Moving into a new home is always exciting. You get the chance to start fresh by throwing out old things that you forgot you even had. You may even get to recreate your living space like it was straight out of a Pinterest post! All of the idea's you've been holding off in your old space can finally become a reality! Like, isn't that the best part of moving? I definitely like to think so.
It's the process of moving from one place to another that people tend to forget. How difficult it actually can be without the help of 4 other boys basically doing the work for you (for me at least). When Ronnie and I moved from Winnipeg to Calgary, it almost felt imaginary because of how insanely easy it was. The only thing I had to worry about was making sure we had everything important packed, and that we got to Calgary in time to meet our Landlord. When we got the keys to our apartment, my sister and I basically left it to Ronnie and Ryan (my sisters boyfriend) to do the labor work as the two of us got lost, left and right, in our new city trying to find a damn Superstore. By the time we got home, everything was placed and I was left to organize the rest!Like how lucky was I?
This time around was no where close to the same. Although I planned everything as soon as we signed our lease, the preparation didn't come close to how stressful the actual move was. Going up and down the 4th floor apartment building in the cold was no joke!! It obviously was not our plan to move out in November but because we wanted to make sure we ended up in a better place, we took our time searching. And after 5 months, we finally found a landlord we genuinely liked, and a place we were able to call home(for now).
So, yeah - Because I'm officially an EXPERT at moving (does moving 7 times in your lifetime make you an expert?), I wanted to share 5 important steps that I've come across during our move that I personally find helpful and can hopefully help you in your future moving!
1. Move during spring/summer season
Like I said earlier. Moving boxes from the 4th floor to my truck in the cold was an ultimate defeat. I can't imagine those that live on higher floors trying to get their 100 pound mattress down and carrying it to their U-haul in -40 degree weather. No thank you! - It's always good to start looking 2-3 months prior to your move so you're well prepared that it's on warmer day than a cold one. And if you're pretty unlucky like me, you'll just have to face it and do what you need to do!
2. Collect as many boxes as you can in all shape and sizes
I'm sure your coworkers wouldn't mind holding boxes for you. So ask a head of time because they are definitely important during the moving process. I thought I had more than enough boxes when we first started out, but when it came down to it, we had to put some of our home decor into garbage bags and honestly, it's not the best way to transfer your stuff. So I recommend you use as many boxes as you can, that way your organized, it's easy to label, and simple to carry.
3. Do everything now rather then later
I'm pretty good at planning ahead. Which is why I think this is important when moving. You don't think of all the little things that are left until the last minute or even when it's a little too late. Being ahead of the game when it comes to this type of stuff never hurt anyone - just change your damn address already!!! List all the important companies that need to know you've moved: Your bank, past and present employers, even your
drivers license. You don't want to find a past due speeding ticket because you didn't change your address. So just do it! I suggest that you also make a list of all the things you need to buy once you've moved in, such as proper cleaning supplies! And book your U-Haul ahead of time so that it's set and easy to pick up as you plan around that time frame!
4. Clean as you go
We didn't do this step, and now I feel like we're going to pay for it. This is only for those that are renting - and the reason why is because I know you people want to get your deposit back at the end of your lease. Cleaning your old place is so important. Making sure that it's left the same way you came in has everyone beat. And the reason why is because most of the time, you walk in to your new place with it already being filthy or you came in and stayed for more than a year without thinking about the layer of dust that has been accumulating behind your oven. Then realizing after you've said your goodbyes that you probably should have been cleaning that at least once a month. So yeah, I think it's very important you clean as you pack and if you want to get ahead of the game, clean regularly and stop being a pig.
5. Have some fun
Regardless of what people say about how annoying and stressful it can be to move. You should still try and enjoy it. Mine and Ronnie's fist move was not the greatest but that's also because we weren't as prepared as we were this time around. We bickered about everything and although we packed what we thought was everything, we had absolutely nothing. Not even toilet paper!! As long as you come prepared, the rest will follow. You and your partner should enjoy times like this and I think it's important because it's yet another chapter added to your story!
Jree.
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