Moving Tips - Guest Post

This moving thing is crazy but I have to say I am thankful that I have not had to  move twenty-two times. Read more from the lovely Stefani.   --    Hi Jenn's wonderful readers! My name is Stef and I blog over at Miss Jo and Co.   

  You can find me talking about most anything on my mind...from my wedding night, to my kick-butt daughter, and even my embarrassing lack of sexiness. I'm so glad that Jenn invited me to guest post while she's moving cross-country. I'm going to tell you a few things I've learned about moving to and living in a new place, because as it turns out...I have a bit of experience. In my life, I've moved a total of twenty-two times. No, my parents weren't in the military, we weren't in the witness protection program, and we're not gypsies. We're just a tiny bit crazy, turns out.  From those twenty-two moves, though, I've learned a few things.    Before the move...   1. Be a minimalist After 22 moves, the one things I've realized is that you really can have WAY too much stuff. I do a purge of our house every few months, just because I can't stand having clutter...and we still have more than I'd like. But let me tell you, minimalism makes moving so much easier. And if you don't want to be crazy like me, then before you even think about packing, give away some stuff to Goodwill and throw out the junk.    2. Organize and plan Throwing everything into boxes without an regard for where it's coming from or where it's going makes things so stressful. Don't do it. Trust me. It may be the quicker option now, but when you move into your new place you will definitely regret it. So, pack things into boxes that are labeled by room and put like with like (All the books together, all the decor together, etc.) Also, don't put too much heavy stuff in one box, because you won't be happy when you have to actually move it.   3. Take a break The temptation before you move is to book a lot of time with a lot of different people and fill up your calendar, since you'll be leaving soon. Which is great, until you get totally burnt out and then it's moving day and you have no energy whatsoever. Take a break from packing/socializing/everything - maybe go out with your family and see your favorite sites from the town you're about to leave. Take some time to appreciate where you're leaving from.   When you get there...   1. Get it over with Moving is tiring, and by the time you reach your destination it's really tempting just to take things slowly and unpack as you go. But you have so much more time to explore your new place when you just get the unpacking and tedious stuff over with. Put everything in its place, forward your mail, set up the utilities...all the boring stuff. That way you'll be able to settle down and meet new people!   2. Be a tourist I've found that the best way to get to know a city right off the bat is to act like you're a tourist for a few days. See what the city has to offer, check out their website and message boards, and take some time to explore. Talk to people about what they love most about the area. The locals always know the best places to eat, shop, and play. And you just might meet some new friends!   3. Get involved Last but not least...get involved. Meet your neighbors (bring them cookies or something and introduce yourselves!), find a Church or community center to frequent, do some volunteer work...the more you get involved, the more connected you'll feel to your new home and the happier you'll be there.    Moving can be tough - physically, emotionally, socially. But it's not impossible. Take it from a pro...as long as you embrace the experience and do all you can to minimize the stress of it, it won't be that bad. It might actually be a little fun.    Thanks again, Jenn, for letting me guest post!   What moving tips do you have?   -- Thanks again Stef for taking a load off my calendar today.