violetplum's Profile

Agreed with annieh and Dominiquesr. Find the neighborhood you want and then talk to business owners. Where I live in OT (Old Town, Alexandria) shop owners were so helpful, many of them landlords, and all want nice people in the neighborhood to be regulars.

Be careful renting from Property Management companies, as they can tend to "pass the buck," and if renting in Virginia, get your hands on a copy of the VRLTA (or its MD/DC equivalent).

Other tips:

7. Liquor is Quicker. Use liquor boxes instead of egg crates. They are smaller and easier to handle, and you won't end up over-packing them. Plus, when they look at each brightly-colored smiling Captain, they'll remember the reward waiting for them as soon as you finish. Booze.

8. Call in the Infantry. Secure friends to help you with the move-out and enlist family to join you for the move-in. This will provide a surge of energy to the friends who are helping out all day, and provide them with some relief ("We packed that entire U-Haul! I am already exhausted at the thought of un-packing it!"). When parents/siblings see the sweaty cadre walking up to your new place, they will be sure to grab the heaviest boxes and do the most work.

9. Commemorate. Have a tradition of "last out" "first in." I think it's symbolic and makes the move more satisfying to take out the trash as the last thing from the old apt, and move in something memorable the first time you walk through that door. My Dad always carried a peace lily in to every new place he moved into. When he bought a house, it bloomed three new buds after his first night there.

10. Billy Joel shouldn't be your only inspiration. Play music, if you can, that you know your pals will dig. Sure, a mix of The Black Keys, Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber and Hot Hot Heat might sound strange. But it'll be rewarding and very much appreciated by your diverse group to hear a favorite song or two while they're doing 4-7 hours of manual labor for pizza.

11. Happy bellies. Speaking of pizza, look around your new neighborhood for deals on food in bulk. On my move in day I found a great chinese place that offered a "Buy six entrees, get two free" deal and it was much cheaper to feed everyone. Overtip the delivery guy (everyone'll despise you if they sit around waiting for food or, worse, if you leave before everything's done being unloaded).

12. Safeguard your shizzle. If you can't afford movers for a whole day, supplement your move with them. For example, hire them to come in for just 2 hours to bring in your great-great grandmother's 8 foot tall angular armoire up the spiral staircase.

13. Caffeinate. For the love of all that is holy. Caffeniate the entire time.