Some moving questions...

[brokeinal]

1. Should we leave a forwarding address with the PO? Are there any potential documents we will need that will be sent to our old address? We have a PACER account and our attorney said he can provide a copy of any documents too. It's kind of nice to think of also starting fresh with a mailbox only full of the last tenant's spam mail and not theirs plus ours. ;)

2. Any packing/moving tips. We've been pretty spoiled and spouse's job has always moved us (packed, moved, everything...) and the few times I moved before we married I only had a few things (could literally fit in or on top of my vehicle). I'm pretty overwhelmed and know that we will only be hiring someone to help with the heavy lifting at both ends...I'm on my own otherwise and guess I should start packing sooner rather than later.

3. What condition do we have to leave our home in? I'm not planning on leaving junk behind or making a huge mess, but I wasn't planning on having it cleaned after we leave either. Also, there were no ceiling fans in some of the rooms, fridge or blinds when we moved in -- can we take the ones we purchased?

[panda]

Brokeinal, We are in the moving process also, and I have really been having some stress issues dealing with this right now, which feels weird, as I am sad, but glad at the same time, and I need to get this over with so we can move on with our lives. I think after our bk was done in Feb I floated for a bit in the reality of the immense relief we had from having gone through that nightmare.

This is where we are right now, keeping in mind we have an ocean move facing us, which when we moved here we were flush with money, not loaded, but had enough to do what was needed and we hired everyone to do the move then.
This time it is us renting a container, loading it, hiring the truck driver on this end to get it to the dock, getting the cars lined up and making everything mesh in a cohesive time line.

The container is arriving here at our house April 25th and will be picked up on the 29th and taken to the dock. We are in Hawaii so it will take about a week plus a few days to hit Washington, which is where we are moving to.

I have been packing seriously this week, and even more seriously next week, with the goal to have everything packed and ready to go in the container when it arrives, except for the top mattresses on our beds(on the floor to sleep on) and the couch to sit on. My daughter finishes school on May 4th, so we will fly out on May 6th. I rented a cheap vacation rental for that last week we are here after the container leaves. This way I do not have to live in the empty house, I can make sure everything is turned off (electric,phone) and I want to watch and see what the guy does that keeps coming to see if our home is vacant.

I am notifying BOA on the 25th that we will be moved out on April 30th, all utilities will be turned off and that our insurance does not cover vacant homes, therefore they need to get insurance on this place so that their interest in the property is protected. I talked with Allstate today, they said to leave our insurance in place for the next month so our stuff is covered in transit, as well as in storage until we get it in an apartment, if needed. We have an apartment already rented, but that was good information to have. I am supplying BOA with a new mailing address (not my new physical address) and no new phone number, they can mail me what needs to be mailed,and I do want to be kept up to date on what is happening. I was tempted to just disappear, but in the end just couldn't do that until I know that this house is foreclosed and out of our names.

I do not like leaving this home without insurance, due to the liability aspect, but it is taking everything we have left and scraped together to get out and get set up elsewhere, we are broke, and I will just have to hope that this place forecloses fast.

We have worked very hard on this home the last two years hoping to get it in great shape to sell, new solar water heater, new refrigerator, washer and dryer,flooring and fans, as well as interior and exterior paint. Everything that we did is staying with the home except the washer and dryer that I am selling. I really want someone to get this home fast as it will deteriorate quickly without the fans going and windows open.

But...I am not cleaning anything more than to wipe down the toilets and sinks, and maybe sweep the floor, as it will not do any good, everything will be full of dust and ick in less than a month anyway. We are turning off the water lines as well, and draining them as best we can, and flushing the water from the toilets, that is just to keep the pressure off the lines so there will not be any leakage, thankfully we do not have to worry about freezing here.

I am so ready to move on, yet will definitely miss this place that has been home for the past nine years.

I wish you good luck in you move also. I keep thinking things will get easier, I just need to make it to the other side.

[AngelinaCatHub]

1. Should we leave a forwarding address with the PO? Are there any potential documents we will need that will be sent to our old address? We have a PACER account and our attorney said he can provide a copy of any documents too. It's kind of nice to think of also starting fresh with a mailbox only full of the last tenant's spam mail and not theirs plus ours. ;) Optional, the P.O. will only forward first class mail for about six months.

2. Any packing/moving tips. We've been pretty spoiled and spouse's job has always moved us (packed, moved, everything...) and the few times I moved before we married I only had a few things (could literally fit in or on top of my vehicle). I'm pretty overwhelmed and know that we will only be hiring someone to help with the heavy lifting at both ends...I'm on my own otherwise and guess I should start packing sooner rather than later. Can't give any. I'm a man so I would be packing the good china with the bowling ball so don't count on male advice on damage.

3. What condition do we have to leave our home in? I'm not planning on leaving junk behind or making a huge mess, but I wasn't planning on having it cleaned after we leave either. Also, there were no ceiling fans in some of the rooms, fridge or blinds when we moved in -- can we take the ones we purchased? Yes you can take anything you purchased unless it is installed or otherwise affixed to the house. Example, you could take a window air conditioner, but not a central air. Leave the house "broom clean" not like you were selling it. Just clean to the look. Leave fridge door open to ventilate.

Lot's of luck in your move. 'Hub

[ValleYum]

2. Any packing/moving tips. We've been pretty spoiled and spouse's job has always moved us (packed, moved, everything...) and the few times I moved before we married I only had a few things (could literally fit in or on top of my vehicle). I'm pretty overwhelmed and know that we will only be hiring someone to help with the heavy lifting at both ends...I'm on my own otherwise and guess I should start packing sooner rather than later.

You can buy jumbo size rolls of bubble wrap at U-Haul, WalMart, etc. U-Haul also sells a china/dishpack which comes with all the bubblewrap packaging that you just slide your dish into. It also has the cardboard pieces and the box. I have used those for 2 cross country moves and never had a dish or piece of china broken. U-Haul also sells the clean newsprint paper to wrap items in.

For mirrors, and pictures, I used pieces of cardboard with older bedding (like the Strawberry Shortcake sleeping bag no-one uses any more) wrapped around them and secured with paper tape (the paper tape is available at U-Haul stores and I ADORE it. Rip it with your fingers and it holds until you tear it open). No, I don't work for U-Haul LOL

Buy the supersize ZipLoc bags to transport your shampoos, cleaners, etc. Those seals can make all the difference in a huge mess in your other items that you shipped with them.

Utilize your extra pillows as cushions too. I slid my pillows inside a plastic grocery bag first and then
used them to protect some knick-knack items in my boxes.

CLEARLY MARK your boxes as to what room they came from / go into. I had 3 floors and designated a color for each of the 3 floors. The movers will be in a hurry so I set up a room on each floor as a "drop zone" marked with my color for the boxes - then I could unpack from there. Do make the movers place the furniture in the proper rooms.

MY BEST FRIEND'S BEST MOVING HINT EVER!!! DO try to mark a few boxes FIRST NIGHT. That way you know where to find your bed pillows, blankets, sheets, towels, body soap, shampoo, laundry & cleaning supplies and coffeemaker (with plastic spoons, a small amount of sugar and creamer tucked into ziplocs inside the coffee carafe and a few styrofoam cups) so you have a place to sleep the first night and coffee the next day! Pack a family duffle-bag with moving day clothes, undies and socks the same way. Hand carry your meds with you so that you remember to take all your maintenance medication. Don't forget animal food if you have animals you are moving with you. Those big ziplocs (shown above) hold dog/cat chow and cat litter just great!

Always re-rumple the packing paper before you throw it away or put it in the recycle bin. You'd be amazed at what you almost threw away.

I hope these helped.