Tips for Sally (&Tina's) Move

How to ROCK moving yourself.
Moving Tips and ooooh so much more.

Todays post is dedicated to Sally (and Hubby Jack too) who just got her dream house. And to anyone else who maybe be moving in the near future. Some back story, I have moved my whole life. I have never lived in the same house/town for more than 4 years (that was the 4 years i was in high school). OK ENOUGH BACK STORY!

If you can pay someone else to pack and move for you do it. and don't read this post.
unless you like me :) then read it...

Numero Uno!

• PURGE. Go through your clothes, furniture and applicances. Donate and sell on craigslist. Rule of thumb i use for clothes, if you haven't worn in 2 years gone, if you can't part with it don't (ill come back to this in a bit).
• Sell your couch that you KNOW wont fit or be right in your new place, craigslist, etc. One mans trash...

DOOO!

• Pack the shit you already have packed. does that make sense? Pack the stuff shoved in cubies, closets, rubbermaids, garages, basements, etc. its likely you won't need any of it prior to the move.

DOOO and HALF!

• I have always gotten my boxes from craigslist and hoarding them. Not for everyone.
• General rule of thumb for craigslist items; "if it smells like a duck, if its sounds like a duck, and if it looks like a duck, then its probably a duck." same goes for shit.
• Barnes and Noble SOMETIMES will give you their boxes. at my local one you have to call and make an appointment to pick them up. Hit up your local grocery (i dont do this, food attracts bugs, but i know lots of people who do).

Son of a Sea Cook!
Ok #1 should have been book movers or a truck. Always error on the side of a bigger truck. If you move your self its WAY cheaper to go big and make one trip, than pay mileage to go back and forth.  Hit up your local u-haul, they often have day labors boards and you can grab a cons number and they will move your shit. tip your hat to society.

SEVEN!

• Pack your stuff safely, bubble wrap is expensive. Its also worth it.
• My husband is not OCD about anything, EXCEPT packing shit carefully because of all the original art we own. was that pretentious? Best thing we do, is take any or all clothes we aren't currently using (we always move in summer) hoodies, sweat pants, pjs, tee shirts etc and use them to wrap stuff. Same with kitchen stuff. Works real well.
• News paper is also a good way to go! start saving the paper at work if you don't get one at home. or ask a friend or co-work to for you.
• DO NOT PACK ANY TOWELS or BLANKETS. you can use that stuff to cover any furniture you need to protect on the truck. Towels and sheets also work as great packing for fragile stuff and art and kitchen junk. 

igiveita TEN!

• ask for help. If your friends are stupid awesome enough to help. BUY THEM FOOD AND DRINKS! They are helping you move, you owe them a good meal. I do not believe this is "i owe you for life" sort of thing. If you order pizza or make me food we are even.

Sidebar: i love moving soooo much.
I am so good at it.
its like the only thing i am sure i am good at.
So invite me and ill come help you move, i expect free food. ;)
I may or may not have helped friends in St. Louis move this spring and had a blast.

TEN and a HALF

• IF you get friends or family to help, be packed when the arrive. None of this "oooo we need help packing." have that shit done.

LAST
If you made it through this VERY long post I am gonna give you the best advice from my years of experience moving myself.

ready....
bare with me, just hear me out.

pick up your truck the night before and fill it with everything EXCEPT your bed. Make sure you leave room for it along the side or something. Then lock your truck up for the night. Drank, sleep. Wake up refreshed and rested for another day of moving. Helps if you have two different groups of foolish awesome friends one for the night one for the day.

Trust me. Just trust me on this.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional mover. just someone that enjoys moving shit way too much. my advice; take advantage of that if you know me.

Keeping Up with the Joneses

Our yard was a hot mess when we moved in.

With a defunked pond with a one winged fairy in it.

Our house has had two prior owners, the original ones, and then the Sellers we bought from.

The Classy Sellers.

Some neighbors told us about the yard and how Maud loved gardening.

Maud's husband Ray was a painter which explains the awesome studio space.

(may or may not be why T-Dubs had to have this house)

Maud and Ray moved to their children 6-8 years ago.

The Classy Sellers, did not do yard work.

