I have not roots...or The "Official" moving thread...

[Drunk Tank]

Hi. My name is Drunk Tank and I have a moving problem....

I searched and did not see an official moving thread, so here we are. This is a thread dedicated to your triumphs and trials in moving.

I am a Nomad. I'd wager that I have probably moved more than most people here on the board (not including mission transfers or Military). I will be married 18 years in July, and during that 18 years, have moved 16 times. Prior to marriage, I moved 11 times (not including mission transfers). So in all I have moved 27 times in 39 years. My kids are 10 and 13. We have moved 12 time since he was born and 8 times since my daughter was born.

I have a problem. I am never satified and always looking to upgrade. Cars, guns, smokers, houses. I am never satisfied. I'm shocked I have been married as long as I have and not wanted an upgrade in that department!

We built a house in 2007. It was a modest house, 1700 sq. ft. We really only planned on living in the house for 5 years, sell it and then buy a house in the neighborhood we wanted, in a good school district for the kids. Well, that didnt happen. The housing market collapsed and after trying to refiance the house to a lower payment failed, we decided to short sell the home. The house we moved into after that was nice! 2700 sq. ft single story home with a pool for less money than we were paying on our mortgage on the other house. It was also in the area and school district we wanted our kids in. Things couldnt be better. We had decided that we wanted to buy the house when the time was right and could afford to do so again. Well, out of the blue we received a 60 day eveiction notice. Apparently the owner was experienceing poor health and decided it was time to sell. We were not in a position to buy at the time, so we had to find another house on short notice. There was nothing on the market in the neighborhood we were in so we had to look elsewhere, which meant uprooting our kids from their school.

We ended up finding a home about a mile away from where we were at. it was a huge house (for the four of us at least). 3300 sq. ft 2-story house. It didnt have a pool, but I was ok with that. All seemed well for the first month or so, but then we started noticing small things about the house that we really didnt like. Doors didnt shut right, cabinets were cheaply made, floors were cheap laminate. We found out that the house had been a forclosure and the previous owners ransacked the house before moving. They stripped all the fixtures, cabinets, flooring, broke windows, put holes in the walls, etc. The new owners replaced everything as cheaply as possible and cut corners where they could. I have really grown to hate the house. There is no carpeting at all and so much dust/dirt come in through the doors and windows, that we can never keep up on the cleaning. Well. the lease is up at the end of this month and we decided that we have had enough.

My search for a new house began in earnest about a month ago. We are still renting. Our plan is to buy again when my wife finishes her PhD next year. She is currently working on her practicum hours and dissertation. In the mean time, we found what I hope is our last home until we buy again. It is a 22oo sq. ft single story home in a nice gated community. It is only about 5 blocks from our last house and is in the same school district we are currently in. I was hoping to sohn the lease at the end of this month, but the owner wouldn't wait because the house is in such a desireable neighborhood. So I paid the first months rent and deposit and signed the last week. We have been moving in over the last few days after I get off from work everyday. I am sore, tired and have been pretty cranky, but I am finally out of the other house. Hopefully this house will be better for us and I wont have to move again for a few years at least. I'd like to break this nomadic trend I have been on and settle down a bit.

Anyways, thanks for letting me ramble on...

[Eddie]

I've been married for nearly 23 years.

In that time we've lived in 3 apartments and 2 homes. The first two apartments were in the same ward. We've been in our current home 10 years.

Our current home is older, and I'm not sure I see us staying here in old age (too many stairs, too much upkeep). But my wife loves it, the ward, the schools, etc. So I don't see us moving again any time soon.

I think we were traumatized when we moved with about 6 weeks of school left and our oldest was in 2nd grade. We were looking through her homework a week or two after we moved and noticed she had an assignment to write 3 things she was looking forward to doing with friends during the summer. Her answers were "1. Nothing 2. Nothing 3. Nothing. I don't have any friends."

Having no friends didn't last long - but that memory alone could keep us from moving until all of our kids are done with school.

