Planning the Move, Phase One is Complete!

The other day I got out my handy dandy notebook and made out a "to do" list of things we need to do before & during the move (see the list below). Well, phase one of the moving process is over. Thank goodness! Packing is the worst! I keep thinking of that DirecTV commercial that says, "packing, unpacking, your mind in a haze."

We had a pretty good system though. We went through and numbered each box and gave it a "room label" and of course wrote what was on the box. And as we went, we made an inventory sheet of all the items. The list included each box number, the room the box should go in, and a breif description of what's in the box. Hopefully this will make it easier when it comes time to unpack, so we'll know exactly what box holds what before we open them. And on the list we also wrote down all of our furniture, "loose items," plastic drawer sets, and plastic tubs, just so we'd be able to remember exactly what we have.

We stayed up late last night to make sure that we had everything packed up so that the movers could come in and do their thing without us getting in their way. (my husband used to move furniture, and he said people were always doing last minute packing..and arguing...when they'd get their to move...we definitely wanted to avoid that.) Now our apartment is essentially empy, with exception of the bare neccessities and a few special items that we wanted to carry ourselves. It'll probably still be a tight fit to get everything we have left in our car and truck, but we're gonna get it done.

Moving Check List:

Phase 1 -Boxing Up Our Lives - Stuff We've Already Done
-Get boxes & other supplies
-Make a list of essential items that we must have while we're in limbo & set aside
-Pack, pack, pack
-Get Truck
-Line up people to load & unload truck

Phase 2 - Leaving it All Behind - Stuff to Do Tomorrow
-Pay electric bill and cancel service.
-Cancel internet service and pay final bill.
-Drop off book donations at library.
-Load up car and truck.
-Check mail, turn in apartment keys, and sign papers to get out of lease.
-Fill out change of address forms at post office.
-Stop by husband family to say goodbye.
-Drive up to my parents' house, where we'll be staying until the new floor covering is put down in the house.

Phase 3 - Living in Limbo - Stuff to do this Week & Beyond
-Get a change of location/number for our cell phones.
-Return unused Uhaul boxes.
-Get voter registration information changed.
-Make appointment for installation of satellite & internet services at the new place.
-Get address changed for magazine subscriptions & other important mail: bank accounts, student loan accounts, cell phone account, various online accounts.
-Do a pre-move in survey of the house to decide where we'll put furniture and stuff.
-Work on anything that needs to be worked on in the new house/yard.
-Get prepared to start new jobs.
-Move in & unpack.