I absolutely loathe moving. I’ve done it several times as an adult, and I’m at the point that one more move will probably break me. But hear me out!!!

This streak of endless moves started in college. My dad went berserk one day after I told him my proposed living situation; I’d spend the week days at my aunt’s house and the weekends with them. This would cut my travel down by 30 minutes which doesn’t seem like a lot, but given that I was already driving an hour and 15-20 minutes each way, I needed those extra minutes. That same day I told my dad this, I found my clothes and stuff tossed outside the house by my dad… Thus started my mean streak of moving house to house, place to place, for pretty much the past decade and more.

I spent two years with my aunt and her family until I decided to transfer schools. And not a teeny tiny transfer. I transferred to a small college nestled in Washington, D.C. So there I was again, schlepping my shit (oh I mean stuff…) 3,000 miles. For about 3 months I lived in the living room of former-CSUF sorority sisters/friends. Sleeping on an air mattress and studying on a $20 desk from Ikea, until I got kicked out… again. One of my roommates wasn’t fond of me and gave me a week to find a new spot. So I dialed up my dad and he comes out in a jiffy to help me move into a studio apartment way closer to campus. I lived there for the remainder of my junior year until I met some cool people willing to live in a two-bedroom apartment together. So, what do I do, schlep my stuff again.

After I graduated from American University, I said goodbye to my roommates, boxed my life up, and moved back to California where I thought I’d stay… NOPE! In 2010, I moved back into the district and have been here ever since. I guess DC and I are bff’s at this point. I’ve spent a good portion of the past 6 years bouncing around from apartment to apartment – once so D and I could live with one of my old roommates, twice because rent was cheaper, and this current move because we need a short-term option.

So as you can see, I am so over moving. The only upside to all of this moving business is I knowing how to move efficiently and effectively. I’ve got so many hacks that D is often surprised by my ingenuity. For example, the common how-to on packing dishes and glasses is to purchase some bubble wrap, paper wrap, and a fancy schmancy kitchen box with cardboard slats already available. But why???!!! Wrap your fragile items in your bed sheets, towels, t-shirts, and the like. You already have to box those clothing items anyway, so why not use them! You’re really spending unnecessary funds on the bubble wrap, paper wrap, and kitchen boxes.

Another wonderful moving hack, you have lots of clothes hanging up in your closet. Don’t take them down… Keep them on the hangers and throw them into a trash bag. Pull on the trash bag strings and wrap the around the hangers. Put them back up in your closet, and have that be one of the last things you move. This way, all you gotta do is put them back up in your new closet. Ta-da!

Another moving hack that I’m sure lots of people know about. So you need boxes… You order some from U-haul, Costco, Home Depot, whatever. You get some medium boxes, small boxes, a few large boxes… But what you really need are even smaller boxes for the tiny items lying around your place. Head over to a retail store and ask them. All the accessories and items at the retail store are boxed up, those boxes get thrown away. So go ahead and ask them. Or if you’re lucky to have a friend who works retail, ask them! I grabbed a bunch of small boxes and used them to pack my wines, make-up, fashion jewelry, running medals, etc.

Lastly, plastic wrap and press’n’seal wrap are amazing. Wrap your dressers so that all the drawers stay put. Use press’n’seal wrap to cover trays with items you don’t want shifting around. Plastic wrap edges of the couch so that you can bang them against edges without worry. It’s the best.

There you have it. I’m moving again and despite the fact I hate it, I’m also pretty good at it. I mean, I did have several years of practice. Haha.

‘Til the next time.
– E