And neglected their older dog, and basically left him alone all the time in the yard.

this is all from our wonderful neighbors the Jones. 

They are wonderful, and the greatest part is the Classy Sellers set the bar SUPER low.

Basically anything we do will be 100% better!

Mrs. Jones just was full of compliments when we got done on Sunday.

yesssssss!

Before

After

Before

After

My in-laws came for the weekend and overhauled the yard.

something they personally enjoy.

I would never put this much work into my yard.

or money.

they said it was their house warming gift.

woo.

Before Pond Area

This needed the most work...

After Pond Area

Now little garden-esk area

Before

After

Now I just have to keep everything alive until they come visit again.

EEK!

Now that i look at the pictures, it doesn't do it justice.

Also we laid a little more brick on the front step, there way like a 2 foot area of grass. um no.

I promise I'll get better at Before and After pictures.

no sex toy left behind...

we bought a house 2 weeks ago
and took one day of work off.
this results in several rooms not getting unpacked right away.

this weekend we finally got the rest of the boxes unpacked.
As I organizing and putting stuff away in closets
T-Dubs was setting up his studio I hear..
 "aawwwww GROSSSS!"
I jog out to the studio room like thinking its a bug or cat shit or something.
We have lots of earwigs, they freak me out.
I hate bugs.
So as i am walking into the studio T-Dubs is holding this...

the prior owners used the studio as a storage room.
now, i have nothing against sex, toys, masturbation, whatever.
i just dont care for OTHER peoples props!
ya know what im sayin?!?!!!!
Needless to say I never thought i'd see the day i posted a picture of this mangintude on the interwebs.
Way to keep it classy, previous owners.

want to know some other "classy" things they have done?
Let me share:
Tear down your broken swing set and 'hide' it behind the shed
throw trash in your yard, for years
flick your cig butts everywhere in the yard
(at least they smoked out side)
lie about the age of your dishwasher
(adveristed all appliances 1 year old)
leave a garbage bin full of trash in the garage
shave your dog in the garage before moving
(im assuming that what all the black hair is from....)
never replacing a light bulb. ever.
bedazzler set to which i can only assume, as it was found with the 'device,' it was used for jazzing that bad boy up.

Thank you prior tenats.
We got a good laugh.

Weekly goals!

Last weeks goal was to survive.
I did.
I've been blog silent, sorry, been busy.
We bought a house and moved all in 24 hours.
My wonderful parents came to help us with this process and my dad is extremely handy.
And installed under the kitchen cabinets lights in my whole kitchen.
it is great and awesome.

I'm thinking of doing a "how to" move. or something on that idea.

NEW GOALS
1. Back on eating healthy
we ate pizza and bread all weekend (Thursday-Sunday)
I basically stopped eating bread regularly last august

2. Gym time.
Skipped yesterday.
we have a bug problem in the new house and its been affecting my sleep.
and its effing gross.
hate bugs.

3. Choose healthier options for dinners out.
tonight i have a going-away dinner for a friend
rehearsal dinner on Friday
and a wedding on Saturday
but there are ALWAYS healthy options.

Two weeks ago at weigh in i was back up at 188 which was my 'starting weight' in Jan/Feb when i started tracking.
Upside, this morning, i was down to 186.
its a freakin miracle after our weekend.

Weekly Goals & Re-Pack..no Re-CAP!

Blerg, I am not even going to touch last weeks goals.
If you caught my weigh in, i am back at my starting weight, 188.
Shoot me.
Honestly being away from home 5 weekends in a row will do that to you.
Talk about eating/drinking tons of bad shit.

So new week, no looking back.

1. only one. SURVIVE!

We move this week. nuff said.

AWWWWWWE Kitty you help us move!?

They have been a tiny bit crazy.

Its weird how animals can feel stressed.

This is what happened.

ever.

single.
night.

this weekend.

I have a wonderful husband.

He loves me and is so good to me.

I have been...unpleasant, to say the least, with my whole leg/therapy situation, and now being back at starting weight. I am incredibly blessed, and so luck to have a guy that puts up with my shit on a daily basis and also understands its not him, when i am blue.

Thanks for kicking my butt all weekend, we are basically packed, thanks to you TDubs!

Also, no more dranks until we move. I gets grumpy the next morning ;)