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It’s over. The hard part at least. Sure there are still boxes piled up so high I forgot we had windows but the actual process of moving from one residence into another is complete.
It ran the gamut of emotions; excited, exhausted, aggravated, frustrated, hysterical and for about five minutes I thought we made a huge mistake and it felt like my chest was being squeezed by seven overweight Mee-Maws on my birthday.
Did we go about this moving process all wrong? Could we have avoided all the terrible moments by just being better prepared? Hindsight is 20/20, which is much better than my near-blind eyeballs, so with the help of a handy How-to article I am going to compare the suggestions with our actual move.
Step 1- Take an inventory of your possessions. Use this list to determine the number of boxes and the size of the truck you will need for your move.
Impossible. We took an inventory and completely underestimated how much crap we owned. We rented a 24-foot truck. It wasn’t big enough even though we sold most of our furniture and I thrashed all my life-sized cut-outs of the cast of Grease. Oh Sandy.
Step 2- Interview prospective truck rental companies, and ask what kinds of services and insurance coverage they offer. Be sure to check the quality of the company’s rental vehicles as well.
Remember we tried this move? No, they still haven’t called us back. I’m imagining someone at U-Haul is buying a vacation home on my credit card number. Hope they didn’t rent their own trucks for the move.
Step 3- Rent the appropriate size vehicle (trailer, truck or van). Most rental companies provide free guides to choosing a vehicle size.
Doesn’t 24-feet sound massive? Not. Big. Enough. A blast to drive though. People on the road are more than happy to get the hell out of your way when your changing lanes based on blind luck.
Step 4- Ask about the rental vehicle’s pick-up and drop-off points; arrange the drop-off point to be as close to your destination as possible.
It was the same place. Are different drop-off available? Next time I will ask for Aruba and a codeword drop-off to a secret operative. The password is “where the fu*k is my screwdriver??” It’s become a catchphrase for me.
Step 5- Make necessary travel arrangements, such as hotel reservations for a move that will take longer than a day, or separate plane or car arrangements if any family members will be traveling separately.
We crashed at my parent’s house for two days. Accommodations were nice but they didn’t have very hot water and the meals were sub par. It will be in my full report on TripAdvisor.com.
Step 6- Rent or purchase appropriate moving aids, such as pry bars and appliance dollies for heavier furniture and appliances.
Pry bars? We bought a house, we didn’t break in. We rented a dolly for heavy furniture. Didn’t use it once. Done all by hand. I call my friends “dolly” now. Some of them like it. Sick.
Step 7- Sell or donate unwanted items - this will reduce your load and help make the moving process much easier.
Done. Funny side story- every been in the back of a Goodwill Store? Our local store has a back drop off and I helped the woman carry the boxes inside. Imagine everything you’ve ever owned in your life in one huge room. Now double that. It’s a sight to behold. Not a place for a flea market fan like yours truly. I almost asked the price of a Superman Bust Ceramic Cookie Jar
Step 8- Arrange to have family members or friends help you load your belongings at your old home and unload once you reach your destination.
We did. I’d like to take a moment to both thank and apologize to all of them. I’ll never ask another favor again. Especially nothing that involves moving. That is because I will die in the house.
Unless they want to carry the casket. In that case, use the dolly this time. I don’t trust any of you butterfingered bastards.
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The proper way to enjoy whisky (attempted by a complete idiot)
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Congrats on getting thru the move. On the point of the Goodwill, I always have to drop my stuff at the drop off and walk away quickly or else I’ll either start changing my mind on what I’m parting with OR end up seeing something there that I HAVE TO BUY NOW and come home with more stuff. It’s evil.
1. Do what? If I am taking an inventory, I might as well load the stuff up.
2. make sure it doesnt have dog shit on the walls from the last renter/mover.
4. yeah, right. your nearest drop off point is in Columbia ( not SC, or NY) I mean Bogata.
6. rent or purchase appropriate moving aids. ( a full bottle of darvon, an 18 pack of Bud, a carton of smokes and a good attitude. A bible helps, also.
