• Home
  • About Me
  • Projects
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact me

The Frugal Homemaker

Your guide to turning your house into a home... one DIY project and yard sale find at a time

5 ways to get ready for a future move (+ enter to win $100 AmEx gift card)

September 19, 2015

Disclosure: Post and giveaway sponsored by XFINITY, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.

Moving.  I don’t know about you but that brings a sense of excitement, but also brings an even greater sense of dread.  Oh, the to do lists!  Packing, sorting, finding boxes, turning on/off utilities, changing your address with a list of different places, the physical loading and unloading of everything, finding your way around in a new area, did I mention the PACKING and UNPACKING?!    Add on to that the stress of buying/selling/finding someplace to live…  I can see why moving ranks as the 3rd most stressful life event.

5 ways to prepare NOW for a future move

It looks like a move will be in the somewhat near future for us.  I know some of you are saying – NO!  Not after she worked on her pretty kitchen, or did this or that – believe me I am thinking the same thing! Smile  But I am also thinking what kind of adventure waits ahead in a future home!   It won’t be super soon – probably in the next year depending on the housing market and several other factors.  This is our first home – the home I learned how to be a wife/homemaker in, the home I have poured my heart into and learned how to DIY/decorate on a budget in, and it holds many memories.  We will stay in the general area, but need a house with a bit different layout, maybe a little more land, and in a different location.  It will be a bittersweet move and a much more difficult move than when we moved in 11 years ago.  We had only been married a year when we moved in and had a table and 4 chairs, my husband’s bedroom set, a loveseat and that is IT!  We have added just a little bit of furniture and accessories since then. Smile  #Iblametheyardsales Winking smile

I am a huge thinker/planner always wanting to plan ahead for the next event in life.  So knowing that a move may be on the horizon already has me thinking/planning/preparing.   Even though we might not list our home for 6-9 more months these are the things I am starting to work on now:

1. Purge.

moving boxes

And purge some more.  I have been going through my house ruthlessly getting rid of old décor, of things we don’t use, things we don’t need.  When you ask yourself the question, “Would I want to pack and move this item?” – that can be a great motivator to get rid of things you are holding on to “just because” or because “I might need this one day”.  I am sure that when it comes time to start packing, I will purge more but every thing I can get rid of now helps.

2. Make a list of repairs, upgrades, and major cleaning that needs to be done. 

Is your home ready to list today?  If not, what needs to be changed?  I started a list several months ago of things we needed to work on/upgrade knowing that I had time to gradually work on it.  One of the things was that almost every room in whole house had not been painted in 11 years and needed some fresh paint – so I have been gradually, room-by-room, working on repainting.  I also knew there are some easy/inexpensive upgrades that we could do that would greatly increase interest and possibly even price in our house – like my kitchen makeover.  I knew that spending a few hundred dollars on new counters and then doing a lot of work on my own like painting/repairing my cabinets, installing a backsplash, and a pretty updated$4 thrifted light fixture would make a HUGE difference in our home.  And I honestly wanted to be able to enjoy my kitchen up before we decide to sell.  We need to have the carpets cleaned, the outside pressure washed, and many other things that are just a part of home ownership but also will make it better and easier to sell.

xfinity moving to do list

3. Think about what you want in your future house.

212001210d9f071d3246f40c380b0b60

(source)

This is a common conversation between my husband and I.  We both have a “wish list” for a future home – like a dedicated workshop area for both of us! Smile  Even though there are no guarantees for anything, I am starting to pin “wish list” ideas for home styles and take note of homes we pass that I like.  I am making note of things I like about our current house that I would like to keep in a future house.  And I have done a bit of searching on real estate sites such as Zillow or RealEstate.com just to see what is available in our area and in our price range – let’s just say I have a feeling my DIY skills are going to get LOTS better at our next house!  And I am stepping back to enjoy my current house just a bit more.

4. Think about ways you can make your move easier. 

Moving is stressfull, let Xfinity help take some of the stress away

I have started taking note of friends and bloggers and posts I see about people moving.  What kinds of things are they doing = are they renting PODS, what are they doing to sell their home quicker/easier, how are they finding a new home?  Ask questions and start formulating a plan.

Then when moving day comes how are you going to handle all the utilities and stuff that will need to be turned on/turned off and at very specific times too – you certainly don’t want to schedule your power to turn on the day after you need to move in.  I can imagine that when we get to that point I will have a very detailed list of places I need to contact and times/dates when I need to have it done. 

Thankfully transferring our internet and TV service with XFINITY will be easy!  I will need internet up and going at our new house immediately for work so that will be a priority for me.  With XFINITY Mover’s Edge moving your service is just three simple steps – 1. Check your availability on this site, 2. Select your services, 3. Schedule an installation.  And because moving can be frustrating, with Comcast’s new Customer Guarantee™, if a technician fails to arrive for a scheduled appointment during the 2-hour window or can’t solve routine issues in one visit, you’ll receive a $20 credit ($25 in Illinois).

5. Step back and just enjoy the home you are currently in.

We are going to talk much about this subject in the coming days (more on that later), but just step back and enjoy where you are!  Don’t dream about the future so much that you forget to make memories where are you now.  I am trying to get rooms painted, and settled so I can just sit back and enjoy my home.  We are moving into a bit of a new phase in life where we hope to entertain and have more people over to our home and I don’t want it to be an endless project center that makes having guests in our home more difficult.  I am also working on areas in our home, like the kitchen, master bathroom, and a few more that you will see in the next few weeks to finish them so we can enjoy them and they will be a benefit to our home when we sell.  In the last few months as we have begin talking about this, I have found a new love and appreciation for the home I have now – I don’t know that may make it harder to leave when the time comes… but I want to love and enjoy the home that I am in for however much longer we are in it.

