We are packing.

That’s right. We’re moving. As long as nothing happens between now and closing, there’s a lot going on in my house currently that means we’re picking up and heading out to a new challenge.

Not counting all of the packing and moving in and out of the dorm for four years during college and not counting THIS move, I have moved four times in my life. There is no insanity like moving! I have learned a lot about moving, though. Here are seven moving tips that I have learned along the way.

#1 – Do NOT wait until the last minute to pack. At the same time, don’t pack too early either. Starting a week or two before the move has been the best for me and my family.
#2 – Definitely make a list of things to help organize the move. (i.e. list what needs to be done, in the order that it needs to be done–loan, inspection, moving service, etc.)
#3 – Label moving boxes! This time, we’re using pretty Wasa tape to color-code our boxes so that we know which boxes need to go to which rooms without looking for black Sharpie writing.#4 – When you empty your current living space, don’t leave it nasty. Clean showers, toilets, fridge, etc.
#5 – Before moving into the new home, clean and paint (if needed) BEFORE moving in if at all possible.
#6 – Dejunk your stuff while you pack–if someone else can use it, there’s no sense in taking it with you if you don’t use it. Use Ebay!

#7 – Use cling-wrap! This is a new thing that’s being shared right now. We have several plastic containers with drawers, and wrapping them with cling-wrap will keep the drawers from spilling out all over the place.