Additional Packing Wisdoms

Many of you know that I am moving to Seattle in May. Therefore, I am moving the majority of my belongings (including furniture) to my parents' house in Missouri. Therefore, the belongings left in my apartment are just the essentials and things I want to pack in my car when I drive to Seattle; also known as, the only piece of furniture in my apartment now is an air mattress. This weekend I packed and drove a Uhaul to unload my stuff at my parents' house, and have since returned home. Throughout this process, I have learned some "I wish I knew that" tidbits, and thought I would share them with you!

Getting ready to drive the Uhaul to Missouri

Things I learned after I packed all my boxes

• Do not pack your tools until you have taken apart furniture and removed nails from the wall.
• Once you pack your light bulbs, lights will almost instantaneously burn out.
• Leave baggies out to put screws from your furniture being taken apart.
• I pulled out DVDs that I thought I would want to watch before I packed them; two days later I wanted to watch 8 movies that were already packed away.
• Under my bed was the Bermuda Triangle. I found my favorite pen, a button that came off a jacket, 2 socks, a battery, kleenexes, $5, and a shopping list.

Things I learned while driving my first Uhaul

• When you are driving a Uhaul for the first time out of state, be prepare for more road construction than usual, road karma. 
• Uhauls do not have CD players. Therefore, bring an iPod or iPad to listen to music. Because if you forget you will get to listen to the 1000 stations of country music.
• Uhaul trucks do not have cruise control; therefore, your right foot and leg definitely gets a workout.
• A five hour trip listening to music on your iPad will only use 7% of your battery...I love you iPad!
• When driving in the Uhaul you will feel every single bump on the road.
• I realize how much when I am driving my car I use my rear-view mirror when reversing and changing lanes. Uhauls of course do not have rear-view mirrors. Therefore, I had a friend follow me and when I needed to turn lanes she would move over first, therefore I knew it was safe. This system was a life-saver for me and the other drivers on the road.
• Bigger, bad and squisher bugs are going to hit the windshield of the Uhaul. The Uhaul's windshield looked like a Picassco picture with all the different colors, and of course I didn't know how to use the windshield wipers in the truck.
• One can't help but get the mentality that they are invincible with the transition of driving a little car to a Uhaul truck (I got a 17ft). Therefore, drivers beware of superiority complexes that accompanies Uhaul drivers.

Things I learned spending the first night in my air-mattress furnished apartment

• I am not a person who tends to sit on the floor that often; therefore, it is weird to be sitting on the floor for everything.
• I finally found a practical use for the textbooks that I am not reading. I stacked them up to make a TV stand for my TV so it is at the right level for watching television on my air mattress (see picture below).
• It is much harder to roll out of bed to go the bathroom in the middle of the night when you roll out of bed and you hit the floor. I am thinking about crawling to the bathroom next time. ;)
• I realize how much I did not dust while living in my apartment. I had to vacuum around the baseboards because of all the dust that accumulated.
• It's only been one night and I already miss a piece of furniture to sit on. I never realize how much I would miss that sensation. 
• Without pictures on the wall or furniture, everything echos.
• It's going to be impossible to do homework/study in my apartment. I kept one light just for emergencies in my bedroom. Therefore, my new home address will be Starbucks, can't get ahold of me, just leave a message with the barista.
• It's inevitable that you will have nightmares/fears about bugs having easier access to you since you are sleeping on their territory now.

My textbook TV stand.