7 things I’ll do the next time I move

This post is brought to you by moisturizer, nesting, and Our Truck Moving.

I’m not going to stay in this apartment longer than a year — I literally said, I give it a year. I want to move closer to my maternal grandmother, aunt and cousin. Not only do I miss them, but I miss the familial belonging as well. We accept our dysfunction and work through it, as opposed to ignoring it and criticizing anyone who refuses to put up with it.

Moving is no stranger to me. I did it a lot growing up — every year or two years — but moving into my first apartment was so unorganized despite every attempt to be as organized as possible.

Next round, I will do several things differently, but will also carry over some of the things I attempted during my move to Greenville, TX — with more finesse.

1. Actually create a plan, but be prepared to throw it out the window

Shit happens — I get that. However, my move was so unorganized and last-minute that it was sad for me. I’m typically organized, but I was so stressed out that I put packing off until the night before and didn’t get enough sleep for moving day.

A basic moving plan may be a simple list of things you check or cross off as you complete those things.

2. Hire movers

Working around friends’ and family members’ schedules makes moving difficult. Movers, on the other hand, pencil you in for a particular day/time, and that’s it. You don’t have to figure out six different people’s work schedules. You don’t have to find people with a truck or strength, because the moving company will take of all of that for you. They can also handle clunky things, like pool tables if you’re in or near Garland, TX, so you don’t have to figure out how to fit a rocking chair in your car.

Our Truck Moving caters to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Going it your own way may seem like it saves money, but I grossly underestimated the amount of things I had in my bedroom, and I went back and forth about four times with things and had my cousin’s husband and son bring stuff over on a trip.

I spent about $100 on gas by the time I was done moving, for the day.

3. Hire a professional to deep-clean the apartment before I move in.

I don’t think my apartment will be so messy when I move out because I’m hoping to get someone to come clean it every two weeks so I can just…enjoy my days off.

Apartment complex peeps are supposed to clean the apartment before new tenants move in, but I want to know, for-sure, that my new apartment is disinfected. A lot of energy is required to clean every surface, and I just don’t have the spoons. Moving is stressful enough — hell, life is stressful enough — so I’m all about simplifying the process and automating what I can.

4. Meal plan or prep for 2 weeks’ worth of meals to use up remaining fridge/freezer items

Perishable things do NOT move well. You can package pantry items without much worry, but the things you have to keep cold — and even produce — is a pain to move. 10/10 do not recommend.

I’ll share what I make from mine when the time comes, because I don’t know what that’ll look like for me come time to move.

So, with this, I’ll set aside $300 to restock groceries when I move into my new place.

I thought I could move in and get groceries as I needed them, but I spent my first six months starving most of the time because I grossly underestimated the amount of food I need on a daily basis.

Next move, I think the best route will be to create an online grocery pickup (OGP) order at the local Walmart for cold staples, picking it up and stocking it ASAP.

5. Plan my next apartment so that the move-in is one week before my lease here ends.

I’m not breaking my lease, I just think this first time moving was a total shit show. It’s like the complex wasn’t prepared, and neither was I.

During this week, I want to accomplish the following before moving my shit:

• apartment cleaned/sanitized professionally
• internet set up
• mail address updated/transfers in play
• fridge & pantry stocked
• buy IKEA/other necessary furniture and accessories

I’ll set aside a fraction of the costs for new furniture/accessories each month leading up to my lease end date. I’m currently prioritizing paying off debt, or else I’d start now.

6. Take time off!

I requested time off this round, but it was denied on account of choosing to keep me on and letting two associates in my department take time off instead…um??? WTF. It was reasoned in a way that sounds like it was intended to work in my favor, but…they lost me as an employee with that being one of the reasons I left.

This would require me to use my PTO/PPTO if I wish to get paid during my time off — which, if I have it, I will definitely use what I can so there’s not a gap in income coverage.

7. NOT move with clutter & organize everything into the room it belongs

I moved with clutter this round, because I didn’t have time to do anything with it beforehand, and then I had to move, and it was a nightmare all around.

While I bought packing labels, a lot of boxes were of various paraphernalia not necessarily belonging with that which they were packaged.

I don’t wish to carry with me to my next place the baggage of who I now am not.

---

I’m sure I’ll find more things to do differently this next round, but I also hope this next round is a keeper for at least two years. Spending a childhood of moving every year or two, and then moving around in adulthood is exhausting. Like, I’m tired of moving. I want a place that can stick for a bit so I can stop focusing on where I’m going to live next instead of hobbies.