So if you are moving you also know how expensive it is!  And if you aren’t planning a move than maybe plan a project in the space you are in to make it more like home to you.  A $100 American Express gift card could definitely help with that.!  Enter using the Rafflectopter widget below and winner will be notified by email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Disclosure: XFINITY partnered with bloggers such as me for their Fast Life program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any product mentioned in these posts. XFINITY believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. XFINITY’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

20 Comments LABELS ~ Uncategorized

SHARE >>
« Rustic Fall Mantel with DIY Wood Pumpkins & DIY Barn Wood Shutters
Laundry Room Makeover (plus a giveaway for 3 gallons of Behr paint!) »

RELATED POSTS

  • Painted Trim in the Living Room plus before to now pictures!
  • Merry and Bright Christmas Home Tour – part 1 (plus giveaway!)
  • Romantic Christmas Bedroom
  • April goals update

Comments

  1. Lisa Brown says

    September 19, 2015 at 10:35 AM

    I would not want to disconnect from NCIS

    Reply
  2. Christa says

    September 19, 2015 at 1:29 PM

    Welllllll, we actually don’t have a TV, so I suppose I’m still alive even though I don’t watch anything regularly? 😉
    I do, however, enjoy watching Fixer Upper online! 😀

    Reply
  3. millie torres says

    September 19, 2015 at 5:50 PM

    the nicest thing about moving is the thought of decorating another house….good luck.
    http://www.frugaliciouschick.blogspot.com

    Reply
  4. Lisa says

    September 19, 2015 at 7:00 PM

    We have begun doing the same thing. Our move may not happen for a couple of years but I have done a ton of purging this summer. I think one show I would not want to be disconnected from would be Fixer Upper. Love Joanna’s style.

    Reply
  5. HS says

    September 19, 2015 at 10:32 PM

    One of the shows I could bear to be disconnected from is Elementary.

    Reply
  6. Cynthia says

    September 19, 2015 at 11:14 PM

    House of Cards and Fixer Upper!

    Reply
  7. Kim Henrichs says

    September 20, 2015 at 9:44 AM

    Now that new TV is back I would say Homeland!

    Reply
  8. Donna Marie says

    September 20, 2015 at 10:04 AM

    I like Antiques Roadshow. I agree that purging is of the utmost importance. You don’t have time when you are moving.

    Reply
  9. Sally says

    September 20, 2015 at 11:45 AM

    TV….sports!! With hockey season just around the corner….I don’t want to miss my Los Angeles Kings. Love your blog!!!

    Reply
  10. Rosie says

    September 20, 2015 at 1:09 PM

    I like to watch news on different stations – it is a must!

    Reply
  11. Sherry VF says

    September 20, 2015 at 1:34 PM

    Dancing With The Stars!! Love it. sjvonfumetti at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  12. Beverly says

    September 20, 2015 at 3:20 PM

    We don’t have cable or satellite, but if we did the TV would be on HGTV, Food Network, or the Hallmark Channel. I would never get anything done..lol!!

    Reply
  13. Jennifer says

    September 20, 2015 at 4:02 PM

    One show? Oh no, there are too many I would be very disappointed to be disconnected from. I love Fixer Upper, Love It or List It, and Flea Market Flip just to name a few.

    Reply
  14. kathy w says

    September 20, 2015 at 6:49 PM

    I can’t wait till Suits starts again.

    Reply
  15. Carol says

    September 20, 2015 at 9:37 PM

    No time in this house for watching TV right now. Any free time goes toward home improvement projects. I enjoy reading about yours.

    Reply
    • Christina says

      September 22, 2015 at 3:00 AM

      you watch the news 🙂 But you would probably do without it and just listen in your vehicle 🙂

      Reply
  16. Kim Edwards (Loving My Life) says

    September 21, 2015 at 8:19 AM

    Are you kidding me? The show I could not live without is THE WALKING DEAD! I know…..I’m crazy! But, Fall is the season that I look forward to the most! I love the cooler weather, the beautiful Fall colors, football, pumpkins, hay rides, and, of course, ZOMBIES! Bring on THE WALKING DEAD!

    Reply
  17. ELIZA ELLIOT says

    September 22, 2015 at 2:12 PM

    I couldn’t miss NCIS!!! i love it.

    Reply
  18. shelly peterson says

    September 23, 2015 at 1:47 AM

    I would not want to be disconnected to Criminal Minds.

    Reply
  19. beverly e says

    September 27, 2015 at 8:48 AM

    Downton Abbey’s last season… I guess I’ll have to find a new favorite!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow me:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Hi!  My name is Christina . . .

I love doing simple, frugal things to make our house feel like HOME! Come learn along with me how to have a beautiful home on a budget.

Recent Posts

  • How to find Homeschool student discounts on attractions or teacher discounts/freebies
  • Fall hosting essentials
  • Cozy & Comfy Warm Fall Fashion
  • Budget friendly fashion pieces to transition into Fall
  • Red, white, and blue sumer fashion for the whole crew!





THEME BY ECLAIR DESIGNS