moving 101.

we have officially moved, and our in the process of getting settled. but before i get to all the details about our new home i wanted to share with you some tips and tricks to a successful move. we have moved a few times over the years and to date haven't broken or lost anything yet so i like to consider it a success.

recommendation 1: take an inventory of what you have and purge what you no longer want or need. there is no point in spending time and money moving stuff you no longer want/need to your new home so take the opportunity now to donate, sell or trash any items you no longer want.

recommendation 2: start early! i know this isn't possible in ever circumstance but also start as early as possible by packing up the things you don't need or could do without until after you move. for us that meant packing up most of our wine glasses, kitchen electronics, decorative accents, extra linens and serving bowls/trays. basically bringing yourself back to the basics and pack up the fluff, you may even realize you don't need all that extra stuff in your life!

recommendation 3: pack smart! take your time to really pack things well and invest in good packing materials, buy bubble wrap and lots of it! i know moving is expensive, but so is buying new plates, glasses, frames etc. because they broke during your move. on a budget? use throw pillows, towels, and blankets to keep fragile items from shifting and possibly breaking in boxes.

recommendation 4: label boxes! not only do i recommend labeling the room the items belong in (kitchen, family room, master etc.) but i also suggest using color coded labels by room, the container store makes great ones here. taking the time as you pack to quickly jot down the contents of the box on the box will make unpacking a breeze especially the day you move in when you need that one item! if you are packing wine glasses and have 4 boxes of wine glasses noting 1 of 4, 2 of 4 and so on will ensure you have everything and make unpacking easier. basically when in doubt label it!

recommendation 5: move essentials and valuable item yourself! we kept all the items and boxes we planned to move ourselves separate from the rest of the boxes. this helped ensure we knew where they were and that all of the items were readily available when we needed them. think a few days of clothes, toiletries, dog food and leashes, jewelry etc. all of these items we transported from our old house to our new house ourselves and we waited to unpack them once all the movers had left.

don't be fooled, moving is no walk in the park, for me anyway it is overwhelming, frustrating, emotional and exhausting but hopefully with a little extra planning and prep things will go smoothly!