If you’ve been following along, you know that we have been moving around quite a bit over the last few months. When our lease was up in the city at the end of June we moved all of our possessions to my parents’ house (we did this ourselves with a moving van and the help of my parents and brother). We bought a car, then headed to Florida with just a few suitcases for July and August. Come September we were ready to come back up North so we moved back into my parents’ house while we looked for another place in the city.
Joe found the perfect spot for us right back in our old neighborhood! Originally we planned to move ourselves with the help of family. However, we’re now in a building with more rules and we weren’t allowed to move on the weekend. We ended up hiring movers and it was the best decision we could have made! Especially because we are on the fifth floor of a walkup.
Today I want to share how we managed to move and be completely settled within 48 hours and how minimalism made life easier once again.
Purge possessions every chance you get
We had the benefit of moving multiple times during this period which presented opportunities for cleaning out. When we first packed up our apartment we got rid of extra stuff. Then when we packed up clothing to go to Florida we did a clean out. When it came time to pack up once again to come back to the city we got rid of a few more possessions.
The less you have to move, the easier your move will be. And there is nothing like having to pull everything out to show you how much you really have.
Be strategic about furniture
We went from a tiny one bedroom, one bathroom apartment to a much larger two bedroom, one and a half bath apartment with a dining area. While there is a lot more room, we didn’t want to fill it up for the sake of it. We did our best to reuse furniture we already had and left breathing room so we could actually appreciate having more open space.
We did get new furniture (a new bed frame, a desk for Joe), so we ordered all of that in advance and had the movers carry it up the stairs. This made it easier to move because it was already in boxes and gave us the opportunity to build in the rooms where each piece would live.
Use materials you already have for packing
We made great use of suitcases to carry a variety of items, like layering in picture frames wrapped in clothing, and applied the same principle for each room of the apartment by packing with materials we already had. This helps you have to buy less supplies and move less altogether.
Divide and conquer
We were able to completely unpack and organize within two days. On moving day itself, we had all of our things moved in by noon (and I was able to do a deep clean of the kitchen while the movers were working). We took a quick lunch break and then we divided effort.
Joe went to the internet provider store to get what we needed for internet connection while I unpacked the kitchen. Then we did some work together, like building the bed and laying out furniture in the right positions. Then Joe unpacked all of our clothing while I cleaned the bathrooms…you get the idea. By each of us taking a task in a different area we stayed out of each other’s way and were able to get things done quickly.
We also were motivated to get everything done before going back to work, so we took few breaks and cheered each other on to keep moving efficiently.
If you have the resources, hire movers
Like I mentioned at the start of the post, we had intentions of moving ourselves with our friends and family helping. Circumstances wouldn’t allow that, so we went the mover route. Oh my goodness, thank god we did. Joe also made the great call to choose a company that sent four guys and charged an hourly rate instead of the other companies that offered two guys for a fixed rate. In New York City, you need one guy just to watch the truck and move it around when double parking!
I am so glad to be settled into this great new place and can’t wait to share more (apartment tour coming soon! Check out our last apartment tour here)!
What are your best moving tips?
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