hard day that much sweeter.

Settling In

Tip #8:  Stick to Your Schedule.  It can be tempting to just shove packed boxes to the corner of the garage and say, "I'll do it later", but do you really want to live around boxes for the next few months?  AND if you can afford to not unpack those boxes, why do you even have that stuff?  Stick to the schedule.... and...

Tip #9:  Unpack Every Box.  This is especially important when using a moving company to ensure nothing is broken.  However, unpacking every box is a great way to do a second purge of your items.  When we packed up our house, we took three full loads of unwanted stuff to Goodwill.  When we unpacked, we took an additional two loads.  A new house may bring items into a new light, good and bad.  Purge the stuff you don't want or won't need anymore.

If you're like me, you probably have stuff you just want to keep for nostalgic reasons.  If so, then be honest.  Create {one} box and fill it with those items - mark it "Keepsakes", put it on a shelf.  Having items all over your house in various nooks and crannies that you're saving for memory sake only creates clutter.  Give it a home in a box and then you'll always know where it is.

Tip #10:  Unpack the Kitchen - The Sane Way.  Post-Its are your best friend when unpacking the kitchen.  Mark the contents of each cabinet and drawer on a sticky note and leave on the cabinets/drawers for the first week of living in your new home.  You and your family will quickly become acquainted with the new layout and it will save you from the constant, "MOOOOM!  Where are the cups?!"

Final Tip:  Send Thank You's.  To your real estate agent, to your friends and family, to your temporary landlords {thanks again, mom and dad!}

We're very excited to be in our new place and the many adventures it will bring.

Stay tuned for more projects and chaos - Creative Cubby style.