Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself…..

It’s been almost six years since I started this blog. And, what an amazing mix of ups and downs I’ve had since then. Life has changed – dramatically. I’m a different person. I’m in a different place in life, too. I’ve learned so much about myself and made some pretty big life decisions along the way.

This blog originally started out as a humorous take on being a new mom and trying to manage it all. I was overwhelmed, insanely busy, knew nothing about being a parent (who does?!), and found myself laughing quite often at what being a parent really meant. Let me give you a hint: have wet wipes with you at all times. Like, a lot of them. You’re welcome.

While I do still share funny parenting stories and mom must-haves, I’ve expanded the blog over the years to a more “lifestyle” blog sharing ALL things I love. Even though my boys are my life, remembering who I am and doing things that feed my soul are important too. Take note moms: don’t lose yourself in the process of raising your family. No one wins when you do that.

When I started this blog, I was a full-time working mom. Let’s be honest, I was more than full-time. Do 40-hour workweeks in corporate even exist? I was a Director of Sales over events for a prominent luxury hotel in downtown Chicago. I was also on the executive team. I loved my job. I loved my team. But, I didn’t love the hours. My brain had so many tabs open that eventually my brain exploded. Not for real, but that’s what it felt like. Like, I was in a downward spiral begging for air.

You see, I’m a “yes” girl and in that setting – being a “yes” girl was probably not the best idea for me. I worked 24/7 to appease all those around me and stay in the lead of the imaginary race I was running in my head. Eventually, my body caught up to my mind and I got really sick. Stress is a dangerous thing, and when it takes over your body it can be very scary.

A thyroid disease (which made my hair fall out in fist fulls!), infertility issues, depression and anxiety were my new normal. But, don’t worry. I eventually recognized I couldn’t go on like that and I walked away from a life I thought I loved to save myself and my family. Thank goodness I made this decision, because right after – God blessed me with my miracle rainbow baby.

My miracle baby (2014)!

So, there I was – a mid-30 something starting over. I was excited, but terrified at the same time. I wanted to be a writer and had always been the go-to girl to help others find the right words – so, why not start sharing them myself? I started this blog, submitted my work to any website that would allow, networked with writers, bloggers, publishers, and became a social media expert to expand my resume and it worked!

It wasn’t easy to put myself out there at first and that’s coming from someone who would be considered an extrovert. The Internet can also be a very nasty place. Over the years I got used to the criticism, the eye-rolling and the mean comments, but in the end – putting myself out there fostered new friendships, partnerships, more opportunities and a stronger me. I’d say that’s a win!

About two years after I started writing I was approached by several companies to help them build their brands on social media which lead me to a lot of influencer work, which lead me to partner with Rodan + Fields, a premium skin care brand that was once sold in high-end retail and now solely through e-commerce. You may have heard of them now, but in 2014 when I partnered with them, R+F was still a gem waiting to be discovered by the masses. I now have a team of over 300 people in the U.S, Canada and Australia! I love the company, their products (#1 in North America!), and I love how they have changed so many lives.

My team and I celebrating a big accomplishment with R+F!

So here I am now – a business owner, writer, author (my next book is being released in just a few weeks!), social influencer, mom and wife trying to live my best life and sharing the journey with all of you. If you like to surround yourself with people who try to inspire others, share what they’ve earned, have lots of fun, and live life to the fullest – then I’m your gal. I’ll be your internet bestie! Thank you to all the ladies and gents who’ve stuck with me since 2012 and have watched this journey unfold, too. Your support means the world to me! I have a lot more road ahead of me, but I’m looking forward to sharing it with all of you under this blog’s new name: Hollydays Chicago, where every day is a Holly-day!

Now, let’s go have some fun.

