Okay, let’s talk. Your first move. I remember mine. I was moving out of my parents’ house and into an apartment with my buddy, Chris. We were so proud of ourselves. We were also incredibly stupid.
Our entire packing plan was built around a roll of black trash bags and a belief that my Honda Civic could fit a surprising amount of stuff. We started packing at 10 PM the night before. I’m not making that up.
The next morning, it was chaos. A bag with all my clean socks and underwear was ripped open on the driveway. We tried to move my dresser and got it stuck in the hallway for an hour. We forgot to pack a single roll of toilet paper for the new place. It was a disaster.
I’ve moved a few times since then. I’m not an expert, but I am an experienced disaster-avoider. Here’s what I actually learned.
Don’t use trash bags for anything that isn’t trash
This was my biggest mistake. They rip. They’re impossible to stack. You will lose things. Just go to a grocery store or a liquor store and ask for their spare boxes. They’ll give them to you for free. They’re sturdy, they stack, and you can write on them.
You need a “First Night” box
When you finally finish moving, you will be a sweaty, tired mess. You will not want to dig through fifteen boxes looking for your toothbrush. Pack one single box with the stuff you’ll need immediately and keep it in your car.
What goes in it:
- Your toothbrush and toothpaste.
- A phone charger.
- A roll of toilet paper. (Please learn from my mistake.)
- A clean t-shirt and underwear.
- Any medicine you take.
- A bottle of water and some snacks.
- A screwdriver.
Label your boxes
Don’t just write “Kitchen.” You’ll open it later and find a potato peeler, a coffee filter, and a single AAA battery. Be specific. Write “KITCHEN – Coffee Mugs & Filters.” Your future self will be so grateful.
Have a plan for when things go wrong
What if your new place isn’t ready on time? What if you get there and your couch doesn’t fit up the stairs? This is the stuff that causes real panic.
A few years ago, my sister was moving and her new apartment wasn’t ready for a week. She was stressed out of her mind. She ended up getting a small storage unit at our place for a month. It was a total game-changer. She moved all her non-essential stuff in a week before her official move-out date. On actual moving day, there was no rush. She could clean her old place properly and move into the new one slowly, without everything being a huge mess at once.
That’s what we’re really here for at Accent Self Storage. We’re not just a place to keep your extra stuff. We’re a tool to make your life less stressful during a chaotic time. We give you the gift of a little extra space and time.
Don’t try to do it all yourself
Moving a heavy bookshelf by yourself is a great way to break the bookshelf and your foot. Ask for help. If you’re using friends, have everything packed before they get there and buy them good pizza. Not the cheap stuff. The good stuff.
You’re going to be fine
You’re going to be tired. You’re probably going to lose your keys at the worst possible moment. You might even cry a little. That’s all normal.
But then, you’ll be done. You’ll be in your new place. You’ll order a pizza, sit on the floor, and look around. And it will hit you: this is your place. Your fresh start.
You can do this. Just don’t use trash bags.
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