Moving twice -- any tips?

[Bookshelves]

Hi, people. So we've built a new house across town and sold our current one, and these are great things. However, because life and subcontractors are imperfect, there'll be a lag time of at least several weeks, if not a couple months, between when we have to move out and when we can occupy the new house. (We won't even be able to store anything in it until we have a certificate of occupancy.)

Our stuff will mostly go into storage, and we'll be moving in with ILs'. Help me not go insane during this process. I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed as to what/when to start packing, what stuff to put into storage, etc.

ILs have plenty of room and already have a bed for our 3yo and crib for the 4mo.

I'm not sure what I'm looking for, except maybe assurance that we will all come out on the other side with our sanity and our dishes intact. And any genius packing/moving tips you have, or questions that I haven't considered. I don't really need to start packing until next month, but I think I need to start making lists now to help ease my anxiety.

[Deleted]

I'm just here to follow, since we will be doing the exact same thing in a few months. Although, we are going to rent a furnished condo. My thought was to pack everything I need for the rental into certain colored bins, that way nothing will accidentally get packed on the truck. I'm going to make a list of must haves soon, that way I can add things as I use them/think of them. The most important things to me are the irreplaceable things (kids' lovies, mostly). I also plan to take all of our photos with us to the rental in case the storage truck catches on fire or something. Also taking any expensive jewelry and purses with me instead of packing them.

[Deleted]

I haven't been through this quite yet. But have been packing up, moving stuff to storage etc for staging our house. We'll be staying with my in laws while looking for a new house. On a very bright side - it's so much easier to keep the house up when there's nothing in it.

I found it easier to tackle room by room rather than make a mass list. Also to go least used room to most. I started in our formal dining/sitting room because we aren't throwing any big dinner parties and packed up everything except what I needed to stage. Then office, laundry room. Bedroom, living room and kitchen. Baths were last. I've kept only what we intend to bring with us to the in laws which means a very limited wardrobe for all of us. But it works

[Bookshelves]

I have to say that Tlex and her Kon Mari were helpful when we were getting ready to put our house on the market. I've gotten rid of an obscene amount of stuff, including lots of stuff I didn't think I'd be able to part with emotionally (bags and bags of baby clothes).

We still have many things to sell or donate that I was waiting until after the house sale. Hand-me-down furniture that we're not taking along, window treatments, lamps. Baby stuff as he outgrows it.

My lists so far are:
Sell/donate before move
Stuff for temporary storage at my parents' (they live very close, so I'll probably take a box now and then of valuables that we won't need in our daily lives but that I don't trust with the movers)
Stuff for temporary home
Pack for movers to store

[Bookshelves]

Also I need to meal plan for the next month and a half to strategically use as much of the stuff in our pantry and freezer as possible!

[Bookshelves]

[jaidit]

Following because I am going through the same this Summer.

[robotsvswrestlers]

My parents have done this TWICE! Both times they built and the new house wasn't ready when they sold, so they moved into an apartment. It isn't fun, but is very manageable.

Think about what you will need. Since you are staying with your in laws, I assume you will need less. Start collecting boxes and sorting through things room by room. Clearly label each box with what it has and where it will go in the new house. If you don't need it, start packing now. It is amazing how much stuff you will have.

My parents loved using the PODS, where they drop it off at your house and come to pick it up at a later date. My parents would have it sit in their driveway for a week while they loaded before it was carted away. It gives you more time to organize each pod, instead of shoving everything in a truck at once. And you only unload it once! I don't know the cost difference between that and a storage unit. They stored boxes, couches, tables, etc in the pods. It really worked for them.

Good luck! It stinks but it really is only for a few months. It will be worth it when you get to that new house!!!

[ccp]

We had this very thing happen last year. We moved out of our home in April and didn't move into our new build until 6/8. We stayed with my parents and honestly with the kids and all the constant stuff with contractors and daily life, it went by so so fast. I look back now and can barely remember living there. If that helps?

Good luck!

[Bookshelves]

ccp That definitely helps!

[Bookshelves]

I should probably also wine-plan.

[Tlex]

My advice for surviving living with your inlaws would be to be super, super busy with errands that take you out of the house and make use of the inlaws as child care. So busy. Wow never this busy before. Thank god for inlaw help. Back soon.