Xo,

Holly

Considering A Renovation? Read This First

First, I’ll state that I am in NO way shape or form an expert on renovation or design. To be clear, my knowledge of home renovation stems from obsessively watching HGTV for the last 10 years and having a big brother who was a contractor for 20+ years. I have my Pinterest boards, love strolling through design showrooms on weekends and have two amazing friends, Keki and Ann, who inspire me daily. If you want to hear from real experts, they are your gals.

Aside from that – it’s the blind leading the blind. Wanted to throw that out there to check your expectations of me. However, since I just went through (well, still going through) a renovation, I thought I’d share some of my beginner tips!

I live in Chicago, which is an expensive city, so we just bought our very first home. YAY! When we signed on the dotted line, I couldn’t wait to move in and call it home. Finally! No more sharing a bathroom with three boys. I know, right! Torture. Go pee on your own toilet seat now! Just saying. No more sharing walls – even though my neighbors have always been pretty cool! And, no more tight living quarters for my boys. Thank you sweet Jesus.

But, before we could move in we had a LOT of work to do. The house had great bones, but was outdated and not our taste. The 90s were an interesting time. Lots of browns, dark greens, mustard yellows and in this house – a lot of teal. Since I just crawled my way out of the “baby stage” of my life and no longer have to change 1000s of diapers a day (okay, sometimes it just felt like 1000s) – those are colors I don’t care to see for a very long time. So, we changed everything!

What we’ve done so far and some (wanna be pro?) tips:

Paint the inside of the entire house.

  • HIRE someone to paint your ceilings unless you want to be at the chiropractor every day the rest of your life. WORTH the money. You can paint the easy stuff: bathrooms, inside of closets, small bedrooms, etc.
  • If you need help painting, ask for a recommendation on a neighborhood or mom Facebook group! You can find someone who does side jobs and get a deal. I paid a fraction of what it would normally cost to do my main floor because I gave the business to an independent guy who just wanted some extra cash.

Gutted and redid our kitchen.

  • Facebook Market Place – USE IT! It would have cost us $1000 in demo with our kitchen contractor to remove our old kitchen, so I posted it on FB Market Place! I prefaced with ONLY contractors or experienced handymen to remove, that way they didn’t destroy the walls and/or plumbing. Someone came with his team who renovates properties and removed our old kitchen – granite and all! I made money and saved the $1000 it would have cost to demo. There are also non-profits that will come and take it out for free and use it to build homes, etc.
  • Go small. We love supporting small businesses! We used Boca Cabinets (if you live in Chicago – they are amazing!). They were several thousand less in pricing than other big box stores and we got a great product.
  • Pay people in cash if you can! We had saved up for renovation so had cash for the larger items. If you pay in cash you avoid the credit card transaction fee and they will pass that savings on to you.

 

 

Refinished the fire place.

  • We hired someone to do this, but I think after a few YouTube videos we could have done it ourself. We ended up doing most of one of our bathrooms and several other jobs ourselves – after learning how to do it on Youtube! You can do a lot more than you think you can!

 

 

Remodeled Guest Bathroom.

  • Negotiate! Contractors (or anyone in sales) usually throws out the higher prices because they are ready for you to bring it down. A lot of people take the first price and consider it the final. I’ve been in sales my whole life – so I love to negotiate a deal! You want to be fair and pay people for their hard work, but you also don’t want to be ripped off. The worst they can say is no! I didn’t pay any of the original quotes on any work in this house. Just ask, “Is the best you can do?”, or get several quotes and see who will match the lowest one.
  • Use the same contractor, or his connections, for multiple jobs. This will allow for more negotiation – and you won’t have to worry about scheduling issues.

Ripped out all carpet and put in hardwoods.

  • We (my husband, my 7 year old son and myself) ripped out all the carpet. Easy peasy and saved on labor!
  • Paid in cash to get discounts for hard wood.
  • While you’re doing the floors, might as well replace all the base boards and shoe. It makes the house look instantly better – and updated!

My stairs are my favorite thing in the house. I just love them!

 

 

Replaced all doors.

