It’s not uncommon to move a few times in your twenties, but I could win an award for the number of times I’ve changed my address since college. I never planned it that way, but the gypsy lifestyle was apparently more in my cards than I anticipated. This month would have been my last chance to let my current landlady know if I’m not renewing; since I haven’t drafted any written notice, I guess I’m staying. It’s a scary, foreign concept to someone who’s moved five and half times in the past four and a half years (during that half move, my possessions and I were living out of three different locations, and none of them technically mine… except the car, which could have counted as a second storage unit). Why so transitory? From rent being raised to a roommate who moved out of state for love to wanting to be closer to work, I’d like to reiterate that none of these moves were really spurred by an uninfluenced desire to pack, recruit friends, buy a U-Haul, put down 3 months’ rent, live out of boxes for weeks, and finally finish decorating just in time to do it all over again.  To illustrate my point, I give you a visual aid (excludes move from Florida to West Norriton as well as the half move). As points of reference, the orange dotted line indicates (a rough estimate of) the Philadelphia city limits, and the red circle encloses the general Center City area.

As a practically professional mover, I do have a few pieces of wisdom to consider when you’re planning a move (or moving without having had a plan to, my specialty):

• You will break at least one item each move. Be prepared for it; it will happen.

• Pack the bottle opener last, but don’t worry about glasses. It’s more memorable and gets more “likes” on social media if use random objects as toasting goblets. If you do forget where you packed the wine bottle opener and you’re not celebrating with champagne or a twist off, see this video.

• Throw a housewarming party the weekend after your move. I still can’t decide if this was the smartest or stupidest thing I did, but my last move I threw a housewarming party a couple days after I moved in. It forces you to get organized, get some decorations together, and jump start your new life!

• You will lose things in moves that you won’t know you’ve lost until, most likely, you see an old photo of said items. But seriously, where did that dress go? Didn’t I have a beaded purse at some point? And how does a heavy glass measuring/mixing cup just walk away? MOVING BOX GNOMES?!

• If you feel even a small red-flag feeling when dealing with a landlord/management company, don’t ignore it. It means something; listen to it and analyze if it’s going to be worth dealing with when it inevitably rears its fat, ugly head at the least convenient time. This is general life advice, actually.

As a reflective person, I certainly learned lessons, made memories, and grew in each stage of my life under the roof of many a different home. Perhaps I’m not done with the memories, personal development, and laundry frustrations of my current space and I’ll hang out here another year or so. But don’t hold your breath… ~CkB

 

An early Happy Birthday shout out to the best landlady of all time, Mom!