My packing advice is probably not good? But I will try.
I did kids clothing first. Anything the baby would grow into, I boxed up and stored ahead. I kept a wardrobe of current and next size for each kid and literally every other item was donated. Everything seasonal (sorry konMari but I live in Canada YES we have seasonal coats and FYI they are expensive!!) was also packed up and sent to storage.

Then I went through linen cupboards and bathroom drawers and cupboards. Any expired products or products we don't use daily were tossed, or donated if they were unopened. I basically only kept items we use daily, medicines, and a first aid kit. I tried to imagine us all as bachelor dudes with very minimal needs. Those items stayed in their cupboards until it was crunch time because we use them daily and were not going to forget to bring them! So in our bathrooms, closets, and bedrooms we only had left things that were coming directly with us.

Next was the junk closet. Horror show. Anything sentimental and important was dealt with in the kon Mari fashion and packed, sent to storage. The rest was gone. We were pretty intense with that, but we were mailing stuff cross country so thats really different than moving within town. Perspective on what's worth paying to move etc.

Next books. Packed and sent to storage. If it didn't make the cut it got donated or sold. Then DVDs, cds, framed pictures and art.

Next was kitchen. Packed anything I could get away with not using for our last few weeks. Bread tins, muffin trays, rolling pins, meat thermometer , crock pot, kettle. Serving trays. If we could get by without it we did.

I did not bring my glasses, dishes or cutlery, I used a gift card to buy new when we got here. Sorry I can't help with that!

I made a basket of toys I was meh on and packed up all the great ones. My kids got any joy there was to be had from the blah toys in those last few weeks, and then they did not come with us.

I'll add more when I think of it!

[mb3]

We've had a good chunk of our belongings in storage for a few months as we declutter and prep to sell and move. One thing I found helpful was to number each box and put a brief description. Then on my phone I have a list by number with a more detailed description of the contents. That was especially helpful today when I had to go get just one box out of storage. Rather than trying to read my notes I just had to look for the box with the big 11 on it.

[robot]

Following since we're likely doing this later this year, except across country. Ugh.

I second the idea of numbering boxes and having a spreadsheet with some notes as to what is in each one. That helped on the 2 out of state moves I've done. Also, before our big cross country move I watched a few packing videos on youtube from moving people about the right way to wrap and pack boxes of fragile things. It sounds dumb but we made it across country with not a single things broken so I do think it helped.

[poppyc8]

Last year we lived in a furnished rental condo for 3 months while waiting for our house to sell. DD was 7 months old and DS was almost 3.

I packed 1 large suitcase for myself and had the kids share 1 large suitcase and I still feel like I didn't need 1/2 the clothes or shoes I packed. We had laundry so it just wasn't necessary to overpack. I also had 1 box of toys for the kids, the stroller, the pack n play, the potty seat. that was it. Oh and I packed a large file folder with all our personal info that I brought with us (passports, birth certificates, home sale info etc.)

The time you are in limbo will go by super fast so try not to stress about it. Good luck with your move.

Edit to add I regret over packing and bringing kitchen stuff. It was so not necessary. My advice to you is to go into hyper packing mode and put everything in storage that you can.

[AnnPerkins]

We stayed at a hotel for 3 weeks while we waited for our stuff to catch up to us during our move from AL to WA. It wasn't too bad for meals, there was a small kitchen and free breakfast, dinner, and booze downstairs. Sleeping kind of sucked because it was only one room and we had a 6 year old and 15 month old that weren't used to sharing rooms with anyone. We literally lived out of the suitcases we brought with us on the plane. The kids and I just tried to stay as busy as possible while DH was at work during the day. It wasn't hard because we were exploring a whole new side of the country.

The apartment we were eventually moving into was 1/2 to 1/3 of the size of what we were leaving, so we rented a storage unit in AL. Get rid of as much stuff as you can because when we came back we realized we didn't need most of the things we had put into storage. Pack for your IL's like you are going on an extended vacation. I would do maybe one bag of toys for the kids if they don't have any already at the house. You'll be shocked by what you guys can live without.

It may be cramped and stressful for a little while, but you can do this!.

