The long-awaited Moving Day went off without a hitch!  Except for the hitch used to move the trailer… (yep, bad trailer jokes, there will be many more to come).  Oh, and then there was that tornado watch last night for the Washington area, which is really great when you’re moving into a trailer…right?

And, to be honest, there were a few tense moments of frustration (to be expected).  But, all-in-all, I think things went really well – that is we did get everything moved out, despite the fact that we didn’t finish until 2:00 am and still have a good deal of sorting/throwing out/organizing to do over the weekend.

 Since I haven’t stayed at a place longer than 14 months since moving out of my parents’ house 6 years ago, you would think that I love, or would at least be good at, moving.  Truth is, it’s definitely not one of my favorite activities.  I guess I just get restless and get amnesia for the whole painful experience of moving.  Fortunately now my home will move with me – perfecto!

 But for those of you who aren’t lucky enough to have a home on wheels and will inevitably face a daunting move at some point in the future, here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way to make the experience go bit smoother:

1. If possible, move in phases – I know some don’t have the luxury of getting to move a few things at a time, over the course of a week or two, to avoid one massively overwhelming move due to move-in/out dates (my last move I had to do completely after work in one very long night, aided by a couple of amazingly good friends).  But if you are able, I would certainly suggest taking advantage of it.  It may feel like you’re spending more time moving since you’ll be working on it for a couple weeks, but the chipping away will definitely make a difference in the end.  This was especially important for us in this move since we are under extreme space limitations and had to do multiple phases of tossing stuff and trips to store stuff.  I promise, doing it bit by bit will make everyone happier in the end.
2. Less talking, more action – And by this I mean, if you are moving with someone (especially a significant other), try to keep your mouth shut and just make it happen.  Why?  Because it is going to be long and hard and utterly frustrating and exhausting – the perfect recipe for tempers to flare.  If you let yourself open your mouth, you’re very likely to say something not so nice to someone you love.  So ignore the other person’s whining and incompetence (surely you are not guilty of this) and communicate just enough to make the move happen.  Save the relationship/personal issues for another day.
3. Take time to completely clean out your old place – Don’t just leave items thinking, “oh the next tenant might want this.”  Surprisingly, they probably do not want your mismatched dishes. (If you have last minute – quality – items that you don’t want to trash or give to Goodwill, leave them in the hall of your building or out front, then people who actually want them can take them).  And then take a few extra minutes to vacuum, wipe the countertops, and give sinks/tubs a quick scrub.  This serves two purposes: 1) you get your security deposit back; and 2) you have closure in leaving your home – knowing that you have taken everything with you and giving you time to reflect on the memories of living there.  I know that may sound cheesy, but at least for me, the apartment I’m leaving holds a lot of happy memories and some very significant “firsts”: my first time living on my own, my first time living in the city, Bella’s first home, Andrew and I’s first time living together, just to name a few.  So it was refreshing to take just a brief moment to stop and think – what a difference a year makes. 

 So at 2:00 am last night I finally collapsed in heap onto the bed, armed with Walden for a little late-night reading inspiration (didn’t make it though one page), and drifted into a blissful – if short – sleep, knowing that I couldn’t be happier in this new place.

 ps – Have I mentioned that I live in a freaking trailer?!  I think that’s kind of awesome…