No matter how many times I\u2019ve moved, I never feel quite prepared for the next one. Whether it\u2019s just down the street or across the country, each move presents its own unique challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My most recent move was about as easy as it gets \u2014 only a one-bedroom apartment\u2019s worth of stuff, just a mile away \u2014 but in the moment, it still felt like climbing Everest. Here\u2019s what I wish I could tell myself to make that climb a little easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m the kind of mover who likes to get everything done as quickly as possible. The sight of boxes in the house after day three made my palms sweat. My friends marveled at my Craigslist efficiency \u2014 I had the entire living room and kitchen filled up with new (used) furniture in the first week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem with this approach is that you sacrifice fit for speed. Instead of waiting to find a rug that I really loved, for example, I ordered the first one I found online that I remotely liked. I wish I could go back and tell myself to just be patient. You can survive without a rug for a few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t get me wrong \u2014 I did the customary Goodwill run as I was packing up my old place. I just wish I would have been a little more liberal with the \u201cdonate\u201d pile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting rid of old belongings before a move works on two levels: you get to pass along things collecting dust to people who will actually use them and you don\u2019t have to haul them to your new place. And with many charities even offering free donation pickup<\/a>, you often don\u2019t even have to leave the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My internet connection was the last thing on my mind when I was packing up for my move. My internet provider had service at my new address, so I just chose a transfer date, packed up my modem and router, and plugged it in when I got there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fast forward six months when I happened to search which providers<\/a> were available at my new address. It turns out there was a different provider available at my new place that I couldn\u2019t get before. I would be able to save around $20\/mo. if I switched and<\/em> get faster speeds and<\/em> I wouldn\u2019t have to pay for the equipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a bit of a hassle to return equipment and get new service set up in the chaos of moving, but it would have been worth it for the months of faster and cheaper internet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the months after my move, I accidentally ordered at least three packages to my old address. Luckily, I\u2019d filed a change-of-address request<\/a> with the USPS, so they eventually found their way to the right place (with a stern note from the post office telling me to use the right address). <\/p>\n\n\n\n It wasn\u2019t that I was just forgetting that I\u2019d moved \u2014 my phone was filling in my old address automatically, and I didn\u2019t always remember to change it in the heat of an online purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually, I wised up and took out the old address from the autofill on my phone and computer, saving me any future chidings from the post office. My mail carrier and I have never been on better terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Moving is an ideal time to shop around for internet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. You can remove your old address from your phone\u2019s autofill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n