In May of 2021 I was scrolling Zillow and stumbled on a home that caught my eye. The next morning I showed my husband the house I had found. As soon as he saw the home he said “I think we should take a look!” My eyes widened “Are you serious?” I asked. Yes, yes he was.
What started as a casual home tour became a serious endeavor. That fateful day in May, my husband and I toured the magical home. Afterward, bellies full of butterflies, we filled out home loan information. That afternoon we put an offer on said home quickly followed by a counteroffer. Along with the counter offer we wrote then sent a letter to the homeowners. Our letter made them cry! And just like that, we became new homeowners of the house I had spied twenty-four hours prior.
We felt euphoric, dazed. Then came the panic!
What about our current home?
We were not ready to sell. We had so much stuff!
And what about the chipping exterior paint?
Or the much-needed touch-ups to the interior?
The questionable electrical issues?
How would we have time to mow our lawn each week or take care of our children all summer?
8 Moving Tips
Where there was a will, there was a way. Now that our move is behind us, I thought I would share some tips on how to create a semi seamless move.
Make a List
My husband and I took pencil to paper and brain-dumped all we needed to get done in order to sell our home. We then prioritized the list and mapped it out on an excel spreadsheet. It included making calls, purging rooms, hiring help, etc.
Rent A Dumpster
If you are hot messes like us, maybe you haven’t purged your home. I recommend purging long before you move. This process would have gone much more smoothly had we done so. But, alas. Rent a dumpster and fill it to the brim. Are they expensive? Yes. Are they worth it? Also yes!
Once you purge your house, vow to never ever again accumulate anything you don’t need or adore. Sign your name in blood. Kapish?
Ask for Help
Sometimes the money is not there to hire help. I get that! That’s why church communities, recovery groups, strong friendships, and family can be helpful. Depending on your circumstances you might not be able to hire help. In that case, I would recommend asking for help.
During the height of our prepping to sell and move, the heat was on. Literally, I mean the sun was shining and summer was in full swing. My husband was working long hours and so was I, on our house. We needed help mowing our lawn. So we hired help!
When it came to actually moving, we hired movers. Since we were scheduled to move in the middle of the week, there weren’t many people we could ask to help us move. The task was large, and we were small. So we hired a great moving company called All Mighty Movers. I can’t recommend them enough.
Hot Tip (since I couldn’t find it anywhere on the internet) If you are curious about how much to tip, I’d recommend 25% of the total move cost split between the movers.
Use Facebook Market Place
This is a little obvious, but utilize Facebook Market Place to sell what you no longer need or want. That said, also use this space to find moving boxes. This is a great way to find free boxes and to also give yours away when you are finished with your move.
Pack Early
I recommend packing way ahead of your move. If you pack a few boxes a day months ahead of time, you’ll feel more in control the day the movers take your things. Also, make sure you have packed everything before you move. We made the mistake of keeping odds and ends out of boxes not realizing the odds and ends really add up.
Rent a Pod
Renting a pod is sort of a luxury. If you are able to afford this luxury, do it! Before listing your home, clear out furniture and odds and ends that prohibit possible buyers from seeing themselves in your home. Store out-of-season clothing, holiday decor, sentimental memorabilia, etc. in the pod. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment once the pod is off-site knowing some of your things are already packed and ready for your new home.
Start a Meal Train
Ok, ok. So we did not do this. Who starts a meal train for themselves? Honestly, if you have I admire you! Way to speak up for yourself!
A meal train would have been incredibly helpful for our family. The week of moving followed by the week after is pretty intense. The amount of take-out we had was overwhelming. I craved vegetables and protein for a week or two after our move.
I promise, fellow friends and family if you move from one home to another I will bring you a meal. You will be hungry for some home cooking! Normalize asking for help, especially when that help is in the form of nourishment.
Remember, it’s a season
Listing, selling, and buying a home! That’s a whole lot of time, money, and energy. During this season of life, you will feel incredibly excited, exhausted, frustrated, and emotional. Routines will be thrown and your kids might feel a sense of loss. You might question the purpose of all that you are working toward. I want you to know you will make it to the other side … of the door to your new home!
When you do, spread a loose sheet over your bare mattress and fall on top! Cuddle your children among all the unpacked boxes and tell them how much you love them! Grab a bagged salad if that’s the nourishment you can muster! Unpack the bubble bath and your favorite candle then relax in your new tub. You made it!
