Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

10 Disasters to Avoid When Moving Across the Country

I know, another post about moving to Colorado. But I’m still in the thick of it and the disasters we’ve encountered moving across the country are fresh, and keep coming.

Oh. Also, sorry for the occasional ragey rantyisness that may come through my helpful advice. Like the title says – disasters (but in the first world way – I know how lucky I am to have my people).

10 Disasters to Avoid When Moving Across the Country

Here are 10 disasters to avoid when moving across the country:

10. Don’t Procrastinate Clearing your Clutter

Never again will I not sort through my son’s things for years. I’ve always been good about going through his clothes, but he’s an only child, and it’s easy to get lazy and sentimental about toys he used to love.

Before moving, we had a yard sale, donated to Salvation Army twice (a LOT of stuff), and still, as I unpack, I’m filling boxes with things I wonder why I bothered moving.

9. Don’t Decide a Potted Cabbage Plant Deserves Room in the Car Ride Across the Country

I know, right? Not what you were expecting. Tucker had this school project and insisted we bring his cabbage plant. It did fine in the car but took up valuable space and now looks really sad outdoors in spite of us moving it around from sun to shade, water to damp…

Looks like the kid won’t win $1,000 toward college over this project anyway, so we could’ve avoided listening to whining about how the cabbage plant was in his foot’s way for 1,600 miles.

8. Don’t Rent a U-Haul to Carry Photo Albums

Most of your belongings are safer in the truck than in hotel parking lots. We originally planned to rent a small U-Haul to carry photo albums and our most loved possessions.

When I started thinking about staying in hotels each night, the U-Haul felt less safe than the sealed truck did with everything packed in so much paper that burglars would have to spend an hour finding something worth taking. I did pack jewelry and birth certificates in the car, but we didn’t rent a U-Haul. The small things like photo albums arrived safely. It was the furniture they murdered instead.

7. Don’t Think Your Furniture will be Fine — it will be Murdered

Before leaving, I told Robert “as long as they don’t screw up my bed…” and of COURSE (!) the dummies who packed our stuff (because they were on orders from the US Government) disassembled things like my stainless steel headboard and footboard.

I’ve moved that bed across country and across town nine times now and nobody has EVER taken it apart like that. Rather than unscrewing one of the headboard spots, they broke the welding. I’m really hoping they can fix it.

Also, pretty much every piece of heavy furniture has dolly marks on the edge somewhere, where the wood is either caved in and splintered, or dented and scratched. I might take the time to go through and pad all the edges of my furniture for my next move.

6. Don’t Forget the Pain from Your Previous Move

Remember the pain. I’m hoping writing this down doesn’t make me forget how much this move has utterly sucked.

5. Wear a Dust Mask Even though You’ll Look Stupid

I haven’t stopped sneezing in four weeks. It’s crazy how much dust lives in hidden places.

4. Try to be at Your Closing if You Buy a New Home

We’d walked through twice before making an offer and the rest was done remotely, which felt fine at the time. Once we got here? The buttholes who previously owned the home had removed the towel hooks in the master! Seriously! I mean, maybe they spent 1,001 hours crafting them but surely the home came with towel racks before then? Put something up!

They also took the curtain rod in the eating area, so we’re blasted with western sun. You’re allowed to take your curtains. That’s expected, even. But to take the rod down? How much money are you saving? Plus, I’m still hung up on the towel rack thing. Removing a place for people to hang a towel when they get out of the shower is petty and totally buttholish. Mean-meany-mean, even.

3. Don’t Assume They’ll Clean.

I’ve moved pretty often in my life, and have never ever ever before moved into a home where the previous (see number 4 for BUTTHOLES) left the cabinets filthy.

You’ve got kids? Fine. Hire somebody to come wipe cabinets out after you leave, jerks. When new people move in, they’re prepared for dust and stale air but not your cheese and toast crumbs in every single cabinet. Nasty.

2. If Moving for the US Government, Ask about Your Options

If you have any options at all, don’t let the US Government arrange ANYTHING. Seriously. They send out bids to whatever scumbag companies are listed on GSA then won’t call you back when those companies reschedule you four times and never call you back. Here’s more about the harsh and horrible truth about moving for the US Government.

Finally, 1. Don’t Assume Experts are Experts

Never again will I assume experts are experts, or that managers are more likely to help when there’s a problem. Yesterday, when waiting on our shipment to arrive (after learning that the driver had been here since Monday), I spoke to the manager of the company handling the move (contracted by the US Government).

Trying not to cry, I got upset when he didn’t know when the unloading crew would come. He said “You sound aggressive, and I won’t listen to aggressive speak this morning. So we’ll just have to communicate through email.”

WTF.

I calmed down and he promised to call me back but had some 12 year old do it for him. Also? We’re still waiting to find out when they’ll come look at all the furniture they murdered.

