5 Important Must-Do's Before You Move (Plus a Free Downloadable To-Do List!)

You tell yourself you won't forget these important things, but in the excitement of moving it's easy to drop the ball on something. After all, there are boxes to pack and floor plans to doodle and an apartment warming party to plan. Right? But first, do make sure you tackle these crucial moving tasks. Set aside a few hours in your schedule, have your laptop and cell phone handy, have cup of coffee at the ready, and download/print the free checklist at the bottom of this post.

1. Change Your Address 

First, change it with the United States Postal Service. It's super easy to do online and is almost free - they charge like a $1 for verification purposes. The best part? You have the option to sign up for handy-dandy moving coupons. Some are emailed to you, others are sent by snail mail. From hardware stores to cable providers, you'll be pleasantly surprised with some of the deals you can score just by updating your address.

Moving Update: It's the Final Countdown!

It's the very last week I'll be living in my current place. Moving commences this weekend and I could not be more excited / nostalgic / overwhelmed. Last weekend, my wonderful new landlord handed over the key to the place and gave me one last walk-through before I start moving in and making the place my own. With the last tenant's boxes gone, it's clear that I'll have plenty of space to work with and plenty of projects to keep me busy. It's an old house and it isn't perfect. While I don't photos to share with you quite yet (they're coming soon - promise!), I can tell you that the old house imperfection lends itself to many blog-worthy do-it-yourself projects that I can't wait to tackle with my handy bf. 

Packing Packing Packing

The next few evenings will be wholly dedicated to packing - and taking some small boxes over to the new place. I haven't been as packing-productive as I planned. Plus, it's difficult to pack when you have to turn around and clean up the mess so that the landlord can show the place to a prospect the next day. Two steps forward, one step back.

Picking Out Paint Colors

The biggest perk of this place (besides its fantastic location and vintage character) is that the landlord is A-okay with me making the place my own. I'm free to paint the walls as well as the outdated oak trim and vanity in the bathroom. (Can you see how my DIY to-do list is rapidly increasing?!) I'm currently thinking gray for the bedroom and bathroom, light turquoise or yellow green for the office, and a dusty grayish purple for the living room. ...But I'm not settled on specific colors yet at all!

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How to pack (and live out of) a suitcase during a move

Carolyn, a reader of The Lovely Side and the blogger behind her own blog At Least I Will, commented on my recent post Top 10 Must-Haves for Packing with an ingenious packing/moving tip.

"I would also add to this list a suitcase/overnight bag for all the essentials you need the day/night you move in. No one should be tortured with trying to find toilet paper, contact solution, and pajamas after a long day of moving." - Carolyn, At Least I Will

Sneak Peek: My Next Place

The countdown is on. I officially have less than a month to pack up and clean up my current apartment before moving into this Victorian charmer. Don't you just love the gold, brick red, and sage green?! I sure do. And that little front porch? You can bet I'll be putting an adorable little bench out there for morning coffee drinking in the warmer months. 

Every Monday, I'll be sharing my packing/cleaning/moving progress. And once I'm all moved in, you'll have the unpacking/decorating/settling-in stuff to look forward to. I can't wait!

Until then... Learn more about my new home sweet apartment here, then check out my Top 10 Must-Haves for Packing (which I still need to hit up the dollar store for). 

Happy Monday, lovelies!

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10 Must-Haves You Need On-Hand Before Packing to Move

For me, packing is the absolute worst part of packing. At least in my case, my family and friends would have no idea how to pack things the way I'd want them packed. And I wouldn't want them sitting there watching me pack, being bored out of their minds. Speaking of boring, it is. It's so easy to get sucked into an episode of Downton Abbey while sitting on the floor surrounded by boxes. Then another episode. Then suddenly three hours are gone. And third, it's completely overwhelming.

When you're just starting to pack up, you've got a big mission ahead of you. The best thing is to get focused, stay caffeinated, and keep building momentum. The last thing you need is to realize you're out of tape, your marker has dried up, or the canister of coffee is empty.

Before I even touch a moving box, I'll be rounding up the packing supplies I already have on hand and hitting up the dollar store for the rest of them. Here are my packing must-haves:

It's Official: I'm Moving to a New Place!

