The time has finally come! Barring any more delays, we close on the farmhouse next week. It’s taken us nearly six months to get to this day, but we are thrilled nonetheless.
I assume we’ll take a week or so to move in, given our busy schedules. That being said… anybody have any moving tips? It’s been three years and a few kids since we’ve done this, and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed!
So far, all of the boxes remain empty. Every time I start to fill one, I stop at all of the things I still need. And I have no idea how to transport three cribs from one house to another when so much sleep time is at stake. I guess we’ll do pack-n-plays for a day or two.
Also to be discussed and decided rather quickly: where everything goes in the new house. Including children. And adults. And a dining table. All of the rooms are pretty basic. The sky’s the limit with this floorplan. I guess we’ll just know as we fill rooms.
The kids seem even more excited than I, which is a relief considering we’ve moved around a bit in the past. Ames wakes up each morning and asks, HOW MANY DAYS TIL DA FAHMHOWSE? Stay tuned for new digs and new adventures!
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Tips: have someone keep the three little ones while you move the large items. The big boys will be lots of help but the littles WANT to help and…….
Try to get your kitchen cabinets filled before you move the large furniture and beds.
Hang your shower curtain first.
When you are exhausted and start to wonder why you did this….remember why you did.
Love ya!
Brilliant on the shower curtain! I’m planning to keep the kids that day and not really help with the actual move at all… I think we’ll spread it over two days or so, but I’ll make the kitchen a priority! I guess that means we have to buy a fridge stat ;)
Also remember you have some friends (one in particular) that is a beast at organizing and moving (she’s done it herself quite a FEW times) so if you need help – call a sista!
<3
I will NEVER understand people like you who like to move!! Packing/moving and painting are my two least-favorite house tasks ever… I might hit ya up!
If you don’t mind me asking, was the farmhouse a short sale? I just put an offer in on a short sale in Fort Mill and it was accepted. I’ve read that short sales can take up to 6 months sometimes to close. If it was a short sale, was it a stressful experience? I’m afraid something is going to fall through before we close :-/ Congrats, by the way!!
It was bank-owned and technically a foreclosure. Those TEND to move much more quickly than short-sales because the bank gets to approve the bids and move things along… removes the owner from the process! Our previous owner simply turned in the keys when he saw where he was headed. He owns several properties in the area and just couldn’t keep them all.
That being said, the repairs and the negotiations stretched this thing out nearly four months longer than it should have! Rare, but this whole process took almost six months! The good news is the house was “ours” the whole time. We were simply working through mountains of details after the offer was accepted.
Good luck! I’ve never heard someone tell me their short-sale experience wasn’t stressful, but that’s just the nature of the beast. Try to remain open-minded and detached from the house, and I hope it works out quickly!
Congrats on the new place. Moving stresses me out, after four moves in three years I started keeping a list of things I always forget.
Like putting a roll of toilet paper in your purse, because chances are someone will need to use the restroom the second you pull up to the new place.
& Having cold water near by for all the helpers.
Good luck with the move!
TP! Perfect. Thanks.
OH congratulations! I am so excited for you!! Tips… not like I’ve done this a time or dozen.. haha! Move the cribs on the day you plan to move in… that way they can sleep in their own beds during the transition. pack a small box/bag/suitcase of essentials necessary for each child, mark, place under bed/crib, transport when you transport bed… that way it will be one less thing to worry about… ie. favorite stuffed toy, blankie, diapers, changes of clothes. If someone asks how they can help but you think they might be underfoot, see if they would be willing to bring a meal or at least part of one. If I think of anymore tips I’ll let you know, ok?
Good luck and I’ll be praying for the transition!
I’ve always been horrible about accepting/asking for meals from people… This might be the perfect chance to redeem myself, as we have no fridge in the new house yet ;)
The first thing we moved were the cribs/beds so that the babies could all get into their regular routine right from the start! the second thing we moved was the washer/dryer…and lastly the kitchen/bath stuff…everything else will fall into place. And almost a year later we still had boxes we hadn’t unpacked! lol good luck :)
Then get thee off of the computer and unpack those boxes, missy! Hehe. Cribs and beds first seems to be the most popular vote. Thanks!
Hooray hooray! That’s so fun…and probably chaotic too :) The best moving tip I’ve ever heard is to make an “open first” box and “open last” box, and they both come in the car with you (not the moving truck.) The “open first” box has snacks, water, a few toys, scissors, sharpies, basically anything you’ll want RIGHT AWAY (for unpacking, and to keep the kids happy.) Then the “open last” box has jammies, toothbrushes, bedtime books, Maybe even a movie to settle down with, etc. – anything you’ll want for bed time, in one place (so you don’t have to go searching for it.)
Good luck!
First box/last box = perfect!
