School is supposed to be the place where you can improve yourself and acquire all the knowledge you will need in this world. In the perfect case, schools are safe havens where talents thrive and dreams are being born, where purpose is found and prejudice is challenged. However, nothing and nobody is perfect, so school lessons are often criticized as being impractical, inapplicable and altogether unpragmatic. Instead of teaching useful skills and providing realistic answers to the important questions of everyday life, the school curriculum focuses on abstract learning that seems irrelevant to our daily struggles and needs. Yet, besides presenting scientific facts and unraveling the mysteries of the world, all those seemingly irrelevant lessons actually tickle, exercise, and expand young kids’ minds, so that they learn how to put the acquired knowledge to good use and benefit from it.
The arduous process of moving house – one of the most stressful events in life – provides a number of good examples on how simple school lessons can become of great value when you least expect them to be.
School Timetable = Moving Timeline
It is a well-known secret that proper organization is the key prerequisite for a smooth and trouble-free relocation. However, it is not easy to acquire good organizational skills and learn how to bring order to the chaos. And while school practice may have many faults, one of its strongest points is promoting impeccable organization and developing great organizational habits. You can put them to good use when planning your residential move.
So, one of the first things to do when preparing for a forthcoming relocation, is to create a moving calendar – a detailed to-do-list with all the tasks required for organizing your move, prioritized according to their importance and set within an appropriate timeframe.
Believe it or not, it closely resembles the weekly schedule of classes in high school – you have a daily schedule for the time left until Moving day, strictly divided into hours and specific activities. Only, this time you have the liberty to put the tasks in your preferred order and it is your responsibility to correctly assess how much time you will need to complete each of them. A realistic and well-organized moving timeline will help you schedule your move right and avoid rookie moving mistakes. You can find a good example of an efficient moving calendar here.
Once the schedule of classes is ready, the entire school curriculum will come to your aid and will ensure the favorable outcome of your moving adventure.
Without a doubt, one of the first entries on your moving calendar will be to set up your moving budget. And however you look at it, you could not possibly calculate, estimate, and evaluate all the moving costs, materials and the other unknowns of your relocation endeavor without the help of mathematics.
The Math Behind The Move
Mathematics is used throughout the world as an essential tool in many spheres – from engineering and finance to social statistics and game theory. A great number of common everyday activities will be rendered absolutely impossible without mathematical knowledge and the ability to apply it to various fields. Moving house makes no exception as many of your decisions will be based on calculations, measurements and valuations. The accuracy of your estimations may often mean the difference between a smooth relocation and a moving horror story, so you’d better refresh your math skills when you need to:
- Estimate the cost of moving – it comes as no wonder that the question of how much the relocation will cost you is the first one to cross your mind when you learn of your imminent move. To come up with a correct answer, however, you need to take into account a number of crucial factors and input the right parameters into your moving equations. The final costs of your move will be estimated based on the distance to your final destination, the total weight of your shipment, the time required for completing the job, the complexity of your specific relocation scenario, the time period of your move (peak moving season, holidays, etc.) and the kind of required services (hiring professional movers and taking advantage of the extra services they offer, renting a moving truck, purchasing insurance, temporarily storing some of your belongings, etc.) Anyway, you can calculate the cost of your move with one of the following formulas:
1) (Hourly rate) X (Number of movers) X (Number of hours for accomplishing the moving procedures) + (Transportation costs – fuel and parking fees) + (The cost of packing materials) + (Charges for extra services you have requested) – for local moves;
2) (Weight) X (Rate per pound per mile) X (Distance) + (Charges for accessorial services) + (The cost of packing materials) + (Optional full value protection of your shipment) – for long-distance moves;
3) (Moving truck rent) + (The cost of rented or purchased moving equipment) + (The cost of packing materials) + (Transportation costs – fuel, road tolls, parking fees, insurance) – for DIY moves.
Add your travelling expenses and the urgent post-relocation costs and you will get the final number. Your algebra skills will be put to the test regardless of your chosen method of moving house and the particular circumstances in your case;
- Choose the right size moving truck – if you have hired professional movers, it will be up to them to send a moving truck of the appropriate size. In the event of a DIY move, however, you will have to decide what size of moving truck to rent. You need to estimate the approximate volume of all your belongings in cubic feet and to choose a moving vehicle with the corresponding storage capacity. Keep in mind that it is almost impossible to fully utilize the available space and opt for a bit larger truck than you think you will need. If you make a mistake, you will either pay for storage space you don’t need (too large truck) or will have to get another truck or make several trips in order to transport all your items (too small truck). To avoid such inconveniences and costly mistakes, you need to remember your geometry lessons and make good use of your knowledge of dimensions, sizes and shapes;
- Determine how much packing supplies you need – having decided which of your items you are going to move to your new home, you need to take accurate measurements (depth x height x width, as well as the diagonal dimensions of each piece) and calculate the surface areas of your items in order to estimate the type and quantity of packing supplies you are going to need – the size and the number of moving boxes, the amount of wrapping and padding materials, etc.;
- Tip your movers – you will not need great mathematical skills to decide how much to tip your movers or to split the amount in equal parts but if you are good with variables and percentages, it will help.