You might have heard: I'm moving! I wasn't actively looking for a new apartment or intending to move, but when the "right place" pops up in a favorite neighborhood at a reasonable price... well, you go for it! During the next month, I'll be packing up and cleaning up my current place and then moving in and settling in to the new one. There will be plenty of packing, cleaning, and moving tips and stories to come, but first I wanted to share a little bit about my new digs.

10 DIY Projects on my To-Do List for the New Place

If you haven't heard the exciting news... I'm moving! In a little over a month, I'll be settling into a lovely main floor, two-bedroom unit in a Victorian house oozing with charm. I'll have more space to work with (and a location super convenient to antique shops), but since I'll be paying more in rent I'll need to be more thrifty and crafty with how I fill up the space. (No more Target shopping sprees.) 

So in gathering inspiration for my new digs, I've rounded up some do-it-myself projects on my to-do list. In no particular order...

Big News: I'm Moving... Maybe!

* * * 10/14/14 Update: I got the place. I will definitely be moving. :) * * *

I could use some happy thoughts and good-luck vibes sent my way this week, lovelies. I have big new looming: I might be moving. It's not in my name yet, but that's where I could use your well wishes sent all the way to Iowa. ;)

I've been in my lovely little apartment on the second floor of a big Victorian house for over a year now. While I've had no desperate urge to pack up and move again, I've kept my ears and eyes open for "greener pastures" - especially since my lease is now up at any time. And in casually hunting, I stumbled across some place wonderful. I went to check it out. And I fell in love.

Moving In | My Bare Necessities

I got the keys to my place this past weekend and moved in my bed, some clothes, and the bare living necessities. However, since I'm waiting to take advantage of family (my dad, mom, and sisters will be able to help next weekend) all of my furniture, kitchen stuff, decor, etc. etc. etc. is not yet here with me in the apartment.

Apartment Hunting: Reality Check

Hello from eastern Iowa!  I know I've been missing from the blogosphere for, well... too long.  So I figured I'd drop in and give you an update as to why.  To make a long story short: I landed a web content writing job two hours away from where I was living in Ames.  So in a mere two weeks I had to wrap things up at my social media job, pack up my attic apartment, and move all my stuff back home to my parents' place where it would stay until I found a place of my own.  

Last week was my first week on the new job.  It was a whirlwind week of training, navigating rush hour traffic, and a major apartment disappointment.

Moving Stage 1 | Purging Before Packing

So on this stormy April evening, I'm stuck up in the attic partaking in one of my least favorite activities: preparing to move.  I love the freshness of moving into a new place, but I hate the messy process of getting there.  And the first step in this process (as soon as I'm done procrastinating by blogging and watching Rules of Engagement) is a massive purge of everything I don't need.

Packing: Easier Blogged than Done

Welcome to my life right now.  I don't technically need to be out of my current apartment for a while.  And I don't have to be into my other for a while.  But on my days off, I've decided to feign motivation and get stuff done.  Like packing.  And moving little by little.

How-To Pack Up and Downsize for a College Move

(Image Courtesy of Anderson Transport Edinburgh http://anderson-transport.co.uk)

A few years ago, you came to college with only what you could fit in the back end of Dad's truck.  Semester after semester, stuff began to pile up.  And now as you get ready to move out, you find yourself needing to downsize.  There are a lots of reasons why you might be needing to trim down your belongings.  Perhaps you landed a summer internship in a far off city and just can't take that much with you.  Maybe you're studying abroad.  Or maybe... like me, you're moving into a smaller apartment.

In need of a hunk?

I'd fancy watching this guy lift and move my boxes!

So I'm getting ready to move from my teeny-tiny university-owned apartment into a nice house with two other girls.  (I'm soooo excited!)  And I know, I know--I never got around to posting pics of my current place.  I promise, they will be up by the end of next week.  Also, this time around I'm going to take before and after pictures... especially since I get to actually paint my room in the house!  Yes, I said paint!!

