March 2nd, 2012 
Emily 
Moving is annoying. No one ever says, “I’m so excited to pack up everything I own, rent a truck, carry my stuff down three flights of stairs, fight with my significant other/family/roommates, and move all that stuff into a new apartment in the next 24 hours”.
I have lived in six different apartments in three different states in the past five years, and it’s still annoying. But all this moving has helped me recognize the silver lining in a stressful experience. Here are the hidden advantages of moving frequently:
1. Ever watch Hoarders: Buried Alive? You will never be those people.
I love watching Hoarders. I’m fascinated by the strange ways people attach themselves to stuff. When you move frequently, you realize that stuff is just stuff. And so you get rid of anything that doesn’t truly mean something to you. I have found that it’s better to toss that 7th grade Honor Roll trophy than to squeeze it behind your left shoulder, which is the only space left in your moving truck, for a 150 mile drive.
2. You get a fresh canvas.
Before each move I get excited to decorate a new space. I scope out deals at home furnishing stores and spend hours talking to my husband about where we will put the elephant poop paintings and the wicker linen chest. Each of our apartments has been noticeably better-decorated than the last because we have been able to try so many different things. I’ve gotten many ideas from the website apartmenttherapy.com.
3. You get to be the brighter, shinier version of yourself.
When you move to a new place, people don’t know you. You can choose which part of your persona to introduce to each new acquaintance. I’ve found that parts of me will never change, but when I want to work on being more outgoing, more patient, or more relaxed, it’s easier to be that person in a new setting.
4. You get it down to a science.
After you’ve moved a few times, it gets easier. You remember to leave your cell phone charger and a roll of toilet paper out when you pack. (Trust me, it’s not fun to get to your new place, go to the bathroom, and then realize that your new place does not come supplied with TP.) You know what days are cheapest for renting moving trucks. You and your spouse fight less because you each have a routine for preparing for a move.
5. You get an excuse for eating fast food every night for a week straight. (That’s right, this is my second post in a row about fast food. I LOVE fast food.)
There are no dishes to wash, no leftovers to suffer through. And just when you’re getting sick of fast food, you’ll be unpacking your pots and pans and feeling extra-motivated to cook.
My sister is moving into a new apartment this weekend. Let’s cheer her up. In your experience, what are the some of the advantages of moving?
Photo by: Nathan O’Nions
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This pretty much sums it up, Em! I especially love the whole fresh canvas thing. I am already getting decorating ideas for our new place via Pinterest. Just yesterday I was going through boxes of stuff that have been sitting in a room since we moved into this place about a year ago… We will be moving in about two months, so I went through those boxes and ended up with two large garbage bags, a huge box of recyclables, and two boxes of things to donate. It felt good.
I saw you were moving–congrats! I can’t wait to see pics of your new place, and in the meantime, I’ll check out your Pinterest.
Here’s what I’ve got for your sister, off the top of my head:
1. The annoyances of your last apartment are a thing of the past – that leaky faucet, the lack of well-placed outlets in the living room, etc.
2. At the end of the big move day, when everybody has gone, you get to eat pizza and open a bottle of wine in your new place. For all the piles of boxes and frayed nerves, it’s still your sweet, new place.
3. There are usually some nice surprises to discover. Maybe the parking is easier, the grocery store is better, the neighbors are quieter or more likely to understand about your late-night piano playing, etc.
4. And, there’s always the reason for the move. There’s something that made it worth doing. After the first few days, that’s what you’re left with – something you wanted that much in the first place.
Thanks Linda, those are all such great, thoughtful things. Also for #3- once we discovered that the previous tenant left a bottle of champagne for us in the fridge..on purpose, with a “Welcome” card and everything! So sweet.
I moved this weekend, and the best part was picking out the paint for the living and bedrooms. And I can’t wait to hang my own elephant poop art from South Africa tonight!
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