***

This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post, with this week’s prompt a listicle of “10 things I’ve done that I can’t/won’t do again.” I host weekly with Kenya of Sporadically Yours. This whole 10pm at 8pm thing is going to take getting used to. I might *gulp* have to start writing my posts in advance or something. 😉

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  • Emily - Oh I’m sooo with you on that towel rack and the cleaning thing — that is so not right!! I’m glad you’re writing you way through this and I’m even more impressed that you actually have the time and patience to blog!July 12, 2018 – 10:30 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Thanks! To be fair, I wrote this in 50 minutes, and only because I told Kenya that “sure! we’re ON!!!” and then realized it’s two hours earlier here after getting sucked into unpacking Tucker’s room…July 12, 2018 – 10:47 pmReplyCancel

  • Pat B - Your #10 is so much easier to say than to do.
    I’m surprised the potted cabbage lasted the whole trip. Tucker will no doubt remember this trip with his cabbage.
    So sorry about the dents and scratches on your furniture.
    Is there a possibility that you have some kind of allergy to something in the area?
    It is hard to fathom why the previous owners wouldn’t have cleaned a little better as they moved out the house. Considering how hard you worked to clean everything before moving out of your previous house, plus miles of traveling, what a bummer to have been greeted with dirty cabinets, etc.
    I agree with Emily. You are amazing that you were even able to link up this week!July 13, 2018 – 12:36 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Going through “stuff” is the easiest when moving I think, although the after-move brings the whole “why did I bring this???” Any advice on the cabbage? It was fine in the car but now is struggling. I think the climate change is what’s going on with my nose, although I’m highly allergic to dust, and there’s plenty of that. Thank you for your kind words!!! I think blogging this week grounded me in many ways.July 14, 2018 – 1:16 amReplyCancel

  • Debi - Oh my gosh, Kristi. I hope they sell wine near where you now live.July 13, 2018 – 3:03 pmReplyCancel

  • Kenya G. Johnson - Oh your whole experience sounds AWFUL! #9 did make me laugh though – but if only that was the worst part of moving. Removing towel racks and curtain rods is really mean. Wow. I remember in our first home in Florida, we didn’t have anything hardly so we asked for everything and we got to keep the window treatments. It’s nice not to have to buy that stuff. I can’t imagine spending a first night somewhere with naked windows. That also sounds like a very sorry moving company you had. One of the worst things done with our stuff packing to go overseas is that spices ended up being packed with our shoes and the pepper must have exploded. I don’t know what’s worse, pepper sneezing or dust sneezing. Some of the shoes were so peppered and smashed we threw them away. I definitely agree with #10. I now live like we’re moving one day. My husband is the pack rat. I’ve seen what’s in the attic and I’m like, “Please don’t die before me, because I can’t handle the mess that’s up there.” But what’s in the house “comes up missing” if it’s time for it to go. Clutter cleaning before the move calls for an adult meltdown. It’s too much. Too this day, I still keep my shoes in shoe boxes (just in case we ever move)July 13, 2018 – 9:15 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - #9 makes me laugh too. And yes! OMG removing towel racks is MEAN. The moving company was horrible, and I’d call them out but we still need them… not that they’d ever find this blog but who knows, right?
      I threw pepper and salt away tonight too… and also a bunch of bathroom stuff. I don’t know what leaked but something did. LOL to “please don’t die before me…” I’ve been saying that since we found out we’re moving in March or before because OMG. He’s all “but that was my uniform in Iraq in 2xxx” and I’m like, um.. and we need it in the house??? LOL
      Funny about the shoes. I think one (said this before but still) blog posts of yours was how many black shoes you have! 🙂July 14, 2018 – 1:23 amReplyCancel

      • Aaron Smith - I am so sorry to hear you had this awful experience with your movers.July 23, 2018 – 2:31 pmReplyCancel

  • Kenya G. Johnson - LOL – admittedly I did take a brief nap before you sent me the code last night. I woke up at 9:45 and then was probably sleep again at 10:01. Maybe we should think going live on Friday mornings. We could poll the group. But that’s just me being the person that can’t hang until 10.July 13, 2018 – 9:24 pmReplyCancel

  • Christine Carter - I WANT TO SCREAM!!!! OMG YOU POOR THING!! Give me that guy on the phone, and I’ll tell him exactly where he can take his BS response to you being ‘aggressive’. Omg Kristi, I am literally so pissed for you right now. I would have lost my EVER-LOVIN’ MIND if I were you! I am just so freaking sorry, honey. YOU GUYS DESERVE SO MUCH BETTER.

    Please update us all on everything. Pff. I’m seriously so mad right now, like I want to go raise some hell for you somewhere, ANYWHERE. I need to step outside… lolJuly 16, 2018 – 9:07 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Thank you thank you thank you!! It SOOOOO SUCKS and I’m that mad too. Thank you. I’ll keep you posted on the suckiness levels to come and would love to hire you as my alt caller! 😉 Because they suck. And thank you!July 19, 2018 – 12:46 amReplyCancel

  • Lizzi - Holy crap, my lovely. That super mega hugely SUCKS. I hope your allergies go away soon so if nothing else you’re comfier xxxxx big hugs xxxxJuly 17, 2018 – 4:59 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Yeah super mega hugely sucks. Thank you, Love. xxxJuly 19, 2018 – 12:46 amReplyCancel

      • Henry Collins - It is always important to get to know your movers and how they work. Doing some research about how reliable is the movers company your are hiring is the best way to avoid headaches in the long run.July 26, 2018 – 3:56 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi - #10–yes, yes, yes! What was I thinking?! Even though we decluttered and downsized, I’m still left with more to get rid of. This is going to be an endless, ongoing battle, I think.

    Good luck to you!July 22, 2018 – 10:47 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - I’m a little shocked by how much we still have to donate. I thought I got most of it back in Virginia but you’re right – ongoing battle for sure. Hope all’s going well with your move! And thanks for the good luck. Right back at you!July 23, 2018 – 1:19 pmReplyCancel

  • coordinate with moving professionals Montclair New Jersey - Relocating homes is sometimes really time consuming. Making you delay the stuff you need to do. Good thing there companies that provide transition services.August 2, 2018 – 2:29 amReplyCancel

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