Nomadic Moving Tips

By definition of the Greek word "nomad," they are traditionally communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but traditional nomadic behavior is increasingly rare in industrialized countries.

Nomads seem to do what they do for a variety of reasons, and it's not always a bad thing.  Of course, in developed countries, migrating for food and weather purposes is rarely necessary, but many still do it from the need to see and experience new things.  Modern day travel also allows a person with a Nomadic nature to live in one place, yet still experience new places and cultures... finances permitting, of course.

Some people are "nomads" not by desire, but from the circumstances of their lives.  In my previous blog about my moving plans, "Spin Cycle," I touched on the seemingly born-in desire I always had to move around and travel.  I actually like the "process" of traveling... the packing, the planning, the transport (whether by car, bus, or plane), and the excitement of getting there... where many other people just want it to be over.

The many people in my life who have witnessed one of my many moving escapades are often shocked at how meticulous I am about packing and keeping everything organized.  It might look like a monster tornado hit my place during the process, but I have a method to the insanity.  Moving is never pleasant, but my many experiences with it have made me pretty good at it.

First of all... be prepared!
You may not be planning on moving, but trust me...even if you are financially stable and secure, life can throw some hellacious curveballs at you.  Any number of financial woes, family emergencies, or natural events... even crime... can cause you to decide to pull chocks and split.  The most common scenario, of course, is the nightmare roommate or relationship that isn't working out.  Something could happen tomorrow, good or bad.

Or you might just need a change...

Whatever the reason, I humbly submit my Nomad's Tips to Moving...

1. Keep a household inventory.      Do you know where all your cool shit is, and your prized possessions?  Usually, those are the things you want to pack first to keep track of them and move them to a safe place, if necessary.  If you've lived in the same place for a long time, you may have stuff buried under lots of other stuff.  It might be time for a little cleaning and organizing, just to refresh your memory, and make a list of those special items and where they are.Pretend you just got the notice on your door... or your roommate is flipping out... or your roof got blown off by a tornado... what would you pack first?  This is especially important for those who live with roommates.  Your stuff can get mixed together quite often, and keeping track of everything can save the hassle of having to go back for something you forgot...especially if the situation has soured.                                                                                                                                                                   
2. Be aware of storage units.       Where's the nearest storage facility?  Find out where they are in case you have to move stuff quick.  It's a lot easier to find temporary accommodations if necessary when you're not dragging everything you own with you.  Also, make yourself aware of the cost of renting a truck and where if you have to, and maybe even set those finances aside if you're in one of those delicate roommate scenarios or a touchy relationship.                                                                                                                                                                              
3. Music stores are great sources for boxes!        Most of the boxes that various types of music equipment come out of are  thicker than normal boxes.  Often they’re well reinforced to handle the weight of a heavy guitar amp or P.A. head.  Lots of sizes too.  Also, the long boxes that guitars and basses come in are great for holding long items like curtain rods, shelves, brooms, mops, gardening tools, a sword collection, etc.  No surprise that the bigger the brand name on the box, the better the box, such as Gibson, Martin, and Fender.  If you have posters or artwork in frames, the boxes that mixing boards come in are usually big enough to put several large poster frames in, plus padding.  Speaking of padding, guitars are usually shipped wrapped in a thin white foam, and it's perfect for glasses and other breakables.  Ask the guitar guys if they have some laying around.  If those lazy bastards have been DOING THEIR JOBS!! .... SELLING GUITARS!!... AND FILLING HOLES!!....(hi Justin, Will, Dave, Tree... and the rest of you at S.A... miss you guys!)...  then they should have some to give you.    Don’t worry about asking.  Not many music stores have bailers, so the warehouse guys will he happy to let you take some boxes off their hands!                                                                                                                                                                          
4. Keep weight in mind.    Two or three smaller boxes are better than one big monster box... and if you have friends helping you move, they'll still be friends afterward.  From my experiences working for Mayflower when I was younger, nothing sucks more than a big-ass box you can barely carry that also weighs 100 pounds.  You might be stuck carrying that one yourself.This is very important with breakables.  You DO NOT want to pack anything breakable in a big, heavy box.  You'll be very lucky if it's still in one piece in the end.                                                                                                                                                                         
5. Save those unique boxes.   If you have special items that came in some sort of molded foam or packaging, such as porcelain figures, small statues, or other collectibles…keep the packaging and the boxes.  There’s usually no better packing for many things than the box they came in.  You never know… You might even want to send it as a gift someday.                                                                                                                                                                         
6. Don’t pack all your socks,…and don’t throw away the singles, either!  If you only have three or four pair, or they’re all mismatched, you can go ahead and skip this.  But if you have a couple dozen pair, and more than a few singles laying around, put some of them aside.  They are great for packing delicates such as small statues, vases, collectibles, and such... you know... the stuff you threw away the boxes for.  They're great for glasses and coffee cups, too, (c‘mon… you think a clean sock is as bad as that dirty dishrag in the sink?  Most of those dishrags ARE old socks!). Slip it on like a condom, twist, and push it back through.  It’s better padding than newspaper.  Naturally, it doesn’t hurt the sock (as long as you don’t try to stuff a Sparklets bottle in it), and it can return to duty on your feet… or taking up space in your drawer… right after unpacking.  The 10-or-so shirts you have that don’t fit, or you never even consider wearing but you only have them because they say something cool… they work great too.  It also saves space in your suitcase.Throw pillows and blankets are great to pack those picture frames with.                                                                                                                                                                         
7. Number your boxes...…and make a master list of what you put in them.  This isn't the list of where everything is from above... it's the list of what's packed in the boxes.  It’s not that hard to keep a notepad nearby and jot down what you put in each box.  I’m sure we all have wished we knew where some special little thing we thought we wouldn’t need for a while is packed. It also helps in keeping track of the boxes you want to keep toward the front of a storage unit.  Trust me… having to pull all your shit out of a storage unit to get the Mothra-freakin' bottom corner box really sucks.                                                                                                                                                                           

Of course, the circumstances behind moving can be either extremely stressful (most of the time), or exciting.  If you're having to move at a moment's notice, it can be absolutely nerve racking.  But if you're lucky enough to be doing it out of the need for a positive change such as  relocating for a promotion or just the opportunity to start a new life in a better place, being prepared and organized can actually make the experience enjoyable and exciting...especially since you've eliminated the guesswork of what's packed where, and "...did I forget anything?"

Good luck!