Despite what the self-published authors on Amazon would have you believe, there are no definitive, encompassing guides to moving. Nothing will come close to grasping the weird mix of joy, nostalgia, heartache, and stress that is so unique to this life event. This humble blog writer has done his best to give out helpful information, but the thousands and thousands of words aren’t even the tip of the tip of the iceberg , but you need to learn as much as you can about that thing. It will easily sink your ship if you don’t know what you are looking for. Consider this post a course on navigation, iceberg watching or, more close to home, pain reduction. The classic mode of operation would say pack everything but the kitchen sink (unless, of course, you adore it), but shoving fireworks and half-used batteries into a moving box is a recipe for disaster. Because I want you to have your things at your new home, I have compiled a short list of items that you should under absolutely no circumstances move with the rest of your things. It may be as simple as keeping some soaps off your signed poster of Tim Tebow. If you have a bit more care and attention, that’s one less relic that must be destroyed or lost in the moving process. Get your car trunk ready and grab that overnight bag, because we’re going to get into the meat and potatoes of it all.
The obvious stuff.
You don’t need me to tell you that it probably isn’t a good idea to pack lighter fluid and gasoline with the ceramic snow babies, but there are a few other objects that are not so obvious, obvious stuff. Nail polish remover can take the paint right off those ceramic beauties, but it’s also highly flammable and trust me, the babies are not acclimated to that kind of non-snowy environment. Additionally, any kind of high pressure container should be a big negative. Place the fire extinguisher in the back seat and safeguard the oxygen tank. Continuing with the theme of flammable materials, alcohol certainly shouldn’t be stored with the bulk of your belongings and opened containers can lead to some issues. You may also get into some fishy territory transporting it over state lines, so if you plan to move from the Palmetto state, keep this in mind. Look for wine carriers so that you can safely transport your drinks. The same protocol should be followed for fireworks (minus the wine carriers, unless it fits your fancy).
The perishables.
Short of throwing one big leftover shindig (which sounds like a fantastic alternative), there are few other, more creative alternatives to using up all that food. All that extra food needs to be taken care of, unless you want some insectoid friends hitching a ride with the snow babies. You can always round up all those loose cans (I know I said perishables, but give me a break) and take them down to a shelter to donate. If you feel like getting more involved (and you are a more social type), you can whip up a not-so-gnarly casserole for a social event. Casseroles are great because you can pretty much throw everything you have into the recipe, and people are expected to eat it. Perishables go beyond just food. Plants can be interesting to move, being alive and all. The pots are generally cumbersome and the soil gets everywhere. Reminds me of the time my mom bought some ferns at the flea market. Our car was infested with tiny spiders for weeks. Great memory. Give the plants the amount of attention you would a pet and treat them well because they don’t bark for 6 hours when you are away and they certainly aren’t responsible for your plethora of missing socks. Oddly enough, some states prohibit the transport of certain plants over state lines, so be aware.
The handy stuff.
Then there are some things that are not necessarily dangerous or harmful to pack with your other belongings, but it would be straight up inconvenient if you packed them away. Imagine getting ready to fall asleep on your mattress (now lying flat on the floor) when you turn over to take your medication. Obviously, it isn’t there. This turns into a three-hour-long affair where you tear apart the storage unit looking for that one box that might have the medication. With everything sealed up and back in order, you nestle into bed only to realize that you forgot your glasses in the chaos. You could implode with the fear that this may happen to you, or you can take my advice and store everything inside an overnight bag. That means prescriptions, legal paperwork, and jewelry. It may also be a good idea to keep photo albums separate so that you can protect them with the utmost vigilance. Looking through them is a good way to decompress as well. However you do it, convenience is key (Mobile Attic, hint hint). You don’t want to be searching for those plane tickets with a flight in 30 minutes.
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