The Benefits of Being a Nomad

Hello friends.

I wanted to pop in and let you know how all is going on the packing/moving front.  Just to recap, the boy and I bought a house and we're moving in a little less than two months from now. 

I want to start by saying, I am an excellent packer and mover.  This is probably due to the fact that I have lived 4 places in just over two years and have lived a total of 9 places throughout my adult life (and I'm only 26!).  All things considered, I think this probably makes me a bit of a nomad/wanderer/ whatever you want to call it.

But when the boy and I got the opportunity to buy our own permanent home that we can make our own, we jumped on it.  This wanderer is becoming domesticated (YIKES!).  We know that it's definitely not our forever house, but it's a great starter home and one that we'll likely stay in for many years to come.  We are also pretty excited about making it our own.

Via

With that being said, I thought I'd give some of my tips on how to pack and move without killing anyone in the process ;)  So here are my 5 tips on packing to help you have a successful, stress-free move.

1. Pare down as much as you can

This is the best area to start when you're moving.  Why do you want to bring something to a new house when you won't ever use it?  I usually start this process a month or two before moving.  
It always seems like regardless of how long you've lived somewhere, there will always be more stuff going out than coming in.  Get rid of that stuff you never use.  Old cosmetics, why are you holding onto those - get rid of em.  That one sock you can't find the match for - chuck it (you can always buy new socks).  Holy old underwear that are way past their prime- no thank you!  I like to separate things into three piles: 1. Donate; 2. Trash and 3. Someone else's shtuff.  And once you're done paring down; put out the trash, make a trip to Goodwill and give people their stuff back - keeping it just means you have to move it to your new place.
Here's a great article about getting rid of your old junk that can help you get started clearing out the junk.

2. Pack like items in the same box

If you leave packing to the last minute, you'll be putting random things in random boxes which will make the task of unpacking 10 times harder.  If you put living room stuff with living room stuff and bathroom stuff with bathroom stuff, it'll be way easier to sort through when you're unpacking.  I also like to dedicate specific boxes to decor, so that when I'm decorating at the new place, I have a whole slew of things to choose from for the decor. Another key -MARK YOUR BOXES!  When you're moving stuff into the new house, you'll thank me for this one.

3. Wrap up your breakables

I know this may be a "duh - I already do that" sort of thing, but it's an important tip.  If something breaks in a box and it's not wrapped up, you'll be unpacking that box while avoiding the broken stuff.  While you're at it, make sure to put masking tape across your larger art or mirrors, that way if it breaks during the move - the glass or mirror will stay together and you won't have to worry about cleaning up the broken shards of glass.

4. Clean everything before you pack and move

Nobody wants to have to do laundry once they get to a new place.  I always dedicate the night before moving to do my last load of laundry - usually what I will be wearing the next day.  With that being said, I usually pack my clothes the night before as well.  I just throw everything into garbage bags - it's easier to smoosh clothes into a tight space in the Uhaul.  I also like to dust every piece of furniture - It's like starting fresh in your new place.

5. Have a designated area for packed boxes

The boy and I decided to use the garage to house packed boxes and large, heavy items.  That way on the day of the move, we will only have to go from the garage to the truck, instead of down the front steps.  It's much easier when you've got big, break your back items.  We are lucky to have the garage to house all our packed items, but if you don't - take a look at your space.  Is there an area that you don't use for anything - spare bedroom? A corner that has nothing in it?  Put those boxes in there, and then you don't have to live with the chaos of moving on an everyday basis.

Via

And that's it.  Follow these tips and your packing nightmares should turn into sweet dreams.  I hope some of these tips will help reduce the stress for your move.  Does anyone else have some great tips for packing?  Is anyone else a crazy wandering nomad like me?  Do tell.

Tata for now

xoxo