A List of 10: Moving Madness

1. Start early. Time will get away from you. Even just one box a day for a month is a tremendous head start.

2. Declutter. I am a clutter queen, and I am NOT proud to say that. I am actually really embarrassed at some of the things I have recently found in my efforts to declutter and reorganize. 10 year old paycheck stubs with my social security number on them? Yep! Tax returns from 1998? You Betcha! Lease from 5 apartments ago? Check! But not any more. Thanks to my handy shredder, I am now about 10 lbs. lighter on paperwork. Declutter: The Sequel can be found under #7.

3. Make multiple reservations. I made our first truck reservation the week we found out where we were moving. I've made 2 more since then -but currently have just one locked in. I recommend multiple reservations because the prices fluctuate tremendously. For the same weekend, same truck, prices have ranged from a low of $500 to a high of $893. Wow! I don't know about you, but I can think of MANY things to spend $393 on instead of an already-overpriced truck rental.

4. Stock up on supplies. You will need more than you think. Wouldn't you rather have too much packing tape on hand than have to run to Wal-Mart at 11pm the night before your move? Oh yeah - and good luck finding boxes at 2am! Sharpies, tape dispenser, and packing paper are all indispensable for moving (newsprint is dirty & leaves smears on my clean glasses). If you want to get fancy (or smart), I also recommend going to U-Haul and buying the special dish boxes for packing glasses & dishware. I kept the little foam envelopes from our last move - Totally worth it.

5. Pack smart. Don't pick the biggest box and decide it's perfect for your Encyclopedia Britannica collection. And your grandmother's china doesn't belong in the same box as your dumbbells. One of my best moves? Pack a box of "necessary" items and make it the last thing you load into the truck. Include clean sheets, a few towels, toilet paper, shower curtain, soap, plastic cups, plates & silverware, and maybe some cleaning wipes. If all else fails, when you get to where you are going you can clean yourself up, eat takeout off a clean plate, and fall into bed.

6. Label, baby. You don't need a full description of what's in there. At a minimum, you should label it with the room it belongs in and a general description.

7. Reduce, reuse, recycle. I hate to throw good stuff away. So I have become BFF with craigslist. I find that my guilt/anxiety is greatly reduced if I can find a good home for my "treasures" - and get someone to pay me for them, too. The key to a good craigslist ad is to be descriptive and to POST PICTURES. I can't reiterate the last one enough. And what doesn't sell on CL ends up at my friendly neighborhood Goodwill. You're welcome.

8. Garbage bags can be your friend. This has a two-fold meaning. First, moving seems to generate a lot of trash. See Declutter above. Next, when appropriate, I do use garbage bags for moving. They are perfect for throw pillows, comforters, blankets, sheets, towels, and even some clothes. Slap a piece of masking tape on the bag to label what's in there & you're good to go. Yes, it's a little ghetto. But it works.

9. Call ahead. I once moved to LA. My roommate, who arrived a few days prior to me, was supposed to set up all the utilities for us. She did not. It took over two weeks to get a phone line turned on. Two weeks! Not so awesome when you work from home. In this age of everyone having a cell phone, that wouldn't be such a big deal.... unless you forget something critical like ELECTRICITY. Sitting in a hot, dark house for 3+ days is not my idea of a good time.

10. Never underestimate the power of help. Do you want to spend two days lugging boxes up and down three flights of stairs? If so, feel free to be "independent" and do it on your own. But if you'd like to get that truck packed in 90 minutes, call for help.

10 Things I Will Not Miss About Apartment Living

1. A furnace with the air intake vent in the second bedroom. It is LOUD.
2. That the floor of the bathtubs is so creaky it sounds like you're going to fall through the neighbor's ceiling.
3. Facing a busy street.
4. An iced-over parking lot from November until March.
5. Mirrored closet doors. My child has been mesmerized by her own reflection. But it was amusing to see her throw a fit and watch herself at the same time.
6. Rental home carpet. Yuck.
7. Downstairs neighbors who like to slam the front door. ALL THE TIME.
8. Communal living. Not so great when you can't find a parking space on a Friday night & the neighbors decide to take up smoking just when I start leaving my windows open all evening.
9. A weird layout in the living room. There was no way to set it up to enjoy the fireplace, use the TV, and have room to walk.
10. Zero insulation in the walls. A good excuse to not do the dishes after 7 pm (baby bedtime), but really not conducive to family living.

A list of 10 for Young Marrieds (without Children)

1. Travel. It doesn’t matter if you like day trips, long weekends away, or months abroad. If you have the travel bug, indulge in it now when you can pack light and get a running start. Yes, Europe/ South America/ Alaska will still be there after you have kids and they are old enough to travel far. But it’s not going to be any cheaper or easier than right now. And PS - Disney World/ Disneyland DOES NOT count as “travel” when you are a young married. You are not 12 anymore.
   
   
2. Get Cable. I know, there’s 600 channels and nothing on, but the channel surfing is so much more fun when you have more than six choices. Your budget may be tight, but it’s cheaper than going to the movies every weekend.
   
   
3. Expand your Horizons. Take a class, join a book club, begin a hobby. Your SO may be your “whole world” but the world - and you - become a lot more interesting when you open your eyes a bit and take a look around.
   
   
4. Get to Know Where You Live. You may be homesick, lonely, or shy, but getting to know your (new) hometown can be fun! Explore the parks, check out the Farmer’s Market, drive the freeways and travel down the back roads, and see what you find. Grab a travel book or do an online search – you might be surprised by the cool stuff that surrounds you.
   
   
5. Be Impulsive. Book a weekend in a hotel and order every dessert on the menu from room service. Go out for a midnight supper. Buy that amazing dress you saw in the window. Skinny dip. Watch the sun rise from the top of Mt. Haleakala. Take the left fork instead of the right.
   
   
6. Learn to Cook. No, you don’t need to attend Le Cordon Bleu, but you DO need to be able to whip together a decent meal once in a while. Ramen noodles do not count. One easy menu: Roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli. For dessert, make some brownies (from a box) & top them with vanilla ice cream. So easy – and good - even your mother-in-law might be impressed.
   
   
7. Find Your Style. Personal style doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Whether you like to decorate your house, paint, or adorn yourself in denim and diamonds, style is personal and speaks volumes about you. Take the time to be introspective and be brutally honest about what does and doesn’t work for you. Magazines and the internet are two quick and easy ways to start getting a sense of your likes & dislikes. Once you get a feeling for your style, look around at how to make it work for you. IKEA, Target, Old Navy, H & M, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s and the sale rack at your favorite store are all great places to find style and value. One caveat: Just because it is a “good deal” doesn’t make it right for you.
   
   
8. Invest in your 401K. Retirement seems like a million years away, but putting your money to work now is the smartest thing you can do for yourself. You may think that you have no room in your budget, but start with just $5 a check. You – and your retirement villa in Italy - will appreciate it later.
   
   
9. Take Care of Yourself. Floss. Take a walk once in a while. And wear sunscreen! You will thank me in about 15 years.
   
   
10. Be Happy Right Where You Are. “Happiness is a journey, not a destination. For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one.” ~Souza