I'm not an "army brat" by any means but I can tell you I've had my fair share of moving over the past few years. Since college, I have moved at least once a year from my freshman dorm to my sorority house to on-campus apartments to Paris to a house and then to another house (I was a 5th year senior). But within the last year, I've moved from Texas to Orange County, California and then from there to Sherman Oaks, California...which is my most recent move...and when I say that, I mean, within the past week "most recent". So moving is definitely fresh on my mind. And with all the experience I've had moving, I've definitely learned what not to do. So hear are a few things I've learned (or not learned) to avoid when packing up your life and moving from one location to another.
1) Don't wait till the day before
So this is what gets me in trouble...every...single...time. You think I would learn after all the years of moving, but I just never seem to learn. Granted most of the time, I was trying to move while also studying and taking finals, but even when I moved from Orange County to Sherman Oaks, I still waited to pack until the last minute. This is definitely not the way to pack. For one, you forget things. With this move, I ended up forgetting my charger. Kind of important if you ask me. Another reason is because of the stress it causes (enough said). Instead, try planning to pack in intervals and by sections. For example, a few days before, start packing up what's on your shelves, your knick knacks and books. And then, the day after that, start packing up some of your drawers. Then your clothes. Then your towels and bedding and stuff like that. It will keep the stress to a minimum and it won't overwhelm your brain causing you to forget something important.
2) Don't randomly throw things in to boxes
I don't know about you but I've never been one to unpack all my boxes in one day. So when I am packing and just throw things in to boxes, I can't find anything I need after I move and start unpacking. So, instead of just throwing things in boxes, instead, pack by section so you know exactly what you are putting in the boxes and where to find things after the move. Another thing you can do to help this is to to label what you put in the boxes and then tape that label on the outside of the box. That way, you can find everything super easily and without any hassle. All what you need to do is find the right box.
3) Don't pack ALL your clothes at once
Yes, you would think this would be a given, but I had to learn this the hard way. Just the other day, before I moved, I packed up my clothes. Granted I had an outfit planned out for day of the move, but come that morning, I realized I had completely packed my pants and had no pants. Thank goodness I hadn't packed my dresses yet, so I ended up throwing one of those on, but it definitely was not ideal. So instead, before you pack your clothes, make sure to go through the days leading up to the move and plan out your outfits so that you don't need to go digging through boxes and suitcases to find something to wear.
I know these are only a few tips but they're the tips I've definitely learned from experience when moving. I hope this helps you when you are planning out your next move. I know it can be stressful but hopefully these tips can help you to keep the stress down to a minimum. Have an amazing week!
Love, Taylor