  • We did all our shopping during black Friday sales – so paid almost half for all the interior doors, closet doors and appliances AND carpet for our basement. Wait for those sales around the holiday times.
  • We removed all the casings ourselves and painted all the doors, again, to save on labor.
  • SELL all your old stuff on FB MARKET PLACE! I’m telling you – we sold all our old appliances, closet bi-fold doors, trim, etc. on FB. We were making money as fast as we were spending it.

Repainted all our outdoor decks.

  • Must easier and cheaper than sanding and staining.
  • A good ole’ power washer can make a world of difference, too.

Remodeled our guest bathroom.

  • Did demo ourselves and hired a handyman to help install new vanity, toilet, and lay the tile.

We still have our two upstairs bathrooms to finish, which we will get to next year. We did all of the above in three weeks, you guys. Three weeks. It was mayhem, but we made it happen and I still can’t believe this is my home. Now, on to filling it and putting in the final touches.  This is where my blogger and IG design friends come in!

My last bit of advice is to have fun and keep your eyes on the prize. It’s all worth it in the end, I promise! You can check out the process and more before and afters on my Insta Stories under “Home”.

Share your renovation secrets with us in the comments!

 

 

 

 

Quick & Easy Egg Muffin Recipe

You guys – I love making these little egg muffins! There are so quick and easy and my whole family eats them up! Even my extremely picky toddler devours these, so you know they are good! I’ve posted about them a few times on social and had several requests for the recipe – so here you go!

What you’ll need to make a dozen egg muffins:

  • 7 Eggs
  • Your favorite fillings – (I always use a protein and a vegetable)
  • Olive oil
  • Muffin tin

Okay, let’s get started…..

Get a large bowl and crack 7 large eggs and whisk to blend. On a separate plate, combine your favorite fillings to add to the eggs. Today I used turkey, bacon, green onions, spinach (I used frozen) and cheese. Pro tip: To save time of preparing chicken, turkey or bacon – I head to Whole Foods before the weekend and grab a to-go box full of these meats off the salad bar! I use them for the week on my salads, too! Such a time saver!

Take your muffin fillings and pour them into the mixture of eggs and whisk all together until completely blended. I leave the cheese out to top half of muffins for my boys. They are cheese addicts. I am a recovering one – so I leave the cheese out of mine.

Once your mixture is nicely blended, take a 1/2 cup measuring cup and scoop out the mixture to pour into the tins individually. Before you pour be sure to oil up the tins with olive oil. I like to use regular oil instead of the spray. I spread it evenly with my fingers on each tin so the muffins won’t stick or fall apart. Fill each tin up 3/4 to the top.

Once the tin is filled – place in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

I always use a butter knife to poke the center at the end of 25 minutes to make sure they are done. If you pull the knife out and still see some liquid, leave them in the oven another 2-3 minutes.

Let them cool before enjoying. I also like to add a little avocado slice to the top once finished. Bon Appétit!

 

You can find more great recipes and product reviews from our friends at the Village Bakery, too!

10 Sanity Saving Tips for Moving with Young Children

Moving can bring out the worst part of yourself. There is so much to do, and you never
feel like there is enough time to do it all. Add your kids into the mix, and there are
guaranteed to be meltdowns.

We just recently went through this and let me tell you – it was NOT easy. The kids want to “help” with packing and unpacking and you have to entertain them all simultaneously. Give yourself time to get things done so you don’t create extra stress. Moving can be exciting and you want to find joy in this new chapter in your life.

Thanks to our friends at Allied Van lines for their pro tips on moving with small children.

1. Talk about your expectations for the move with your kids. If possible, take them to the
new house that you moving into before the big day. Kids want to know that they're
safe and secure. Having rules set out ahead of time can ease some of the stress. Let
them pick their rooms and get excited about moving.

2. Plan ahead when it comes to packing. Start early and let your kids help you. This will
make them feel more included in the process and less likely to throw a tantrum. Don’t
save it for the last minute. This will only increase your stress load.

