The first week of March, my family moved from Kansas City to Atlanta. Big move—I know, right!
Well, when the excitement dies down, you get to realize just how much stuff you have to pack and move and throw away. The biggest shock was to my mom. Her household that she’s been managing for the last five years is now all being categorized, and she has to throw out stuff that she does not use but has a sentimental attachment towards. Same with me. My father got really mad at us for holding on to stuff like that, but dads never understand, do they?
Well, we “Marie Kondo”-ed our entire home and there was still so much stuff. With only the three of us—and, thank God, my dad managed to get two other guys from the mosque he visits—it was five of us against a five years’ household. Packing stuff, getting boxes, loading them onto the trailer, lifting heavy objects such as the washing machine and freezer…it was hectic. We all definitely underestimated moving. Plus, we took a road trip, which took us about 13 hours including all breaks and hotel stops, so you can imagine the physical exhaustion and mental fatigue. There are a lot of things I have learned from this, and I want to share three tips so you don’t suffer as we did.
Tip #1: (If within budget) hire professional movers!
Please, for the love of God, just do that. They are professionalsl; they know what they are doing. But of course, this only works if they are within your budget. The companies I contacted gave me a quote ranging from $4,250 – $6,500. So, if it is within your family’s budget and is efficient, just do that so you can have peace of mind.
Tip #2: Donate furniture or objects that you won’t take.
Instead of having those towed away, or paying extra money to the garbage company, just donate your old pieces of furniture! There are many places such as Salvation Army, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity and local shops. The best thing about this is they will take it from your house if you don’t have a van or pick-up truck. But do make sure to call them beforehand to schedule the pick-up. I know currently Salvation Army is not doing pick-up due to COVID-19, but you can still leave your clothes and other items at their location.
Tip #3: Take it one room at a time!
I know this might seem like common sense—like, yes, Aseya, we obviously are going to go in order and not go crazy. Trust me, we thought the same. But when you are in a rush and need to get so much stuff packed, the order goes out the window. Therefore, make sure you plan it out accordingly, and take it one room at a time. Start with the bedroom. You might think you know everything that is in your bedroom, but no. There is hidden stuff in the closet, important documents in a container and whatnot. So start with bedrooms, and make your way down to the living room and then (if you have one) the basement.
Well, these are all the tips I have for now. All in all, I would rate our big move as a family 7/10, just because it was our first move in America and even with all the obstacles, I think we all did pretty great. And Atlanta is pretty amazing. But as they say, “you only understand something’s value after you lose it;” I miss the cold, rainy, gloomy days of Kansas City that I did not cherish as much back then.