7,000 Miles in 365 Days or Top Ten Moving Tips

We moved 3 times in 365 days- Florida to Washington State to Massachusetts to Mississippi.  I learned a lot about moving.  We moved with a POD, a moving company and a DIY Uhaul.  A few real and a few funny moving tips from the experience.  There are some practical tips and links are highlighted in bold.

1.  If you've packed all the pots except one, let it be a saucepan. You can boil water for tea and even fry an egg.

2.  Bring a gnome along.  He just makes the scary pile of boxes look better.  Plastic wrap works well to keep bins from falling apart too. Drawing faces on the boxes makes you happy and gives kids a job to do.  

3.  Check with your moving company before they drive down a slippery and snowy road, to see if they will even FIT down the said road. Getting your stuff is nice but if you can't ever leave because they've blocked the entrance and angry neighbors are shouting at them?  Well that's not so nice.  {Note, United (Mayflower) was an amazing company to work with.}  If you need reviews, I can give them for United, PODs and Uhaul.

4.  Take pictures of things you take apart.  Then when you can't figure out what way the chair should look, your phone will happily demonstrate.

5.  If you have to be in transition for a long time, making one small space cozy helps a lot.  And helps everyone feel more normal- like seasons and holidays will continue on even with life so uncertain.

6.  Watch for signs of growth and spring in your life.  It will come.  Slowly and with little hints at first.  And get outside whenever you can.  If you have to live in an RV, look out the windows, decorate with fresh flowers and take advantage of the outdoors!!

7.  Pack that gnome!  Use a truck bigger than you need, so you aren't shoving and smushing your stuff at the end.  And if you happen to get a flat tire while driving that massive truck down I 81, pray that the one service tech in the area just happens to have that type of tire.  Because U-Haul trucks don't usually blow tires and they don't often have those tires.  Check for ticks too because you might end up with like four on you from standing on the Virginia roadside.

8.  All that moving and such is stressful.  If you can find a babysitter, get away and take some time without the kids to just BE.  I recommend hiking and waterfalls!

9.  A few real tricks for the road trip life- rolled clothing outfits helps with organization.  Even just visualizing what you need for the trip.  It's easy to grab a few rolls of clothing each day, rather than digging through suitcases.

This was a life-saver during all our travels.  A very heavy-duty tool container worked so well to keep all our toiletries and anything like that, organized and from spilling.  No plastic bags to deal with and easy to take into the bathroom.  THIS is similar to what we have, but any made for tools will handle heavy liquids.

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A few other favorites- 

- nice water bottles for the kids (we found ours cheap at Ross/Marshalls)

- peppermint essential oil for carsick kids and to keep a car smelling fresh

- a baggy of quarters for tolls or treats

- story cubes for a good break from technology in the car

- ipads and kindles and DS for hours of peaceful travel

- cosmetic bags (the free ones that come with other things as gifts) to keep similar items organized in the car (we have one for chargers, one for meds, etc.)

- bubbles for playing and chasing at rest stops, painted rocks to leave for others to find and enjoy

10.  Lastly, look for ways to create and enjoy things . . . stop and admire beauty along the way and even in the insanity of unpacking and getting settled, take time to make small, beautiful spaces along the way.