Hey there friend!
Moving can be expensive. I’ve moved six times in seven years which just blows my mind sometimes. I am really hoping my new place I can stay put for more than a year. My most recent place was the longest place I’ve ever lived at, a year and a half. You can see a tour of the full apartment over on YouTube here.
I wasn’t going to pull together a moving post because I feel like it’s all I’ve been able to talk about recently. But this is a lifestyle blog, and I’m sharing my life with you as it’s actively happening and this is what’s been up with me lately! I also got a ton of DM’s from you saying how relatable the moving content is, how you’re moving soon, or just questions you had about how I went about the process.
Moving six times in seven years I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way to keep myself sane and organized while also really paying attention to the costs that can add up when moving. I wanted to compile a post that I could send you to and reference whenever your next move might be.
My mom always says you move a million times and your 20’s and boy is she right! Whenever your next move is, I hope these tips can help make it a smoother process because let’s be real, it’s the WORST.
Moving Tips & Tricks
THE SPREADSHEET
Oh, how if you knew me you’d realize my life lives in spreadsheets. Life is just better when it’s boxed into little cells with formulas and I HATE math so this means a lot coming from me.
I started the moving spreadsheet after I moved when I was a sophomore in college. The spreadsheet was born out of a pure chaos move that resulted in a misplaced passport, an international trip, and a last minute trip to the passport embassy to replace missing passport 48 hours before said flight. Needless to say something had to change so this never happened again.
I developed the spreadsheet as a way to keep myself organized when living in boxes. It’s quite simple and anyone can do it!
Each box gets a box number which has a label based on the location it lives and the size. The important part here is a brief description of the contents. This is key to keeping organized. Any box can be labeled kitchen but what does that REALLY contain? This makes the transition to moving so much easier once you move because you can easily figure out what boxes to unpack first and if it’s that first night in the new place and you’re in desperate need of the wine opener it’s easily found once referenced.
I also came up with this system as a way to “check the boxes” so no box ever gets misplaced. This way you know how many boxes you have so when they are loaded onto the truck and unloaded in your new home each box can get checked off and nothing gets left behind.
MOVE FRAGILE STUFF YOURSELF IN CONTAINERS YOU ALREADY OWN
This one is pretty easy but I’ve found I always feel more comfortable moving fragile stuff myself. I’ll throw a blanket into a laundry basket and wrap candles, frames and vases into the blanket and carefully carry it to and from my car. Depending on how far your move is (say different states) this might not be possible for a bulk of the items but it’s much easier than spending money on packing paper and bubble wrap and it’s nice knowing your favorite fragile stuff isn’t going to break doing it yourself.
SAVE SHIPPING BOXES AND BUY USED ON FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE
I started saving shipping boxes for about a month before my move. I would keep super durable boxes and throw the more flimsy ones (like Amazon) away. This allowed me to never have to buy a box when I was moving! I also found out from a friend that you can buy boxes from someone who just moved for as little as $1 on Facebook Marketplace. You can also ask your workplace for boxes or even your current apartment complex. Boxes can quickly become one of the most expensive parts of moving so by doing this, you’re saving money AND it’s recycling so a double win.
HOW TO SCORE A FREE MOVE
I didn’t pay for my move at all! Say whaaat?! I used an apartment locating service to find my new apartment and most services typically provide a free move. There’s literally no catch and no cost to use a locator. The locators get paid commission (similar to a relator) by the apartment complex you sign with. It’s a completely free service to use and you don’t have to use them for an apartment locating service if you already have your apartment picked out. Just before you sign your lease, use the service and tell the you know you already want to live at the name of the apartment and be sure to use their name to get your free move.
This was the first time I’ve done this and I was so happy with the experience. I used Uptown Locators in Dallas (this isn’t sponsored) but look for apartment locating services in your area if you are moving into an apartment also. I did end up having to pay for an extra half hour and tip but it was so worth it because I had the two hours covered for FREE.
WHERE TO BUY PACKING SUPPLIES
When I first started moving a lot in college I would always buy packing materials from a storage unit store. This is until I found out Home Depot also sells packing materials and it’s much more affordable. They go QUICK but they restock daily so just be sure to check back if they are out. I bought my packing paper here that I used to pack my glassware and dishes. It was around $15 for 100 sheets. I ended up not even needing all the sheets either so I could have gone with only 50 sheets. I also bought packing foam to provide additional support to certain fragile items and to wrap my mirrors in since I was worried about them getting scratched.
Ok that about does it for this post! I tried to cover the questions I’ve been asked recently in my DM’s as well as organization tips I always pass along to those who ask moving questions. I hope this post can be a resource for you during your next move and help make the painful process a little less stressful. Just remember it will get better once you’re settled into your new place and it will all be worth it! At least that’s what I had to keep telling myself during my move!! 😉
xoxo,
Zoe