Happy Saturday everyone!
Only a few more weeks until one of my favorite holidays of the year, and I am ecstatic to be spending it with family! I am doubly blessed to be celebrating with my family a week later as well for my little sister and future brother-in-law's wedding shower. This week has been plum-full of planning and getting my creative juices flowing for the special days, so I wanted to share with you what has inspired me this week: 1. Land that I Love FREE Printable This simple artwork is perfect for the 4th of July! Check out the link for the free printable HERE!
2. BHG's 4th of July Party Ideas
Check out Better Home and Garden's 4th of July Party ideas. They are perfect if you are looking for some clean, fresh ideas. Click here to visit the page! 3. Chic Centerpieces
Baby Center did an excellent job with with beautiful 4th of July table spread. Check out more of their ideas HERE.
4. Patriotic Pies An Extraordinary Day's post about this beautiful patriotic pie is more than enough to inspire any baker; if it tastes as good as looks, then I am sure it is worthy of a blue ribbon! Check out the post HERE. 5. Fireworks&Freedom board Needing a little holiday inspiration? Check out my Fireworks&Freedom board HERE on Pinterest!
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There is one thing that tops most people's lists as the dreaded endeavor: moving. However, it seems like our society has embraced...err, tolerated this nasty task in order to obtain its bright side. After all, we wouldn't move if the pros did not outweigh the cons, correct?
Moving is a task that I have embraced without a choice. In fact, I have almost made it a hobby! In the past 8 years, I have moved seven times. Yes, SEVEN times! If I feel crazy sometimes, I will just blame it on the frequency of my uprooting. For someone who grew up in the same house since birth and moving away to college was the first time I ever moved, I have definitely made up for lost time. My husband and I have bought our first house together, and we are beyond ecstatic to begin our lives in OUR first home; yet once again we would have to cross the Dreaded Bridge of Moving. I say it this way because this is not the first move my husband and I have conquered together. We move one month before our wedding. Trust me, all I have to say is that this move will be a piece of cake compared to the last! In the midst of sheer exhaustion, I decided to jot down some simple tips I have picked up over my moving experience that can ease the pain and process of your move. Whether this is your first, last, welcomed, or painful move, I hope that it goes smoothly and safely for you! 1. Start early. This is key to make sure you do not get overwhelmed. My husband and I knew we were moving in June, and May is a busy month at school, so I started planning at the end of April and putting plans into action the first weekend of May. You can call me crazy, but being prepared is the best way to help me sleep at night. Authentic Simplicity has a great printable checklist that will help you prioritize where you need to start. 2. Don't buy moving materials. If you are able to, I suggest to use resources and collect boxes and packing materials from local grocery stores and retail shops. If you call the store, they can usually tell you what day of the week their shipments will come in and they will save some for you. Save newspapers and magazines for wrapping fragile items. 3. Expect a cost. Moving is pricey, so always be ready for small fees: the rental truck, buying groceries in bulk after, household needs that may not be in your new place. Who knew so many rentals do not come with shower rods??? Stash a little money aside whenever you know you are moving so it won't be so devastating to your bank account in the end. 4. Label everything. This may sound like a no-brainer, but I feel I have come up with a method that works the best for me. When packing cardboard boxes, after you seal them make sure you write on the top a summary of what is inside. Example: "Books" or "Tupperware". Next, make sure you write the name of the room on ALL four sides of the box. This ensures that when you are moving the boxes, you can grab and go to its proper location. A time-saving strategy!! 5. Purge as you pack. This is always easier said than done, but it tends to be the most important. Make sure you allow time to go through items or rooms where you need to cleanse and declutter. These areas tend to be the ones you will start in the beginning; the areas where you store items or keepsakes. If you do not purge now, you will most likely take it to your new home and not use it. This declutter checklist is a great resource to help you decide if you should pitch or keep any iffy items. 6. Use what you have. In graduate school, I use to have this skill mastered: I once moved everything I owned without a single box! How you ask? Easy: I stored everything I had in a container or anything else at my disposal. Most items I already owned were stored in plastic tubs, containers, or storage bins, so those were already "packed" in my eyes. Here are some other tips:
8. Clean last. This is usually the hardest thing to do; you have moved all day, and now you have to clean a place you won't even live in? It may seem unnecessary, but in most rentals, you need to do it in order to get your deposit back. Trust me, it is worth the elbow grease! Your deposit will most likely cover your moving cost, or at least help out significantly. Finally, it is a courteous thing to do; to landlords and the people who are moving in after you. These are a few of my moving tips. I do not claim to be an expert, but I feel like this is not my first rodeo. Good luck with all of your moving and the journey that comes with it! |