Newlyweds often, in addition to planning their nuptuals, have to plan a change in living arrangements. Whether you were already living together and are moving to a bigger or new place, or you’re moving in together for the first time, here are some moving tips and tricks to retain all that newlywed bliss while going through the crazy business of moving right after getting married. We want your answer to “What Does Moving as a Newly Wed Look Like?” to be “Stress-free!”
Get Creative About Getting Rid of Unwanted Stuff
When it comes to moving tips, the biggest one is to move very little stuff that you’ll eventually get rid of anyway. Devote some time, well before the move, to hold a garage sale, pack up donations, and actually give your sister that chair and desk. The less you have to move, the easier your newlywed move will be.
Pay For Well-Regarded Movers and Schedule Ahead of Time
Many newlyweds feel cash-strapped after the wedding, but consider the cost of a high-quality moving company a bit of “marriage happiness insurance.” If they offer cut rates for not having to box and unbox items, you can cut costs there. Schedule them ahead of time so that you aren’t frantically dialing any old company from your honeymoon.
Organize and Pack With a Plan
Whether you opt for movers or not, your move will be much better if it’s deliberate and organized. Consider the items you’ll need first and pack them together, labeling clearly with colored stickers for reference – keep a key in a binder or folder so that you’ll remember which colors correspond to which rooms of the house. Use free boxes from places like discount clubs and liquor stores, as well as any baskets, boxes, or suitcases you have to transport anyway. Pack in such a way that even fragile items won’t get harmed by wrapping spare linens around delicate items. It’s no way to start marriage with some broken antiques after moving.
Use Photos of the Old Place to Guide Your Movers and Yourselves
Make sure you take some pictures before your move to share with the movers so that they have an approximate idea of what the new rooms will look like; obviously, you may want to rearrange, but knowing which chairs go in which rooms saves everyone some time. You also may see that, if a box wasn’t clearly labeled, the photos help you remember which items you had in which place. Many newlyweds are combining two households, so use the photos to make plans for what items will now share a room, such as his sofa and her loveseat both going in the living room.
Unpack Essentials Quickly and Figure Out a Timeline for the Rest
The day of moving is a long one, and as newlyweds, you want the option to take a break after you finish getting everything in rather than having to unpack a ton to find what you need. Make sure you know where your toiletry and basic kitchen items are located, maybe with specially-labeled boxes, so you can pull that stuff out rather than taking an unnecessary trip to buy new items. Either buy a big take-out meal you can eat off for a day or two or get some easy frozen meals to stock the house while you get everything sorted out and find your new favorite grocery store.
Newlywed moving doesn’t have to be a bad experience; you’ll even learn more about each other’s delegating and organizing skills along the way. With a little prior planning – you’re no stranger to it, if you had a wedding – you can make this a positive new start.