[Bookshelves]

For such short term, I wonder if we should have our mail forwarded to ILs'? Or just get a post office box...

[unringthebell]

We did this last year. It was nice to be able to purge stuff twice. Once when packing for storage and once when unpacking at our new house. Since stuff had been in storage for 5 months once we moved in the new house, there was stuff that we forgot we had.

I was sick when we moved out of our old house and a month post C section when we moved into the new one. That sucked because my H did most of the packing. Don't be like him. Label boxes and put stuff together in the storage unit by room.

We stayed with my parents. We only had 1 kid with us when we moved in, but I was pregnant and had #2 while we were there. Everyone survived. And we still visit my parents 😀

[unringthebell]

Jun 4, 2017 15:54:03 GMT -6 Bookshelves said:

For such short term, I wonder if we should have our mail forwarded to ILs'? Or just get a post office box...

We got a PO box. I also changed a bunch of stuff to my parents. It's fine either way.
If your first house is A and interim location is B (whether it be PO box or parents. Just wherever you are forwarding). When you move to C you do a change of address from A to C and B to C. Just to make sure nothing gets missed.

[serendipity]

A tip I picked up over my many, many moves is to wrap picture frames and random knick knacks in t-shirts.

[burritosateverymeal]

Been there done that and lived to tell! Congrats on buying and selling!

Definitely forward your mail because running to the PO to check your box wears off after a while. Pack only clothes, toys and necessities for the next month to bring with you. In storage, keep things you may need if you stay longer right in the front of the unit (change of seasonal clothes, bigger kid's clothes, seasonal items, etc.).

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[jillywilly]

We did this last summer, we spent six weeks at my parents' in between houses. Luckily, all moves were relatively close together. We rented a U-Haul to take the stuff we needed to my parents house first, and then the movers came and took all the furniture and boxes packed with stuff for storage, so there was zero risk of them grabbing the wrong box that contained the irreplaceable blankie or something.

We tried to take as little as possible to my parents - they obviously had most of what we would need already, so we mostly took clothes, bottles/feeding supplies needed for DS at the time, and a few boxes of irreplaceable things like photos, and we also Stowe's expensive electronics, etc in their basement since H didn't want to chance damage or theft in the storage unit.

As far as survival, we were lucky that my parents golf all the time, so there were always a couple nights a week were we are just the three of us as a family, which was nice. If your in laws tend to be always home, plan picnics or treat yourselves to some nights out to eat to feel like just your family once in a while. We also sat down and very clearly detailed what expectations were on all sides - what groceries we'd buy, how cooking and cleaning would be divided, etc. And most of all, keep reminding yourself it's temporary. And pack lots of booze.

[lolacachia]

We did this last summer and stayed at my parents house for a mo th in between moves. It was cramped and stressful. There was fighting between my younger brother and I. Hello kid me. My advice would be to make yourself very very busy during the day and just come home to sleep lol. And being lots of wine.

[cyprissa]

Jun 4, 2017 14:26:11 GMT -6 poppyc8 said:

Last year we lived in a furnished rental condo for 3 months while waiting for our house to sell. DD was 7 months old and DS was almost 3.

I packed 1 large suitcase for myself and had the kids share 1 large suitcase and I still feel like I didn't need 1/2 the clothes or shoes I packed. We had laundry so it just wasn't necessary to overpack. I also had 1 box of toys for the kids, the stroller, the pack n play, the potty seat. that was it. Oh and I packed a large file folder with all our personal info that I brought with us (passports, birth certificates, home sale info etc.)

The time you are in limbo will go by super fast so try not to stress about it. Good luck with your move.

Edit to add I regret over packing and bringing kitchen stuff. It was so not necessary. My advice to you is to go into hyper packing mode and put everything in storage that you can.

Basically, you will need less than you anticipate. Simplify and just bring the necessities. We lived in a hotel suite with a kitchenette for 6+ weeks until we found our house in Italy and I brought way, way too much stuff. The only exception was toys for the kids. I ended up buying a few things to keep them entertained because we brought very, very little. 

[GhoatMonket]

Jun 4, 2017 15:54:03 GMT -6 Bookshelves said:

For such short term, I wonder if we should have our mail forwarded to ILs'? Or just get a post office box...