Congrats!! So exciting for you guys! We just bought our first home last summer and we were on vacation two weeks before we moved! So I only had a solid week to pack. We had much smaller living quarters than you, but the strategic is the same: hire someone else to move everything for you. We had friends help which was great, but we only had the three of us and two dogs. You have way more kiddos to worry about and the less stress on you the better! Also, if the movers come with a truck, great. If it costs extra and ends up being more than a UHaul, rent the Uhaul. We have had great luck with our rentals from them in the past. Lastly, take your time. Only do as much as you are okay with doing. Ask for help and you should be fine! :)
I feel like the short notice makes us more effective. Having six months to build up to this was so difficult, with us not sure what to pack/leave out!
You have to decide when you are moving which house you want the kids to stay in and how many trips you want to make. Who will make trips while the kids sleep, or will you have someone watch the napping kids while you both move? Once you figure those things out, it pretty much takes care of itself, for example: you could pack up as much stuff as you can for a couple of hours and if you have a moving truck, slide the cribs whole into it (if you have a big enough door on both places). If not, then pack up as much as you can after dinner one night/after the kids go to bed. Everything. Lamps, etc. etc. THEN first thing in the AM (when someone can watch the toddlers!) break the cribs down 1.2.3. put them in the back and GO. Don’t look back. Unload the cribs first, and un-do what you just did. Unpack all the cribs and assign someone to watch the toddlers. Re-do all the cribs and unpack as much as you can from the truck/vehicles. Then during nap time(s) you can send someone on another run and/or just start unpacking all the stuff you need to live for a couple of days. (another comment)
We’ve moved.. a bunch. Give each kid a backpack or bag. Put a pair of jammies/toothbrush/lovey/binky/new set of clothes/whatever in it. That is THEIRS. That goes with them in their carseat or whatever and to wherever they are going to be. Box up all the other toys and assorted things that the kids don’t need. They will PLAY with the moving boxes, they don’t need toys for the next couple of days. The bonus is that every box unpacked will give the toddlers esp. NEW TOYS! YEAAAAHHH!!! Assign the big boys to tape boxes and give them cool markers to write on the boxes what they are. One packs race tracks, another cd’s or what have you. Write on the top and at least one side what everything is. What room, for example: toy room, race cars. Kitchen, assorted pantry items. Living room, blankets and couch pillows.
THIS IS THE BIG ONE: Pick a trash can. Any one. Empty it and it goes to the new house FIRST, in the front passenger seat of the vehicle, or what have you, but it goes in first, when you unlock the door and start making decisions: TOILET PAPER, HAND SOAP, a HAND TOWEL or 2, Paper towels (or unpaper ones if that’s what you use) for the kitchen for spills. Put it on the counter as soon as you get there so it stays safe and doesn’t get buried.
Move food in a cooler and assign one of the big boys to put it away FIRST! Take this time to go through condiments and pantry items, and get rid of expired things, or donate ones you won’t use, if you have any. Aim to move as little food as possible, but plan on a big grocery store run the first night or the following morning. It will help to give you a ‘fresh start’. When you pack things, be sure it is something you love and want to keep. Encourage the kids to donate things they don’t want anymore, or have them box up outgrown items to pass down to siblings (and mark the boxes as toys for 7-8 year olds, and put them in the closet and forget them for a few years, if that makes sense). No unpacking things that the kids won’t use!
If you can get people to HELP you, maybe one on a Thursday to load, one on a Friday to drive another loaded vehicle, another to unpack the truck when you get there, etc. that’s helpful, too.
Anything heirloom/breakable/valuable needs to go in a bag, diaper bag, purse, etc. and put in the front seat of a vehicle for YOU to carry in and say, put on the kitchen counter with the essentials (TP) trashcan!
Mark other breakable items as GLASS on all visible sides and draw arrows UP for items that could spill. Write liquid on liquid items like cooking oil, etc.
Pack things INSIDE of things, like socks inside of shoes, salt shakers inside of glasses (taped shut), pack in suitcases, hampers, and yes, you can even move dressers with the drawers FULL, just be sure to take the drawers out, move the cabinet, and then ferry the drawers back to the cabinet (if you have a moving van).
I’m sure I can think of more, but that’s what has served us well. Oh yeah, decide what to have for a couple of meals, do take out if you have to, but be ready for a quick load of dishes if you want to use regular ones, or do paper and disposable cups, those can be rinsed out and used for a couple of meals if necessary until you can get everything unpacked!
What a wealth of moving knowledge you are! Thanks for all of the tips. The trash can idea is pretty dead-on :)
This is so sweet! How exciting to be able to start making new memories in a different place! I can’t help you with moving tips for the kids but when it comes to packing, label the boxes on the outside by room (ie. master bedroom, living room, dining room, etc.). Helps a ton because you can just throw the box in that room and deal with it when you’re ready. Good luck with the move!
xoxo