The Art of Moving

Did you know there was such a thing? Well, I assure you there is definitely an art form to moving your junk from one place to another. That is why there are so many moving companies out there that are willing to do it (for a large fee of course) for others. It isn't has easy as it would seem and poor unsuspecting people who have never done it are left feeling overwhelmed.

My husband and I are almost professionals. In the eight years we have been together, we have moved eleven times. For some reason, we just can't seem to stay in one place for too long without getting the itch to find new scenery. I really don't know what it is - perhaps boredom, goals, circumstances, opportunities, who knows. My mother calls us "gypsies" and I think we have had a problem with getting antsy about getting too settled. The thought of having twins was "cool!", but the thought of buying a home was, "Are we ready for that commitment?" We clearly have strange priorities...

We finally put the stake in the ground, bought a house and God-willing are settling down for a long time. So in order for all of this to happen, our junk had to make the final journey from the storage unit that it was being stored in for the last year to our new digs. It was like the last voyage for a great cruise liner.

In the eleven times that we have moved, I have learned a few things about how to move efficiently, quickly and with as few arguments with your honey as possible:

1. When packing, you can utilize anything from old gift wrap, paper towels, plastic grocery bags and newspaper to wrap your personal items. No need to go out and spend a fortune on special packaging materials unless it is absolutely necessary.

2. Start hoarding boxes as soon as you know you are going to move and don't forget to ask your family and friends to bring home boxes from their workplace as able. If you have babies like I do, start keeping the economy sized diaper boxes - buying in bulk is cheaper anyway and those boxes are sturdy and the same size so easy to stack.

3. Organize the items for the boxes by room, so you can easily set the correct boxes in the rooms at your new place. Mark on each box what room it should go into at your new place.

4. Assemble the troops! Ask your family and friends for help. Chances are someone will need your help at some point in the future. Just make sure you can return the favor!

5. Rent a truck through Budget Truck Rental. We have tried UHaul and Budget both. We have priced Penske (ouch! very expensive). Budget is the best deal and was the best experience by far. The truck was ready for us when we got there, fairly priced and the reservations and pick up was met by friendly, knowledgeable people.