8. LOL. are you kiding? Really? all those friends and family you have cultivated all these years are gonna dissappear like bozze at an open bar, once they find out YOU might need a little help moving. Iregardless ot the fact that you moved them into a third floor walk up. But now that you all are in, can I come by for a beer?
tom
Anytime Tom, you just gotta bring the beer
never the less ( neverheless) you would still do it for them again ( nevertheless) tom
This just in, Chris a breaking news story ” MJ is still dead along with Farah, as is Gov. Mark Sanford’s political carrer. Damn, I am tired of hearing about all this. Tom
ow, just to clarify, I was not talking about your moving tales, in any way Chris. Just being sarcastic. Thanks and keep writting.
Tom
This is quite possibly the most useful post you have ever written! I think you should send a copy post haste to U-Haul. Just a little expression fo your love;)
awww you sweet talker
Glad to see you made it through
Great post!
hmmm, just wanted to wish you and yours a happy 4th. I got a nephew and his wife and Kids stopping by from out of town. They don’t drink at all, and that is a good thing. We will just be haveing a few burgers, corn on the cob and ice cream. then watch a dvd and to sleep about 1 or 2 am. Where I live, ( kinda high up, elevation wise, in the mountains) there is enough fire works to see, just setting out in the yard. The real fire works starts about 3 am, when parties degade ( ok, when someone picks a fight an the law, which have been turning a blind eye all night, HAVE to show up.) Happens every year, Chris. I just dont want no part of it anymore. At 2 am, every one here will be alseep, untill awoken by the sond of sirens and flashing blue lights ( or worse, red). Then we will peer through the blinds, say a prayer for those involved, and get up the next morning. The phone will ring about 730 and we will talk ( didja see that shit? no we were all in bed by that time, but got up) and say a prayer for those involved, cause we all used to do that stupid shit ourselves. Happy and safe 4th Chris. tom
I really enjoy your stuff, Chris, and the comments. I am very much like Gemfit. I used to love going to flea markets, until told bluntly, the whole pont of this is to get rid of stuff, not come home with more than you left with. so I abstained for a while. But even my last outing I came home with a fishing rod ( hey come on, it’s a “garcia” fom the 70’s and I can repalce the little handle, a crystal elephant ( only about 4 inches and if you turn it right, cant see one legg is broken off) and 2 coins I had been looking for. ( well, a couple bags of tube socks, also). I guess I am a “mark”. I have dreams of ordering a big dumpster for a week, and cleaning out the basement an garage. Give it all the old heave ho. get some light danish furnature. ( but hey, you do not really expect me to give this away, do you? I might can use this 1980 weed eater, on the front of my boat ( never puchased, that would be the last straw) as a trolling motor. oh well, I am gonna order the dumpster, next week.
tom
I’ll leave it be , now Chris, except to reccomend a neat movie ( every thing is illuminated) My Dad was a “collecter” and a fine man. But he could never let much go. Mayhap it was the things he saw in europe, at the end of ww2.
Yeah, I was born in 1960, and mom was about 43, my Dad born in 1921, mom in 23. I was a “suprise” baby. My nearest sibling is ten years older than me. And doing quite well, I might add. At least she is at the beach this weekend, and I am busting my ass, getting ready for one of her kids, and family to stay here.
Went to see a movie tonight. Of all the ones avialable, we got to see “transformers”. Just to advise you, DO NOT repeat my mistake. Any “kids” movie is not gonna be the best, right? How bad can it be? The answer is pretty freackin bad. First of the movie is Long. and I mean Lonnnnnnng. Almost 3 hours. The story line ( what there is) is almost incomrehensible. On a suckiness scale, I rate it right up there with ” the cat in the hat ” or “lemoney snicket” of which my niece, only 11 at the time, commented ” can we get our money back. All I can say is go see any thing else. Sincerely, tom
Where are you Chris? why no new stuff? I am tried of not having any one to shoot down. I aint worth a shit, personelly , Chris. Pretty bad, in fact. Please write. Tom
ps, hope you did not do like me: fall off a deck and breack an arm and a bunch of ribs. ( ever since, I cannot eat ribs, pork or beef, though I had beef fahitas tonight, and they were worth a damn.) Tom