But amid this mess called moving, I'm sure many of you are suffering or about to suffer the woes of packing and moving out and moving in and unpacking.  (Oh, what a vicious cycle.)  Fortunately, I have the rare luxury of several weeks to little-by-little move my stuff into the new place.  Still, I long for the strong arms of a boy (or several) to help me in this process... especially now that I'm boyfriend-less.  And I was thinking that it would be a completely brilliant idea for someone to start a company in which people can hire young, virile college boys to help haul boxes.  Then I remembered some blurb in Cosmo or something about that already being a company.

College Hunks Hauling Junk.  I couldn't have thought of a better name myself.  Unfortunately, the company hasn't branched out to Iowa.  So instead I'll resort to moving the stuff little-by-little by myself... and promise pizza and beer to any young gents willing to lend a hand with the big stuff.

Happy Friday, lovelies!

Bedroom Out of a Box

You landed your dream internship.  Problem is... you have to pack up and move five or more hours from home or your current apartment for 10 weeks.  Relocating is stressful, especially if it's just for the summer and you have to move again come August.  Just because you have to pack light doesn't mean you have to sacrifice decor.  

Imagine this space as a simple studio apartment.  For a short summer internship, you probably won't need more than a bed to crash into at night.  A vintage bed like this one is easy to take apart and is light enough to transport on your own.  You probably wont' need the big surf board or skate board.  Leave most of your decorative accessories at home to avoid clutter.   Decorate your walls with clippings from magazines you buy or favorite photos.  Additionally, a chair is easier to bring with you than a heavy nightstand.  Plus, it'll serve double-duty as a place to sit.

Whether you're in a temp apartment or a school-year-long lease, here are some decor ideas to ditto:

1. First of all, check out how neutral it is.  White walls.  This could be any white-walled dorm or apartment.  Granted, we aren't all lucky enough to have high ceiling, parquet floors and a vintage fireplace mantle... but focus on the fact that this room is colorful without having to paint the walls.  And that, my lovely undergrads, gives us renters hope!

2. Your bed is the focus of your bedroom.  Amp it up!  Vintage headboards/footboards/frames are not hard to come by.  Keep your eyes open at thrift stores, flea markets, antique shops, garage sales and your grandparents' attic.  If it's got great color like this one, keep it at is.  If it's too beat up or not colorful enough, spray paint works wonders.  Dress up your bed with the loveliest bedding possible.  Florals are everywhere right now.  If you feel like splurging, check out Anthropologie.  Go half-way with Urban Outfitters.  Or even hit up your local Target.

Anthropologie's Laelia Quilt is swoon-worthy, no?

3.  Don't be afraid to mismatch.  One of the ideas I really love from this room is the mismatched curtains.  It gives the room an eclectic, somewhat bohemian vibe.  Look for different colors and patterns, but sticking to patterns of similar size will look best.  The colors and patterns of these curtains are different, but the overall scale of the prints are quite similar.  Blue and green are also close neighbors on the color wheel, so it makes mixing patterns a little easier.  But if you're feeling adventurous and risky and feel like opposing turquoise and hot pink... I say "Go for it!" 

4.  Creative chaos.  Who knew a little bit of mess could be a design statement?  Messiness is creeping into decor in quiet corners... like how the photos and magazine clippings are haphazardly posted on the wall above the bed.  It's creative, visually appealing and way more interesting than a neat little grid would be.

5.  Think outside the nightstand.  As college students, we're often short on money.  If you don't have a bedside table, but inherited one of Aunt Vickie's extra dining chairs... use it!  Get creative with your furnishings.  Use what you have before spending money on something you don't really need.  Besides, chairs next to the bed made a very cool statement, especially if it's vintage or painted a fun, bright color!

For Lovely Undergrad's post on more alternative nightstand ideas, click here!! (Image via: Apartment Therapy)

6.  Grow something.  Plants and flowers instantly living up a space.  Can't keep a cute little plant like the one in this room alive?  Opt for a succulent---they don't need watered very much and are hard to kill.  (Great for girls like me who don't have a green thumb!)


Hope you got lots of good ideas from this space!  I know I did--I can't wait to find some lovely patterned curtains to mismatch. ;)