We did it.  Aside from unpacking, we finished the big move from Los Angeles to San Diego.  And I'm sharing the best moving tips we got during the process!

Deep breaths.  We survived.  After 15 years of living in Los Angeles (for me), 19 years (for my husband), and an entire lifetime for Lydia, we made the big move to San Diego last week.  We found out about 6 weeks ago that my husband was being offered a dream job, and made the decision to uproot our lives.  In 6 weeks we bought our first home, closed escrow, packed, and moved…..and we lived to tell the tale.  When we broke the news on Instagram, I was overwhelmed with support.  We haven't made a big move like this before, and honestly? I was a little concerned about our ability to get it done.

Some of YOU? Experienced movers.  And your moving tips helped so much, that I wanted to share them.  These are the best pieces of moving advice we got, and I wanted to be sure they were here for you guys to access.

Moving Tips: Your Feedback and Advice

1. Color Coded Boxes: This was the BEST piece of advice, and one of the moving tips I wish we'd taken more seriously.  Order a different color of packing tape for each room.  Designate a color for the areas and use ONLY that color tape on each box.  When you get to the NEW house, tape a piece of paper on each door that color coordinates.  That way, no one will be asking where items go.  Trust me, I should have done this one.  It would have made the move into our new house a LOT smoother.
2. Pack a First Night Suitcase or Box: We halfway took this advice, and towards the end of packing….I forgot.  Remember you'll be moving into a TOTALLY empty space.  That means toilet paper? Paper towels? Soap? Probably won't be there.  Things I wish I'd packed: toilet paper, lightbulbs, batteries, a change of clothes for the SECOND day when I still couldn't find things.
3. Hire Movers: We did.  And I'm so glad.  Yes, professional movers are expensive.  But honestly? My back was sore just PACKING the boxes and we definitely didn't have the expertise to move our piano.  Hiring a highly recommended team of movers was worth every penny.
4. Carry Sentimental Items Yourself: We carried artwork, family heirlooms, and our passports in our own cars.  The reality is, even the best movers won't know WHICH things are especially fragile once they're in boxes. So we took those things ourselves.
5. Double the Amount of Time You Think It Will Take: I had an entire packing schedule.  And everything took longer than I anticipated.  EVERYTHING.  Pad your entire packing schedule by a few days, just to be safe.
6. Give Children a Specific Job: One of my biggest concerns? What in the world to do with Lydia while we packed.  She's five, and was out of school for the summer.  Aside from, you know…..a lot of Amazon Fire and tablet time.  I found that giving her VERY specific jobs was helpful.  She sorted her toys into keep and donate piles.  She helped pack every pair of shoes.  She checked each room for forgotten items.

Have you moved recently? What are YOUR best moving tips?