When you’re a military family- you know you’re moving. Sometimes people get lucky but usually we move pretty frequently. Our most recent move was a tough one & we learned a lot of tough lessons. The truth is moving is hard. Even if you’re excited to go somewhere new the whole ordeal is just that- an ordeal. I’ve gathered up some of my favorite tips & tricks I rely on time after time- keep reading to check them out!
The #1 thing I recommend doing is setting up your guest bathroom both before moving & after. If you have friends helping you box or unbox- please remember not to pack the toilet paper! Set aside a small stash of items you know you’ll need & actually store them in the bathroom. Remind your spouse, kids, & helpers that “this bag isn’t to be touched or packed” that way there isn’t any confusion. We once had movers pack all of our toilet paper by mistake & actually had to go buy more! Set aside a few rolls of Charmin® because you need 4x less, a hand towel or two, hand soap, & the Febreze Unstopables™ Air Refresher just to keep things smelling & looking clean. When you’re ready to move just put that bag straight into your new bathroom! 
There are a lot of conflicting theories on how to pack plates & I’ve tried quite a few. My favorite is still good ol’ paper towels. I pack A LOT of plates in varying sizes & despite the many pinterest hacks I’ve seen…this is still the most effective. & I’ve broken some plates so I know! I actually prefer the Bounty ® Select-a- Size because I also add the smaller pieces in-between smaller dishes, teacups, etc. As you’re unpacking your new kitchen set these clean paper towels aside & use them to clean with! No waste & a variety of sizes! 
When you’re in your new place- buy some basics in bulk. I don’t care if this sounds crazy or excessive- you’re going to save some cash & run less errands on unnecessary stuff! If you think you’ll never use that much ever- trust me! With people coming to help & see your new place you’ll go through your basics like mad!
Speaking of basics- do yourself a favor & buy a container of the Tide ® PODS ® Laundry Detergent. You won’t need to worry about moving big bottles around every time you do a load of laundry the first few weeks (or more!) & you won’t need to “find a place” for bulk laundry items quite yet if you’re using that area for storage while unpacking. I always move my linens, dog beds, & other fabric items straight into the laundry room then wash them as I unpack. Boom.
Last but not least? Get yourself a “kit” to clean with. (Check out some options here!) If you have kids you might need to keep around a mini brush & dustpan, games, magnets, etc. For our dogs who are always SO nervous when we move- we have actual games as well! Since Cobo gets bursts of energy & is highly food motivated his favorite activity is this bright orange ball he can roll around that will slowly release food. For Zeus who isn’t really as into food but does like to play, he loves items like this tree stump with squirrels. I always try to take breaks to tire them out a bit too!
What are some of your favorite moving tips or tricks? Have any great stories? I’d love to hear them!