I would get a PO box and not intermingle mail. I'm assuming you all have the same last name, so it will be a clusterfuck of things going to the wrong place after you move again.

My MIL lives in our old house and so much shit goes to the wrong place. We haven't lived there in years and everything was forwarded but after she moved in it got all fucked up. It's ridiculous.

[poppyc8]

Jun 5, 2017 9:06:02 GMT -6 GhoatMonket said:

Jun 4, 2017 15:54:03 GMT -6 Bookshelves said:

For such short term, I wonder if we should have our mail forwarded to ILs'? Or just get a post office box...

I would get a PO box and not intermingle mail. I'm assuming you all have the same last name, so it will be a clusterfuck of things going to the wrong place after you move again.

My MIL lives in our old house and so much shit goes to the wrong place. We haven't lived there in years and everything was forwarded but after she moved in it got all fucked up. It's ridiculous.

+1 to this. Go with a PO box

[lucilleaustero]

Jun 4, 2017 12:12:17 GMT -6 Bookshelves said:

Hi, people. So we've built a new house across town and sold our current one, and these are great things. However, because life and subcontractors are imperfect, there'll be a lag time of at least several weeks, if not a couple months, between when we have to move out and when we can occupy the new house. (We won't even be able to store anything in it until we have a certificate of occupancy.)

Our stuff will mostly go into storage, and we'll be moving in with ILs'. Help me not go insane during this process. I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed as to what/when to start packing, what stuff to put into storage, etc.

ILs have plenty of room and already have a bed for our 3yo and crib for the 4mo.

I'm not sure what I'm looking for, except maybe assurance that we will all come out on the other side with our sanity and our dishes intact. And any genius packing/moving tips you have, or questions that I haven't considered. I don't really need to start packing until next month, but I think I need to start making lists now to help ease my anxiety.

We did this. We lived with my ILs for 5 months while we went through closing and getting the house ready to move into. We put almost everything into storage. We chose not to take anything to the ILs except clothing and personal essentials. We bought the plastic chinette plates and solo cups for meals. 

To be honest, keeping everything in storage really helped us when we moved. Our house is tiny and we knew we would ahve to get rid of some stuff. Having none of our stuff for 5 months helped us focus on wants and needs and we really unloaded.

[Bookshelves]

Jun 5, 2017 9:06:02 GMT -6 GhoatMonket said:

Jun 4, 2017 15:54:03 GMT -6 Bookshelves said:

For such short term, I wonder if we should have our mail forwarded to ILs'? Or just get a post office box...

I would get a PO box and not intermingle mail. I'm assuming you all have the same last name, so it will be a clusterfuck of things going to the wrong place after you move again.

My MIL lives in our old house and so much shit goes to the wrong place. We haven't lived there in years and everything was forwarded but after she moved in it got all fucked up. It's ridiculous.

This is a really good point, thanks. We already get an occasional piece of junk mail addressed to FIL (who has never lived here)... presumably because he was on DH's first house loan, 15-ish years ago? Also I am already struggling with knowing we'll be giving up a lot of privacy. DNW to have to share every piece of mail.

[GhoatMonket]

Jun 5, 2017 9:38:52 GMT -6 Bookshelves said:

Jun 5, 2017 9:06:02 GMT -6 GhoatMonket said:

I would get a PO box and not intermingle mail. I'm assuming you all have the same last name, so it will be a clusterfuck of things going to the wrong place after you move again.

My MIL lives in our old house and so much shit goes to the wrong place. We haven't lived there in years and everything was forwarded but after she moved in it got all fucked up. It's ridiculous.

This is a really good point, thanks. We already get an occasional piece of junk mail addressed to FIL (who has never lived here)... presumably because he was on DH's first house loan, 15-ish years ago? Also I am already struggling with knowing we'll be giving up a lot of privacy. DNW to have to share every piece of mail.

Oh they get a name and just start sending stuff. We get stuff at our current home for DH's ex wife. They divorced 15 years ago. She never lived at the house we are at. She remarried like 10 years ago and doesn't go by DH's last name.

I have returned to sender with some colorful language. 

But with MIL we have bills getting sent to the wrong place. That's a little more of an issue.