If you have a job where you have to uproot yourself every few years, I have a few bits of advice to pass along. See, I may have anxiety about our move but I feel like I am also as prepared as I can get.
Months Before
About 10 months before our estimated date of departure, I scheduled a bulk pick up with our city. They came and took away any and all broken furniture, broken electronic items, cardboard boxes, etc.
I also began purging our children’s clothes and toys. Those items that were in good shape were donated, while the rest were binned.
During this time, I also began collecting all of the batteries out of items and storing them in a Ziploc bag so that they could be turned in to the correct recycling facility.
Weeks Before
Slow down on that grocery shopping! Plan out meals with what is in your pantry in order to decrease the amount of food items you have left at the end. Buy only what you know you will consume in the time you have left, otherwise you will be left with too much!
Sort through what you want to sell, donate, bin, and take with you. This will make it easier when those movers come knocking.
Take a catalog of your high value items. For us, our high value items were our electronics. So we made sure to have a thorough grasp on what we had.
Deep clean appliances that belong to the home. A deep clean a few weeks before will make it so much easier when it comes time to do your m final clean up. What normally takes a few hours can be as simple as wiping off a little grime here and there.
If your movers come weeks before you actually depart, like ours did, make sure that you pack well. I have about two weeks worth of clothing in my standard sized suitcase because I roll up my clothing. I will be ready for what ever life has to throw my way!I
If a going away is important to you, begin planning one or at least informing your friends of a date for such a gathering.I
Take mental health breaks! My husband and I have been taking long baths with bath bombs from The House on White Oak a few times a week. Relaxing and taking a step back from all of the insanity does wonders for my anxiety, stress, and depression.
A Few Days Before
Rest! Relax! Say Goodbye! Our movers have come and gone, our house is empty, and we are living that hotel life. This is a time to reflect on the past few years. Visit that favorite restaurant one last time. Have one last few time with your favorite gal pal. Just try to enjoy these little moments before you say bon voyage and head out on yet another adventure!