[Surfah]

We're in the process of moving slowly. We closed on our home last Thusday and I have been in it until about midnight each night since. It was a short sale in a very nice neighborhood in the ward we wanted to be in. The seller had rented it out and from what I gather the renters abandoned the place and the owner was in no position to get the home to a condition where he could rent so he was forced to sell. Lucky for us. But it's been a ton of work. I had almost three truckloads of garbage left in the garage and the basement to clean up. And that was before the work could begin. I made countless drywall repairs: nail pops, a blown out corner, some water damage in a ceiling, several dings and gouges and a billion nail holes. I effing hate drywall work. I replaced a broken door jamb. We've painted most of the upstairs with just the master walk in closets and an accent wall left. New carpet went in on Wednesday. New appliances arrived on Monday. In the kitchen I tore out a double wall oven and cabinet and reconfigured the electrical for a slide in range and over the range microwave. I am ordering a few replacement cabinets and a new island which will be covered in a maple butcher block I am refinishing. I built an industrial style media console/lowboy. I am so tired. Gidget is at the home right now prepping cabinets for refinishing. I took the night off and am watching the girls. Tomorrow I hope to finish painting our foyer (cathedral ceilings - using a 22' extension ladder) our master bedroom and then sand all the drywall repairs downstairs so we can paint the first floor. I also have to add a gas line for the range, add some outlets to the garage, fix an electrical issue in a closet and a broken hose bib. Then we move the rest of our belongings in.

[wuapinmon]

a new island which will be covered in a maple butcher block I am refinishing.

I'd love to see that when you're done. Or before. Butcher blocks are awesome.

[pellegrino]

We're in the process of moving slowly. We closed on our home last Thusday and I have been in it until about midnight each night since. It was a short sale in a very nice neighborhood in the ward we wanted to be in. The seller had rented it out and from what I gather the renters abandoned the place and the owner was in no position to get the home to a condition where he could rent so he was forced to sell. Lucky for us. But it's been a ton of work. I had almost three truckloads of garbage left in the garage and the basement to clean up. And that was before the work could begin. I made countless drywall repairs: nail pops, a blown out corner, some water damage in a ceiling, several dings and gouges and a billion nail holes. I effing hate drywall work. I replaced a broken door jamb. We've painted most of the upstairs with just the master walk in closets and an accent wall left. New carpet went in on Wednesday. New appliances arrived on Monday. In the kitchen I tore out a double wall oven and cabinet and reconfigured the electrical for a slide in range and over the range microwave. I am ordering a few replacement cabinets and a new island which will be covered in a maple butcher block I am refinishing. I built an industrial style media console/lowboy. I am so tired. Gidget is at the home right now prepping cabinets for refinishing. I took the night off and am watching the girls. Tomorrow I hope to finish painting our foyer (cathedral ceilings - using a 22' extension ladder) our master bedroom and then sand all the drywall repairs downstairs so we can paint the first floor. I also have to add a gas line for the range, add some outlets to the garage, fix an electrical issue in a closet and a broken hose bib. Then we move the rest of our belongings in.

If anyone can understand your pain, I can, though I contracted the drywall work out. Can't stand it.

[Pelado]

We're in the process of moving slowly. We closed on our home last Thusday and I have been in it until about midnight each night since. It was a short sale in a very nice neighborhood in the ward we wanted to be in. The seller had rented it out and from what I gather the renters abandoned the place and the owner was in no position to get the home to a condition where he could rent so he was forced to sell. Lucky for us. But it's been a ton of work. I had almost three truckloads of garbage left in the garage and the basement to clean up. And that was before the work could begin. I made countless drywall repairs: nail pops, a blown out corner, some water damage in a ceiling, several dings and gouges and a billion nail holes. I effing hate drywall work. I replaced a broken door jamb. We've painted most of the upstairs with just the master walk in closets and an accent wall left. New carpet went in on Wednesday. New appliances arrived on Monday. In the kitchen I tore out a double wall oven and cabinet and reconfigured the electrical for a slide in range and over the range microwave. I am ordering a few replacement cabinets and a new island which will be covered in a maple butcher block I am refinishing. I built an industrial style media console/lowboy. I am so tired. Gidget is at the home right now prepping cabinets for refinishing. I took the night off and am watching the girls. Tomorrow I hope to finish painting our foyer (cathedral ceilings - using a 22' extension ladder) our master bedroom and then sand all the drywall repairs downstairs so we can paint the first floor. I also have to add a gas line for the range, add some outlets to the garage, fix an electrical issue in a closet and a broken hose bib. Then we move the rest of our belongings in.

You sound a lot more capable with home improvement projects than my wife's husband.

[pellegrino]

married 13 years, moved seven times with a five year stay in one house and a four year stay in another. I hate moving.

[Uncle Ted]

Hi. My name is Drunk Tank and I have a moving problem....

Hi Drunk Tank!