3. Make sure to label the boxes with your kids things very clearly. You want to be able
to find the toy that they want quickly. This way you can avoid the inevitable meltdown
that always seems to occur at the worst possible moment.

4. Have a moving bag packed ahead of time. For younger kids, it is a good idea to
include pull ups and a change of clothes. Pack snacks and other essentials. Let your
kids put their favorite toys in the bag. You want something that will keep them
entertained so that you can focus on the job of moving.

5. Throw a going away party before the big moving day. You want your kids to have
some closure about leaving their home. It doesn’t have to be a big event. It may even be
a party just for your family. Visit the places that your kids spent a lot of time. Talk to
them about how there will be new places that they will love at your new home.

6. Ask for help on the day of the move. Maybe a friend or babysitter can watch your kids
while everything is being packed into the moving truck. You want to be able to focus on the task at hand. Providing a source of distraction for your kids will allow you to do this safely.

7. When you get to your new home, make your kids rooms a priority. You want to make
them feel secure in their new environment. Having familiar items around will make the
adjustment period smoother.

8. Your second priority should be the kitchens and bathrooms. Consider having
groceries delivered to your new home. You want to make your home livable for your first
night.

9. Don’t rush to get everything unpacked. Decide what you absolutely need to have
available to you. This is where clearly labeling your boxes will pay off. You want to get
your family settled into their new surroundings. This will make the transition easier on
your kids.

10. Take some time for yourself through this process. Being stressed out will only stress
out your kids more.

Moving is emotionally draining for the whole family. Taking the time to deal with these
emotions can make your move more successful. Plan ahead, and don’t rush yourself.
Moving is a big adjustment and stressful for everyone, but once you’re in your new home – it’s all worth it! Start creating memories!

Why Charleston Is One Of The Best Cities For Millennials

My father grew up in Charleston and it’s always been one of my favorite cities. I spent many summers there as a kid, and just took my family there this past summer. The food, the southern charm, the people and the overall vibe makes it one of the best cities to be in or to live in!

Charleston, South Carolina has long been known as one of the most beautiful cities on the East Coast. From breathtaking beaches to stunning architecture, Charleston continues to charm both tourists and locals alike. The millennial set in particular seem to be especially drawn to Charleston, and for good reason. In recent years, Charleston has been recognized for having one of the most booming tech startup economies in the country, as well as a flourishing arts and music scene. Here are just a few reasons why Charleston is one of the best cities for millennials.

photo credit: Travel Channel

 Thriving Local Scene

One of the biggest reasons so many millennials love Charleston is because the city is rich in culture and activity. There is always something going on, and millennials living in Charleston rarely find themselves with nothing to do. The city boasts many great restaurants and bars, as well as countless quaint shops and cafes. While walking along King Street, you’ll probably notice many young people sitting at outdoor restaurants chatting or working on their laptops. King Street is home to many amazing restaurants and bars, and is a popular nightlife area for local millennials. Charleston is also known to be a culturally rich city, and boasts several art galleries that attract both locals and tourists. Charleston’s thriving local scene is one of the biggest draws for the millennial set.

Booming Tech Scene

California’s Silicon Valley was once considered the hub for all things technology, but Charleston’s Silicon Harbor has been rising up in the ranks as well.  Silicon Harbor is home to more than 250 tech companies, which employs about 11,000 people. This has made Charleston one of the top U.S. cities for IT job growth, and tech-savvy millennials are flocking to the city for this reason. Visiture, Advantage Media Group, and Blue Acorn are just a few of the tech companies based in Charleston, along with countless others. For millennials looking for employment in tech-related fields outside of Silicon Valley, Charleston’s Silicon Harbor continues to be a popular choice.

