The Realtor that had to move

The Realtor that had to move.  That would be me.  I have forgotten what it is like to move.  And it's pretty awful!  Somehow this process seems so much harder now than it was several years ago.    

The basics haven't changed such as getting rid of things, gathering boxes and then figuring out how to get your stuff from House A to House B....but age and wisdom has certainly changed how I approached this latest move.  

BOXES

Younger Me:  Nothing wrong with dumpster diving at the grocery store and the liquor store!  So what that the boxes are stained with rotten pineapple juice and kinda smell.  They are free!!

Older, Wiser Me:  UHaul boxes are so awesome, especially the Dish Packs with the dividers and the foam sleeves to protect my dishes and glassware.  And I can't forget the fantastic clean, pre-cut packing paper! What a dream over newspaper! 

Lesson Learned:  It's not cool to pack your grandmother's wedding dress that she passed onto you in a Bacardi box.

PROFESSIONAL MOVERS

Younger Me: Call the friends and co-workers and pay them with beer and pizza!

Older, Wiser Me: Friends and co-workers make lousy packers and movers.  You get what you pay for.

Lesson Learned:  Professional movers are willing to do as much or as little as you need.  In our case, I had everything packed; I just needed the muscle and the truck.  I thought professional movers only did full service.  Instead of thinking this move would cost thousands of dollars, it only ended up being a few hundred dollars.  It was the best money I've spent.

Another Lesson Learned:  Quoting my colleague and her advice, "You don't want to show up in your neighborhood looking like the Clampetts with your friends in their pick-up trucks with all your stuff in pineapple boxes."  She has a point.  You at least want the neighbors to get to know you first before they form a bad opinion of you!

GETTING RID OF STUFF

Younger Me:  What stuff?  

Older, Wiser Me:  Go through every closet, storage space and garage and get rid of things no longer needed or wanted.

Lesson Learned:  If this step is not done early in the moving process, by the time moving day arrives, you'll be ready to roast marshmallows by the fire you've set of all your stuff. 

We made it through the move, and are now enjoying our new home.  I'm not too thrilled about being older but I am very happy to be wiser!  Just these three lessons made our move far, far easier.

By the way, if moving to or from the Olympia WA area, I highly recommend Morgan Transfer.  They did a superb job with our move.