Ruly Ruth: Moving Tips

As we learned at the beginning of the month, moving is one of the top 10 most stressful life changes. Ruly Ruth weighs in today on lessons learned during her numerous moves. Her family may be drawing on this advice themselves when they add move number 6 at the end of the year.

Moving is an art form.

My husband is in the military, and we’ve moved in 16 years a total of five times. It can be overwhelming.

Each time you move, you need to get “plugged in” so to speak–find new doctors, dentists, friends, schools, colleagues.  The military helps simplify the moving process by generating lists of services in each town that are military-related, providing easy access to school ratings (through greatschools.org), and developing relationships with services sites like sittercity.com offering free membership to the military (we are SO GRATEFUL!).

After so many moves, I have developed the following moving strategy tips:

1) Purge as much as you can before you move. Take a brief inventory and anything that you haven’t used in 1-2 years, GONE!! Don’t save it for your dream house–from experience, if you’re not using it now, I guarantee you won’t use then!

2) Get organized. Look at very special, delicate, precious items. Large paintings should have their own box built–or one time moving ours we sandwiched it between mattresses in the truck. Worked beautifully! Figure out the best way to move/pack special items.

3) Anything you would absolutely die if it were lost/destroyed that’s on a small scale (photo albums, baby books, important papers)–should be immediately stashed in a car trunk or a friend’s house so it doesn’t get packed, and gets hand-carried to the new location. JEWELRY AND EXPENSIVE ITEMS—make sure that’s in your car or personal vehicle or backpack that stays with/near you. NO TEMPTATIONS FOR THE MOVERS! (A friend had to buy her wedding ring out of a pawn shop because movers stole it and pawned it–she’s just lucky she thought to call the local pawn shops to see if they had it.)

4) Create an area of a house–we usually use a bathroom–where you tape it off, close the door, and mark DO NOT MOVE on it–anything to be moved by you and not general movers (even if it’s your friends) goes in that room. Musical instruments–or the items from #3—this room should already be packed up so ONLY these items are in there. During moving, no one should have any reason to use that room—so make sure of that as well.

5) If moving yourself, make sure the truck is big enough. You may laugh at this, but a friend packed themselves recently from CA to FL, and didn’t realize how much stuff they had and ended up at the last minute tossing furniture on top of furniture without properly wrapping it–needless to say they have extra scratches, scuffs and breaks that were never intended in the first place.

6) If using a moving company, you have to supervise them!! Overall, we’ve had excellent luck–but you have to watch them pack. This makes the movers feel supervised, and I guarantee that they’ll take a bit of extra care to pack your stuff. Always a good thing!

7) If using a moving company, set aside any items that arrive damaged at your new destination. Each damaged item needs to be photographed showing the damage, and then a claim sheet should be attached to each photograph that lists the detailed description of the item and the damage, the estimated age of the item, the amount paid for the item and the amount to replace that item. We also attach copies of internet items of similar value to document replacement values as well. Keep copies of all of this paperwork which you submit to the moving company for reimbursement. The company will ONLY be responsible for items THEY pack–and large furniture pieces they move. If you packed your own box and the items broke during the move, that’s on you!

8 ) In transit, if you are moving to a destination that may require 2+ days of travel, pre-map out a route and stopover point. This helps you budget for hotels and meals as well, to help you prepare.

9) Keep all receipts for tax purposes also–if you move for a job and it’s over 35 miles away, all moving expenses are tax deductible. Meals are not included in this, fyi.

Aside from the basic logistics of moving, I’ve found that to make each duty station truly a fulfilling place, I have to get to know the town, and the locals, so to speak. They are a wealth of information!!  But how do you get to know these locals, particularly when you might only be there for just a few years?

Volunteering is, to me, the number one way to get quickly “plugged in.”  My passion is my children’s education, and I’ve always volunteered at my son’s school/sports organizations. Meeting people through both of these realms introduces me to locals–other parents and coaches who are either born/bred in those locales, or else moved years ago and made their lives there with their kids. Other friends love animal shelters, or working with the elderly, or art-related projects, etc. My biggest piece of advice is to volunteer in what you love to do–not necessarily what everyone else loves. Because it’s YOUR time, after all.

Finding work in your new community is excellent as well. I know it’s tough everywhere, in this economy, but definitely put out those feelers! Telling as many people as you meet that you are looking for a job helps too.

Getting the whole family on board with the move is huge. Often, one or more family members don’t want to move. We’ve had friends allow their kids to stay with other friends while the rest of the family move in order for that child to finish high school, for example. (I could never do this!) But get the kids involved early. Tell them your plans, where you’re going. Help show them pictures on the internet. Our son loves to go house hunting with us as well, so he can give his input. It really helps him in the transition process. And show them their schools beforehand. Visiting while it’s in session is a huge advantage if it’s possible time wise. And get them involved in their sports, activities ASAP! Kids need to get plugged in as much as adults do–and this often is another way for adults to network as well.

Good luck, have fun, and safe moving!

Have a moving tip or story?  Please share in the comments.  Also, for a professional organizer’s perspective on moving, see this article from Erin Doland of unclutterer.com.