Quality of Life

The high quality of life is one of the main reasons more and more millennials are flocking to Charleston. Aside from beautiful Charleston real estate and a flourishing social scene, people in Charleston just seem happier. Perhaps it’s the near-perfect weather, the beautiful beaches, or the many fun and exciting things to do.  Whatever it is, it’s definitely helped Charleston continue to be known as one of the best places to live for people of all ages, especially millennials. In 2016, Charleston was recognized as the “Best City In The World”, and anyone who lives there will probably agree. Charleston is the ideal city for millennials who want to live in a beautiful and exciting city with amazing job opportunity and a high quality of life.  

If you’re looking to relocate – put Charleston on the list!

photo credit: wheretraveler

Tipping The Scale Back to Center

Life is hard. Being a mom is hard. Being a working mom is really hard. Being a friend is hard. Being a wife is hard. Did I cover everything?

I recently turned 40. I know, I don’t look a day over 25 (at least that’s what I like to tell myself). After hitting this milestone, I’ve finally decided that I’m enough. I work hard at two different jobs. I love my kids. I love my friends. I love my husband. That love may not be shown every day in my actions, but it’s there and it’s real.

For the last twenty years, I’ve had a tendency to put everyone before me. I’ve sacrificed my happiness, my wishes, my sleep, my money and my time for those around me. Some deserved it – while others did not. When you spend so many years doing this – it becomes the expectation from those around you. Then you make life even harder for yourself.

I’ve talked to so many women about this unattainable expectation we continually try to live up to and we all feel the same. We wish we could clone ourselves or be in two different places at once, win the lotto and hire a staff to help – none of which is possible. Maybe the lotto part and if that happened then the staff comes, but let’s be honest here – we aren’t winning the lotto anytime soon.

Once I became a mom, this problem I had became worse. Friendships suffered because naturally my kids had to come first. I’ve had to cancel trips, dinner dates and countless girl’s nights. I’ve had to miss weddings and baby showers out of town due to finances or work. I’ve had to tell my kids “no” to outings because I physically didn’t have the energy to even get them or myself dressed. I’m burned out. I’m tired. I’m not 20 years old anymore.

But, now, entering my 40s – I’m not going to feel guilty about it any more. I’m also going to be more understanding when the tables are reversed. I’m going to give myself a morning to sleep in. I’m not going to overextend myself or over schedule my calendar. I’m going to make each day count. I’m going to be present in one activity at a time instead of only giving 30% to three activities at once. Extreme multi-tasking is a thing of my past. It’s not cool anymore.

Moving forward, I’m taking the advice of Randi Zuckerberg: Choose three. Each day choose  three things to focus on. Choose from family, friends, fitness, finances, faith, or what ever is most important to you. Today is my fitness, finance and family day. My family is ultimately my #1, but it’s okay if they aren’t my #1 every day. The more balanced you are, the happier your family is. My friends are important to me, but I can’t always be the one keeping the friendship alive either. My husband is my partner in life, but a night out with the girls makes my time spent with him even more special.

If you struggle to find balance too – stop feeling guilty because you can’t volunteer (or don’t want to) at your kid’s school. Start taking care of yourself – you deserve that mani-pedi with the girls. Say “no” more, and if people don’t understand – that’s not your problem. Choose three – three is enough. You are enough. <3

Making….AND Keeping Those New Year’s Resolutions

WE did it! We made it to another year. That’s a goal achieved in and of itself, right?! I would say so.

This is my favorite time of year. A clean slate. A new start. A refreshed state. A cleared mind. Each new year presents the opportunity to make changes, enhance your life or start anew.  Now is the best time to look for that new job, or get your health and finances in check. Unfortunately, the excitement and determination with New Year’s resolutions fades fast and most give up before they even remember to write 2018 – instead of 2017.

So, how can you do it? How can you keep those New Year’s resolutions?

Start with your WHY.

Your “why” has to be a strong one. Unbreakable. Why did you choose this specific resolution? If your WHY makes you cry – then you have a greater chance of sticking with your goals.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight – is it because your health is depending on it? Or, because none of your clothes fit? Are you on medications for weight related issues and want to get off them? Is your health creating a negative impact on your life? These would all be great reminders when you feel like giving up. Make giving up not an option.

