moving tips from the pros

Over the past 6 years we have become experts in the area of packing up and moving. Here are some of our best tips:


the hanging clothes wrap up
Maybe I'm weird, but I don't want movers or sweaty boys to touch my clothes. With this handy dandy tip from a fellow coach's wife the girls can move a closet full of clothes in no time!
1. lay sheet on the floor like like a diamond, pile on as
many hang ups as you can, probably around 20-30








2. fold the top down and the bottom up








3. bring the sides together and tie in a loop, then
have one person hold each side to transport!









be prepared for the night
After a long day of moving, all I want to do is take a bath and go to sleep. This can be easier said than done if you can't find any clean sheets! I pack up the nightly essentials so we're prepared for bedtime and can crash as soon as possible. (you can use a suitcase, but if you want to be cool like me, pack in a laundry basket! I once took a laundry basket on a spring break trip to a HOTEL instead of a suitcase. The bell boy thought I was crazy, but me and momma know packing in a laundry basket is the way to go!)








-clean towels for the whole family
-clean sheets for every bed
-jammies for everyone (and undies/pullup/diaper)
-a new bar of soap
-bottle of shampoo
-toothbrushes, toothpaste

expect the unexpected
This last move Addie had trouble going to sleep and then woke up around 11pm crying so hard that I knew something was wrong. It sure was nice that I had all my medicine and thermometer together where I could find them! I gave the little princess some tylenol and she was off to sleep. (found out 3 days later she had 2 horrible ear infections!) Also, don't forget the advil for your aching back!


















cleanliness is next to godliness
No doubt you'll have to clean your old place and chances are your new place won't be totally clean. I recommend leaving a set of cleaning supplies at your old place and taking a new set of cleaning supplies to your new place too. I always like to wipe out drawers, cabinets, and clean the kitchen and bathrooms before we get unpacked. Also, don't forget to buy paper towels and hand soap for each sink.

















keep the kids occupied
If possible find someone to keep your kids away from the craziness of the move. We moved this time on the day that Addie has Mother's Day Out. It made things so much less hectic and I'm sure it was less stressful for Addie. Another option is to have someone come stay with you and keep the kids where you are. We've done this too-it helps to have someone else to entertain the kids while you are directing traffic, unpacking the kitchen, etc. The last option is to strap them in the stroller and sit them in front of the tv! Not my favorite activity for little ones, but desperate times call for desperate measures!









you gotta have friends
This is especially true in a time of need! We're so blessed that we've had family and friends help us every time we moved. My great friend Christi has set up my kitchen in every house except this one! Last year when we moved Keri had an unexpected event for work so he couldn't even be there! The amazing Chad ran the show and drove the UHaul truck. Our families always help with kids, boxes, unpacking, cleaning, and we couldn't do it without them! Recruit anyone you can and bribe with food if necessary!