My search for a new house began in earnest about a month ago. We are still renting. Our plan is to buy again when my wife finishes her PhD next year. She is currently working on her practicum hours and dissertation. In the mean time, we found what I hope is our last home until we buy again. It is a 22oo sq. ft single story home in a nice gated community. It is only about 5 blocks from our last house and is in the same school district we are currently in. I was hoping to sohn the lease at the end of this month, but the owner wouldn't wait because the house is in such a desireable neighborhood. So I paid the first months rent and deposit and signed the last week. We have been moving in over the last few days after I get off from work everyday. I am sore, tired and have been pretty cranky, but I am finally out of the other house. Hopefully this house will be better for us and I wont have to move again for a few years at least. I'd like to break this nomadic trend I have been on and settle down a bit.

Anyways, thanks for letting me ramble on...

Let me know when you figure things and decide to move to God's country here in the Big D. I'll call the elders quorum president to help y'all move in.

[The_Douger]

If anyone can understand your pain, I can, though I contracted the drywall work out. Can't stand it.

I hate it too. We contracted that out when we finished the basement. My dad and I did all the framing and electrical, but that dusty mess can be done by someone else.

I hate moving as well. We have been married 9 years this fall, and we moved at 7 months, 1.5 years, and 4 years. Fortunately, my wife hates moving as well. My wife wants to remodel the kitchen and put new carpet in my whole house, which would essentially require moving everything in our 2 story home in to the garage.

While this isn't totally moving, it feels like moving to me and I don't want to do it.

[Pinstripe]

We just moved from New York back to California this past Sunday. Moving is no fun, but we were fortunate to have help from my company. Since our current living situation is temporary, we'll look forward to going through the process again in a few months.

[San Juan Sun]

Great thread idea. By the time I finished reading all the posts, I bet DT moved again.

I admire Surfah's hard work. We are in the middle of renovating our house, except my BIL contractor is doing the work. (I feel like less of a man after reading Surfah's post.) Anyways, we're about 4 weeks from moving in. We're only moving a mile, but I'm dreading it. I hate the packing. I hate moving day. I hate cleaning up the old place once my stuff is out. I hate living out of boxes in the new place. I hate the boxes lingering for weeks that I just never get around to unpacking. I hate just thinking about all this stuff. Maybe this thread was actually a bad idea.

Anyways, I've moved 7 times in 13 years of marriage. Three of those moves were college moves, so they should only count as 1/2.

One last thought: why does having kids increase the amount of crap you own?

[FN Phat]

We're in the process of moving slowly. We closed on our home last Thusday and I have been in it until about midnight each night since. It was a short sale in a very nice neighborhood in the ward we wanted to be in. The seller had rented it out and from what I gather the renters abandoned the place and the owner was in no position to get the home to a condition where he could rent so he was forced to sell. Lucky for us. But it's been a ton of work. I had almost three truckloads of garbage left in the garage and the basement to clean up. And that was before the work could begin. I made countless drywall repairs: nail pops, a blown out corner, some water damage in a ceiling, several dings and gouges and a billion nail holes. I effing hate drywall work. I replaced a broken door jamb. We've painted most of the upstairs with just the master walk in closets and an accent wall left. New carpet went in on Wednesday. New appliances arrived on Monday. In the kitchen I tore out a double wall oven and cabinet and reconfigured the electrical for a slide in range and over the range microwave. I am ordering a few replacement cabinets and a new island which will be covered in a maple butcher block I am refinishing. I built an industrial style media console/lowboy. I am so tired. Gidget is at the home right now prepping cabinets for refinishing. I took the night off and am watching the girls. Tomorrow I hope to finish painting our foyer (cathedral ceilings - using a 22' extension ladder) our master bedroom and then sand all the drywall repairs downstairs so we can paint the first floor. I also have to add a gas line for the range, add some outlets to the garage, fix an electrical issue in a closet and a broken hose bib. Then we move the rest of our belongings in.

That's a good start! You better be taking pics.

[FN Phat]

Since married we have moved 5 times in 10 years of marriage (come Oct). I have moved a total of 15 times. I don't mind it at all and get anxious every 2-3 years. We are coming close to 5 years where we live now and have at least another 2 years to go (which could turn to 5 more years if nothing else shakes loose)

[FMCoug]

We have lived in 10 homes in 20 years of marriage. I thought that was a lot ...

[smokymountainrain]

Timely thread, DT. Nice job. Good luck to you and Surfah.

Married 17 years, lived in three houses, two apartments. Just closed on a house last Friday that is about a 20 minute drive from our current house. Will be moving in slowly until the 22nd when I will get the moving van for the big stuff (dreading the piano already, ugh).