Is your resolution truly achievable?

When people make goals they have a tendency to go big or go home. Should you dream big? Yes, ut, those dreams have to  be achievable. When you make grandiose goals – you put too much pressure on yourself and as time goes on you get more and more discouraged.

Make little individual goals to help you achieve your end goal. 

If your goal is to finish a marathon, the last thing you want to do at the starting line is think about the 26 miles you have in front of you. Talk about overwhelming! If you tell yourself to make it to mile five and then see how you feel – you’re much more likely to continue on with another five miles, and another and another.

Take it one day at a time. 

If you want to lose thirty pounds by year end, make a goal of losing three pounds per month. If you only focus on the end goal – you assume you have so much more time to get there. Then, December rolls around and you turn into a maniac trying to make magic happen. Spoiler alert – you’re not a magician. Make a decision every day to eat healthy. If you slip one day, don’t beat yourself up – just start over the next day.

Make a plan.
A goal without a plan is just a wish. You’re not going to wish your way to a slimmer waistline, although that would be amazing if you could! So, how are you going to lose the weight? You need to go to the gym a minimum of two days a week. You need to track 20,000 steps a day. Sunday can be your cheat day. Start a meal plan, etc.
Celebrate each victory – big or small. 
If your goal was to pay off debt, but you only paid off half – that’s a victory! You worked toward your goal and made some headway. This is not an all or nothing goal. You may have underestimated the timeline, but the important thing was that you stuck to it! Move the end date back and pour a glass of bubbles because you deserve to celebrate!
Take these tips and own your 2018.
Wishing you all a year filled with blessings and resolution successes!

 

 

 

This Holiday Season – All You Need Is…..Play!

In today’s world we’ve been taken over by our smartphones. I’m the first to admit – I have an addition. Plus, when you use your smartphone to run your business, it’s easy to get caught up in endless hours of social media scrolling,  Youtube videos and random articles.
But, this holiday season – I challenge you to….PLAY. Put down the phone and pick up a fun family game. Some of my favorite childhood memories involved game nights playing UNO, Skipbo, or my all time favorite – Sorry! As a mother now, I want to bring back those family nights and give my kids the gift of play and my undivided attention.
There’s one Chicagoan who I’d like to introduce you to who’s keeping the importance of PLAY and innovation alive – and her name is Mary Couzin. I met Mary a year ago and was instantly inspired by her. Not only has she been inventing games for the last 25 years, but she has made it her mission to promote Chicago as the leading toy and game inventing capitol of the world. She took her philosophy of play teaches us how to socially interact with each other and her passion for toy and game invention and founded ChiTag. Chitag is America’s largest toy and game fair and it’s celebrating its 15 year anniversary this November.

Chitag brings experienced and new toy and game inventors from around the world to share their inventions with YOU. Chitag also has an awards gala which celebrates inventors and awards TAGIEs to young and experienced inventors for their creations. The categories range from: Top Inventor of the Year to Young Inventor to even Top Marketing Teams. You can see who is up for these prestigious awards and even cast your vote for your favorite finalist here.
I met several of the local finalist this week, and my favorite in the Young Inventor of the Year category was Olivia Wasilewski and Brynna Siewers for their game, Ship of Treasures. Ship of Treasures was voted the best game from among 125 finalists in a special international challenge for young inventors. These young ladies also mentioned that 10% of the proceeds from the sales of their game were being donated to Lurie’s Children’s Hospital in honor of their friend who passed away from cancer.
Here are some other local Chicagoland toy inventors on the finalist list for a coveted TAGIE award:
Brady Peterson, for Rising Star of the Year for Groovy Blocks (Mindware)
Joyce Sprau, for Rising Star of the Year for Flower Fairies Secret Garden (Ultimate Source)
Ruth Green-Synowic, for Toy Inventor of the Year for Paint-Sation (Goliath Games)
I encourage you to check out all the inventors and we’d love for you to join us at ChiTag this year at Navy Pier, November 18 & 19th. Get your tickets here.
Bring the family and let’s celebrate play and innovation together!
 

