Thank you GEICO for sponsoring this post.
Throughout 2017, it really started to hit me that I’d be turning 30 the next year. Me, 30? It seems so surreal. I actually have vivid memories from when my mom turned 30, and now here I am. This huge impending milestone made me realize that there’s no excuse not to live the life I want, and I started to make changes to that end. I made significant changes to my routine and habits to promote wellness, adopted a plant-based diet again, and decided I’d be moving to a new city after my current lease ends.
You may recall that I moved to North Carolina from Ohio almost three years ago to launch this blog partnership with my mom. Since then I’ve been living in her town and honestly? I don’t love it here. I’ve always known it wasn’t where I want to be and have been carefully considering a number of cities that suit my needs. I mean, I’m single, I work from home, and I’m turning 30. What better time to do something good for myself than now, right? YOLO!
I considered moving back to Columbus where my friends live. I considered nearby Raleigh where I also have a few friends. I even briefly thought about places like Austin, Denver, DC, and Boston. But the one place that kept coming up was Asheville. I visited soon after moving to North Carolina, fell in love, and haven’t been able to get it out of my mind since. When I visited again in December (stay tuned for my post about it!), I used the trip as a scouting mission to make sure it had everything I’d need to be happy living there and get a feel for the neighborhoods. That trip sealed my “destiny”, and since then I’ve signed the lease on a new apartment, booked movers, and I’m ready to go!
I’ve written about the moving process before here, and my approach hasn’t changed much since then. I like to make a checklist of things to accomplish before the moving date to keep myself organized. The list includes tasks like canceling or transferring my utilities, changing my address with banks and the postal service, and purchasing a renter’s insurance policy.
I can’t stress enough the importance of purchasing a renters insurance policy. While not all apartment complexes require proof of renters insurance, I’ve always made it a priority to have it anyway. It’s very affordable, especially through the GEICO Insurance Agency, and it’s 100% worth it to purchase a policy for peace of mind, especially since the apartment I rented in Asheville is the nicest apartment I’ve ever had. Eek!
After I got those details out of the way, I started working on slowly packing up the things I don’t need to access, like off-season clothes and shoes, books, decorations. I like to leave the kitchen for last and pack it up in the few days leading up to the move.
Since most of my things will be on the moving truck and won’t be delivered until a day after I get to my new place, I’ll be packing up my beloved Kia Soul (the first new car I ever bought! — get first car buying tips at GEICO More) with the essentials:
- Sentimental art and lamps
- My lil’ TV
- A couple days worth of clothes & toiletries
- Pillow and blankets
- Cooler with perishable food
- Work bag with laptop
- Coffee and coffee maker
- Toiletries
- My cat, her litterbox and food, and anything I might need to keep her happy on the 5 hour drive (tips on moving with pets from GEICO More)
Speaking of driving with my cat: the longest drive we’ve made together was the one from Ohio to NC. It was 3 or 4 hours longer than this one will be, and on that drive she just meowed for about 30 minutes before falling asleep for the rest of the trip. What a good girl! 🙂 She’s so cute. I know she’ll do great again this time.
Anyway, I’m very excited to be moving to a new city and to get to play tourist and share the fun on the blog! Wish me luck, and if you live in the Asheville area I’d love to hear about your favorite spots to eat, drink, hear music, hike, and more.
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Homeowners, renters and condo coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
