Updated: Oct 07
Throughout my life, I've had to move house quite a few times (I hope I don't have to do it anymore!).
And as they say that practice makes perfect, as I've already done it several times, I have a tip or two to make your next move easier and more bearable.
Al empacar
1. First remember that it is better to do things little by little and with time, and not from one day to the next. So try to start packing with plenty of time.
2. Take this opportunity to get rid of everything you don't need! If you don't love something, if it doesn't make you happy, if you don't use it, DON'T PACK IT! Leave it behind, free yourself and start a life without junk in your new home.
3. Gather everything you will need:
- Trash bags: Get the heavy-duty kind, and buy two different colors. Reserve one of the colors exclusively for trash. Or better yet, buy some colored ones, and some clear ones, so you can put the garbage in the opaque bags, and use the clear ones for the things you need to take to your new house.
- Cardboard boxes: Try to pack everything you can in boxes, but if you don't get enough, use them for delicate things. Don't choose them too big, because they will become too heavy once they are full.
- Newsprint: Wrap enough newspaper around your junk, pyrex, knives, and other delicate things. Then put everything in boxes.
- Tape: Buy enough tape, and if you can, buy a tape dispenser too. If someone else will help you pack, buy another tape dispenser. Also buy paper masking tape to create a visible space for labeling boxes and bags.
- Scissors and thick markers: You can buy markers in several colors, and identify each room with a different color and the boxes/bags that go in each. Or you can buy one color, and label them "kitchen," "office," "master bath," etc.
4. Decide how you are going to code your boxes and bags. Apart from indicating whether they go in the "kitchen", "bathroom", etc. you can use the 1-2-3 code, in which:
1- indicates boxes and bags that need to be unpacked as soon as possible. Examples: school uniforms, basic kitchen equipment.
2- indicates that the contents can wait for a while. Examples: regular clothes and shoes.
3- indicates that those boxes and bags may be the last to be unpacked. Examples: photo albums, extra bedding and pillows.
5. Don't vaguely label any bags or boxes, for example using the word "miscellaneous" or something vague. Be clear about what the box or bag contains, e.g., "large pyrex and serving trays." And remember to label boxes on all 4 sides and the top.
Al ir acercándose el gran dÃa…
1. Pack besides all the other things, a set of sheets and 1 blanket for each bed, 1 washcloth or towel for each family member, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes and other things you will need the morning immediately after moving day. Also pack a change of clothes for each member, two if you have small children or babies, diapers, and 1 pair of pajamas for each person.
2. Give your new casita a good cleaning, including windows, walls, bathrooms and toilets. This will be the only time you'll be able to get to every nook and cranny easily, so make the most of it! And while you're there, make sure all the lights are working, and the hot water is on and running.
3. Also, pack separately some disposable plates, glasses, forks and spoons, and what you will need for the next day's breakfast: coffee maker, coffee, filters, frying pan, etc.
4. Try to use up all the food you have frozen or refrigerated, so that it does not spoil during the move. Remember that the refrigerator should be left idle for 24 hours after moving it, so that the gas in the cooling system has time to stabilize and work properly.
5. Wash all the clothes that get dirty, and keep dirty clothes to a minimum.
6. Arrange for someone to come and clean your old house after you have moved out. After you move, you will have to concentrate your energies on organizing your new house, so it is best to leave the work of the old house to someone else.
7. Make a list of super-quick meals that you can make without thinking, without using a lot of utensils or a lot of pots and pans (hopefully things you can prepare in the slow cooker or electric skillet). Also list the ingredients you will need for each meal, even if they are very obvious, because when you are tired, we do not think well. For example, if one of the meals is "hamburgers", and you know that your husband and your oldest son eat 2 each, and you and your two younger daughters eat 1 hamburger each, then write in your list: 7 hamburger buns, 7 frozen cakes, 7 slices of cheese, 2 medium tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mayonnaise, butter... etc. it depends on what you put on your hamburgers, you know what I mean.
8. Make arrangements with the cable, internet and phone company to coordinate the installation visit, obviously after you have moved into your new home. If necessary, make calls to your current companies to suspend services at your "old" house after they have moved in.
On the day of the move...
Keep on hand easy-to-eat crackers or fruit such as bananas or peaches, cans of tuna, square bread, cereal, and those things that fill hungry stomachs quickly and don't need refrigeration.
Make sure you have easy access to your cleaning supplies and equipment. Even if you've cleaned the house before the move, everyone's constant in-and-out is going to get it dirty, so it's best to have what you need on hand for a quick wipe down.
And super important: cell phone chargers. I don't even have to explain why.
When unpacking the moving truck...
1. Assemble the beds first and put the mattresses on them at once. Don't put stuff on them as you unload the truck. By the end of the day everyone will be tired, and the last thing you want to do is have to remove piles of bags and heavy stuff to get to sleep.
2. Install the washer and dryer as soon as possible.
3. Go through your super-quick grocery list, decide what you're going to cook that day (or the next day, depending on when you finish moving things), and go to the supermarket to buy what you need.
The day after the move
1. Get up early to make the most of the day. Take a shower, put on comfortable clothes (don't stay in your pajamas) and eat a simple but nutritious breakfast that will keep you full for several hours.
2. Start in the room that gets the most use, or is most urgent to unpack. This could be the kitchen, or if you work from home, perhaps the office is the room you need to set up first. Open all the boxes or bags marked with #1 (following the system we talked about before), or the ones you know contain the most necessary things.
3. Put everything in its place as you take out the boxes and bags, and take the empty boxes and bags out of the room as soon as you empty them.
4. As soon as you finish with the most urgent items in that room, resist the urge to move on to the other boxes. Rather, move to the other rooms, and do the same with the most urgent boxes and bags.
6. Most importantly, don't try to unpack everything in one day. Don't forget to eat at your own time, stop from time to time to drink water, rest your legs, etc.
Moving is always a strenuous job that can take several days or even weeks, but I hope that with these tips, at least it won't be too traumatic.
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