Planning A Camping Trip Just Became So Much Easier…

Perfect timing to hear about this awesome new booking site! My family and I have been talking about camping forever – but my how things have changed since I was a kid. We were researching and researching and it became exhausting! But, now there’s Rover Pass. If you’re a family who loves to camp or wants to do so in the future – you need to check this out!

RoverPass is a free online booking site with thousands of listings for RV parks and campgrounds. Campers who use RoverPass can quickly and easily find and reserve campsites across the country without having to place a call. Each campground listing is complete with reviews, campsite activities/amenities, pictures, and more.

They also offer free tools and services to campground owners that help them to reach more RVers. Campgrounds without an online presence can get a free website built for them, up and running within days. The most important feature, however, is the booking system owners will now have access too. It builds upon whatever the company’s current setup is to provide customer support, simple “click-to-book” reservations, and easy payment option. Most competitors charge hundreds of dollars for similar reservation systems.

Lastly, the company offers a Frequent Traveler Club. This membership allows you to book through RoverPass for free as much you’d like over the course of a period of a month, six months, or a full year. It’s perfect for those planning to travel across the states, from San Diego to Myrtle Beach, and stay at dozens of parks along the way!

Moving Soon? Here’s What You Need To Do…..

Are you moving? Having trouble prioritizing your preparation process? Here are some great tips to prepare you for setting up in your new home. Happy moving! 

Moving can be a very exciting but stressful time. From deciding which items to keep or get rid of, to making sure all of your utilities are set up on time – it can be easy to overlook important things. Today, I will be sharing a few tips to help make the moving process a little less overwhelming.

Sort Through Your Belongings

One of the first things you should do when preparing for your big move is to determine which items you will take with you to your new place and which items you to get rid of. Any prized possessions or items that have sentimental value should be taken with you, whereas any items that are old or worn out should be sold, donated or thrown out. If you’re having trouble deciding if you should keep or get rid of an item, think of the last time you used it. If you can’t remember the last time you used an item or it’s been years, chances are you don’t really need it. Here is a great article on items that you should get rid of before you move.

 

Buying/Replacing Items

Since you’ll have a new space to fill and will also be getting rid of items, you’ll have to buy new items to replace the old and fill up your new space. Instead of having to worry about moving these new items (especially bigger pieces like furniture and appliances) into your new home, try to purchase items from companies who will ship your new items right to your front door. Companies like Wayfair will ship furniture, home décor, and kitchen appliances right to your new home. If you’re replacing your mattress, Casper will also ship your mattress directly to your front door.

 

Packing

Now that you’ve determined what items you will be keeping and what items you’ll be getting rid of, it’s time to begin packing! Try to create a system to organize your items. Don’t take the easy route and just throw your things into random boxes. Remember that everything has to be unpacked and put away too. Sort items by room and put them into their respective boxes that way you can unpack each room one at a time. Don’t forget to label your boxes! This will make things easier when you unpack and help keep track of items you may be looking for.  Still overwhelmed? You can hire people to do all the packing for you. Check out rates in your area. The money might be worth it – if it saves your sanity! 

 

Schedule Serice/Utility Appointments

Lastly, before you move in to your new home make sure that all of your service/utility appointments are scheduled. Some services like cable and internet schedule their appointments months out, so make sure to call ahead of time to ensure that your services are ready in time for your big move. Don’t forget to switch over your power and water to your new place as well! 

Lastly, don’t forget to forward your address with the post office. You don’t want to have to hunt down packages or mail once you move.

After all this – you’re all packed and ready to move! Congratulations! Enjoy your new place, make memories and have fun personalizing your new space!

What are your tips for a smooth move?