Get A Move On

Although I fervently hope my moving days are over, a friend's recent move inspired this post. Moving can be an expensive proposition. Here are a few ways to lower the cost, and make things simpler.

Don't buy moving boxes. Look on Craigslist or Freecycle for someone who has just moved and is giving boxes away. Wine boxes are great for packing glasses and fragile knickknacks without wrapping. Ask at a liquor store or Trader Joe's for empty boxes. They are usually happy to get rid of them. Ask friends to save bubble wrap and newspapers for you. I packed all my plates between layers of padded mailers last time I moved. It was so much quicker than wrapping each one, and nothing broke! Use your linens as padding for breakables.  If you are not able to use wine boxes, socks are great for separating glasses and protecting them.

Leave clothes on hangers. Make a small hole in the bottom of a garbage bag, poke hangers through, and tie shut. It goes without saying that these should be dollar store garbage bags. When you get to the new house, you can simply hang the clothes up.

Quilts and blankets are good for protecting furniture corners. They work just as well as those pads that come with the moving truck, which of course you won't be renting. Find some friends with a van or pickup truck. This means that you must be willing to help them when they move, too!

If you are only moving a block away, consider skipping the truck altogether, and hand carrying everything. As long as you have enough help, it's not that bad, and the planet will thank you.

Make sure you have lots of reusable bottles filled with cold water for your helpers. Consider making sandwiches for everyone ahead of time, rather than ordering pizza or other takeout.

I hope you'll be very happy in your new home!