Vase | Easter eggs | Candle | Small vase | Couch | Pillow | Bar Stool
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We did it! We are finally in our new apartment. And we have spent the last two weekends unpacking and getting organized. But there is still so much to do. I feel like my to do list is endless. So far we are loving the new space and have settled right in! It is so much quieter where we are now so we are enjoying the slower change of pace. Kurt is obsessed with our new view! Our last place we were “in” the city so while we had a gorgeous view, this one is so much nicer because we are a little further away from the city, we have a whole skyline view. Which is gorgeous- especially at night!
And we are welcoming the bigger amount of space! I don’t know how we lived in such a small space for so long. But now we can actually stretch out a bit and move around. And so far Addie loves it here too. She has met quite a few puppy friends and we haven’t had any issues with her eating our furniture or chewing on the walls. So fingers crossed she keeps up the good behavior!
I always say jokingly that I am a pro mover. We tend to move around a lot and really, I wouldn’t change that. We’ve lived all over the city over the years and you get to experience so much more when you actually live in a little part of Chicago. So I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve that makes every move we do that much easier and today, I wanted to share my tips for moving with you. I know this might not apply to everyone today, but bookmark it and when you go to move next, you will be prepared!
1.Book your movers ASAP
In Chicago, a good moving company book up fast especially if you are moving during peak time. So as soon as I sign our lease, I always book our movers next. Our last three moves in Chicago, we have used Move-tastic! and they have been wonderful.
2. Plan out where you want your furniture in the new space
Not all apartments are created equal and what works in one space might not work in the next. When we finally decide on a new place to live I always try and take a lot of good pictures of the space and start to visualize where all my current furniture will fit. And if it won’t work in the new space than you have time to sell it. I’ve had a lot of good luck lately selling items on Facebook marketplace. This will also save you time and money on the day of the move because you can have the movers place the furniture exactly where you want it to go.
3. Rent the hanging boxes from your moving company
This is a little secret that no one knows about! Moving your hanging items is the biggest pain in the butt. But what I do is rent the hanging boxes from the moving company. To buy these type of boxes is usually expensive- they are around $15 a box and you can’t fit much in them. So for around $7 a box, I rent them from the movers. And they pack them up and unload them in the new space. It’s so much easier! And what I’ve come to find out is I only rent 2-3 boxes (they can get expensive) because not only are they really big, but the movers always have extras in the back of their truck to use.
4. Make a trip to Home Depot for boxes and packing supplies
I always make one big trip to Home Depot and I stock up on boxes (mostly the medium sized ones), tape, wrapping paper and bubble wrap. And buy more than what you think you will need. At the end of your move, you can always return them. And what I’ve found is you always underestimate how much stuff you actually have. I always say to buy more than you need because it is such a pain when you are in the swing of things and packing and you run out of tape or boxes! Taking that extra time to run back to the store is such a waste!
5. Do as much as you can as early as possible
Waiting until the last minute just makes for a much more stressful move. And moving is already stressful enough so make it easier on yourself and do as much as you can as early as possible. I try to start packing about a month before the move and concentrate on items we hardly ever use from the kitchen or items from the storage unit. Chances are if you haven’t used these items in a while, you can wait until couple of weeks to use them after you move and unpack. Doing it little by little makes it so much easier and less stressful, so then you aren’t rushed at the last minute. That’s how items get damaged!
6. Set a task to do every day and do it
This goes hand in hand with #5. Every day I would set one task for myself to accomplish like book the movers, change of address at the post office, etc. Doing one simple task every day is so much easier than waiting and having 10 things that you need to get done that day. One task a day is actually manageable too.
7. Take your dog to daycare the day of the move
This is huge especially if you have an anxious dog like Addie. They can go and play with their friends and come home exhausted. And then they don’t even realize what is going on because they are so tired. And its much safer for them and the movers because they aren’t getting in the way or trying to escape out the front door.
8. Mark all of the boxes with the appropriate room
As I am packing I always mark the boxes like Kitchen, Living Room, Master Bed, etc. And when the movers are unloading the boxes the day of the move, I ask them to place the appropriate boxes in the appropriate rooms. This saves you so much time and muscle because when you go to unpack you aren’t running all over your home and moving boxes. But its also important that when you pack boxes that you pack by the room. Don’t pack your kitchen dishes together with your clothing!
9. Pack a suitcase
My last bag with all of necessities and valuable items is always my suitcase. And I usually opt to move this myself. I put my makeup, hair dryer, skin care products and a few outfits in here. That way if you decide to unpack the kitchen and don’t touch your closet for a few days, you at least have everything you need and you aren’t digging thru boxes to find anything.
10. Stock up
Stock up and don’t pack any of your cleaning supplies or tools. You will want these handy so you can get a head start on cleaning out your old space and you will likely need a few cleaning items in your new home. And you never know what tools the movers might or might not have in order to disassemble your bed, etc.
I will say this move went smooth, but it was one of the more stressful ones! But then again are moves ever stress free? Our movers showed up almost an hour late and I had scheduled that day for Best Buy to come in and hang our two TV’s as well as Comast there hooking up the internet. There were too many moving parts that day and next time I will have them all come the next day.
I’ve started to order some new furniture! This past weekend we got our new king size bed which we are loving! I ordered it from One King’s Lane and was a little nervous about what to expect because I never actually saw it in person, but I absolutely love it! This is the bed we went with. And next weekend I have a new dresser, night stand, table and chairs coming so it’s going to look much different! I’m excited to see how this all comes together!
xoxoxo Amanda
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