We are officially 1 week out from the movers hauling all of our stuff out of this house and trucking it across a few states to get to our new home. I will admit, having movers pack and move our belongings is so much easier compared to doing it all on our own. We have done that route before too but if I can bypass that part I am so game. The reality is though most people are moving themselves and if you are getting ready to move (whether it be local or cross country) here are some of the moving tips that I have learned over the past 12 years and 4 moves.

1. Essentials Bag: Pack your essentials in a suitcase or an overnight bag. Whether you are moving across town or across several states the last thing you want to do is search all over for your clothes, toothbrush, deoderant, etc. It is just easier to have a bag packed with things you use on a daily basis. That way if you don't plan to unpack everything right away you won't be scrambling looking for your stuff.

2. Essentials Bin: I know you are probably like ok what is the difference between the bag and the bin. Well the bag is for your essentials like clothes and toiletries but the bin is for everyday household items. This includes items like utensils, cups, paper plates (easier than washing dishes right away), pots and pans, box cutter (of course), trash bags, toilet paper and bath towels. Anything you use in your house on a daily basis. When we moved into the house previous to this one we didn't pack our bath towels and ended up purchasing some out of convenience instead of going through our boxes that we were too tired to unpack.

3. Use what you've got: Renting a moving truck is expensive enough but when you add boxes and packaging material on top of that it can be ridiculous. Make a good use of your own soft packing material called your clothes, socks and towels. Yes, it might make for a pile of laundry to do afterwards but hello it's free packing material. 🙂

4. Label, Label, Label: If I didn't say it enough label, label, label your boxes. There is nothing worse than going through that 5th box of kids toys looking for your kitchen items. If you really want to get organized you can even number each rooms boxes with the way you want to open them. Also a good tip is to label the side of the box so you aren't having to move every box to figure out which one goes where right away.

5. Ask for Help: Recruit your family and friends to help. Whether it is to help pack, to help move or even to watch your kids. Offer to feed them afterwards as a thanks. If you can afford to hire movers and have lots of furniture or expensive items then I would almost suggest going that route. It would be upsetting if someone in your family or a close friend accidentally dropped your favorite piece of furniture and broke it. Yes, it was an accident but now that accident is on you. If movers broke it then it would be on them.

There are so many other tips that I could go into about moving but then I would be here typing all night. Moving is not the most fun thing to do. Granted we are excited to be moving back to TN the whole ordeal in itself is stressful. Having to find new doctors, new schools, new friends (especially if you are military) can be overwhelming but a fun part of life too.