*Thanks to Moving Solutions for sponsoring this post*

We recently had new neighbors move in, which had me reminiscing on past moves that I have had. Up until the year we got married, I had moved in one form or another every year since graduating high school – moved in my dorm room, out of my dorm room, into a storage unit, into my own townhouse, into more storage units, into my future father-in-law’s house, back to Maryland and my parents’ house and finally, into our newlywed apartment. After staying put for two years, Jody and I bought a house and now have been in our home for a little over two years. Needless to say, I didn’t feel a ton of jealousy when watching our neighbors move!

Among the memories, I did start to reflect on all of the lessons I’ve learned in the years of moving from here to there, and other than just sharing the move-in tour of our home, I haven’t really shared much about my actual moving experiences. So, for a change of pace, here are five lessons I’ve learned from moving. 

1. Hire Movers: If you don’t do anything else, at least do this. We hired movers when Jody and I were moving out of our separate homes in Richmond to move all of our belongings to a storage center for the months until we moved back to Maryland. Moving companies like Moving Solutions help make a process that can be exhausting a little easier. All I had to do was box up my belongings and the moving company takes care of the heavy lifting and hard work. They also can help wrap and protect special items to ensure they are packaged well for transport. They also can provide services for those long-distance Nashville movers – something Jody and I wish I did when we moved across state lines. Trust me, following Jody driving a rental truck that kept having engine problems 1on a 3-turned-to-6 hour drive, is an experience I don’t wish to happen again!

2. Declutter in the Months Leading Up to Anticipated Move: It is truly amazing how much stuff we can accumulate, even in short periods of time. Prior to our move to our now home, I spent time going through all of our stuff and ruthlessly decluttering as I went. This includes clothes, holiday decor, paperwork, even glassware. I was amazed (and slightly appalled) to discover that we had over 60 (!!) wine glasses in the two years we lived in our apartment. 60!! 

3. Pack a “First Night” Box: If you aren’t familiar with this, a first night box is one designated box to pack the items you will need first in your new space. We packed paper towels, multipurpose cleaner, soap, paper plates and utensils, trash bags, coffee maker, cups, chargers, and easy food for breakfast in a clear plastic bin so it was quick to distinguish from the other boxes. Having a first night box when we moved into our house kept me sane for the first couple of days while we were still trying to get unpacked. 

4. Label Each Box with its Intended Room: This was probably the best thing I’ve done on any of our moves. I packed each box intentionally, with like things together, and then placed a piece of bright duck tape on the outside of the box, where I labeled which room it belongs to, as well as a short description of what’s inside. This gave me a purpose and plan when it came to unpacking – boxes were carried directly to the room they belonged in and I could easily figure out which box should be unpacked first. 

5. Celebrate Your First Night Home: Aside from the insane convenience of ordering pizza after moving, Jody and I have celebrated each first night in our new home with pizza and champagne. It makes for a memorable night, especially if you end up eating on the floor before your furniture arrives!

With each move, we have been slightly more experienced, and therefore, each move has gone slightly smoother. We aren’t planning to move anytime soon, but if we do, I know that we will be referring back to these lessons so that we can make the experience as easy as possible. Hopefully, some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way will help to improve your experience too!