The Geography Of Moving Across The Country
Except in the event of a local move, your relocation will take you from one part of the country to another. Life in your new state will be different from what you are used to in many aspects – climate, housing options, career opportunities, ethnic diversity, etc. All these peculiarities, as well as the actual route to your final destination and the map of your new surroundings, are the concern of another school subject – geography. Primarily a study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of the Earth, geography now also encompasses the human, political, cultural, social, and economic patterns and processes that shape human society. So, spread the maps and resort to your geographical skills when:
- Researching your new state and city – to be able to prepare for your new life and to make informed decisions about your move, you need to get a clear idea of the climatic and topographic conditions in your new area and to research the economy in your new state (the overall cost of living, the job market and the real estate market, etc.). It is also recommendable to get familiar with the ethnical, demographical and cultural diversities within your new city in order to choose a good neighborhood to settle in and to find an appropriate environment for your new home that will ensure your comfort and your peace of mind;
- Planning your trip – your road trip can last from less than an hour to a few days, especially if you are driving your own vehicle to your final destination. Your geographical skills will help you find the shortest, safest and most convenient route to your new home. Make sure that it passes near cozy hotels and good restaurants, large parks and playgrounds (especially if you have kids and/or pets with you), medical facilities and places of interest. If you are moving across the country, plan your trip so that it takes you to historic landmarks and natural phenomena in the vicinity and spare the time to take a look at them and enjoy the amazing places along the way;
- Locating essential places in your new city – exploring your new city is of primary importance for expanding your horizons and adjusting to your new life. You need to locate the nearest supermarket and medical care centers, your workplace and your children’s school, various essential institutions, recreational areas and places of entertainment and to create a mental (or real) map of your new surroundings – it will not only increase your self-confidence but will help you deal with a number of urgent post-relocation tasks in a quick and efficient manner.
Relocation Sports
What is the first thing that comes to your mind upon mentioning the word “moving”? Without a doubt, the top answer is “lifting and carrying heavy household items”, and rightfully so. Come moving day, it’s all about hauling large furniture and bulky appliances to the moving truck while trying to prevent property damage and accidental personal injuries. So, it comes as no wonder that the laborious moving process is closely associated with PE – the educational course related to the physique of the human body. The strenuous moving activities are quite a workout and the muscular strength you have gained during PE classes in school will be put to practice when moving house. However, you need not only physical strength but also proper lifting and carrying techniques (also taught in sports classes) to be able to safely take heavy and awkwardly-shaped household items out of your old property and securely load them onto the moving truck.
Apart from promoting health and developing physical stamina, PE also aims at improving concentration, self-discipline and teamwork skills – all of which come very handy during a residential move, especially when it comes to DIY moves. Besides, sports are said to motivate people to overcome challenges and find efficient solutions even in the most difficult situations which is also quite beneficial in the event of moving house.
Crafts In The Relocation Process
The more dexterous you are, the easier it will be to prepare for your move:
- You will be able to pack your belongings in a quick and efficient manner (why not, even beautiful);
- You will be able to disassemble and then, reassemble your furniture by yourself;
- You will be able to skillfully bundle similar items, so that they become easier and safer to carry;
- You will be able to sort out and organize your possessions in a meaningful way to speed up both packing and unpacking.
All these pro skills are actually acquired in primary school.
The Art of Moving House
If you don’t believe that moving house is a unique art, think about how useful and charming the skills developed during art classes in school may be when:
- Labeling your boxes – your interesting color labels and inscriptions will not only facilitate the unpacking process but will also catch the movers’ attention so that they heed your directions to handle the boxes with care and take them to their designated rooms without mistakes. You can even go to great lengths to actually draw the contents of the boxes instead of writing them down. An image speaks a thousand words, right?
- Creating a floor plan – creating a floor plan of your new home is very beneficial (it will let you know which of your old household items will fit in your new surroundings) and gives you the unique opportunity to design your dream home before the move so that you can take the appropriate measures to actually create it. You can unleash your artistic skills and create a real masterpiece while having lots of fun in the process;
- Taking pictures – if you are a good photographer, you will be able not only to document the condition of your household items and the way your home was arranged before the relocation, but also to capture some funny moments from the moving process or to take emotional pictures of your close friends and favorite places;
- Making thank–you cards – preparing nice or funny cards for your good friends who have come to help you move will bring smiles on their faces and will show your appreciation of their efforts.
Informational Technologies To The Aid Of Home Movers
The Informational Age has brought many innovations to our lives, all of which render life easier and more convenient. The moving process has also benefited from the implementation of high-tech devices in everyday life:
- You can use spreadsheets to create your moving inventory quickly and effortlessly. What’s more, you will be able to easily edit the information and to insert digital photos or even video records of your household items;
- You can use different graphic design tools to make a floor plan – they allow you to create an accurate 3D model of your new home and a realistic representation of the furniture you intend to arrange inside. You can move pieces around and customize your design, save a certain layout you like, then create a completely different design and compare the versions to see which one will work better for you;
- You can use mobile apps for smartphones and tablets, specially designed to help you plan and organize the different aspects of your moving adventure.
If modern technology seems too intimidating to you, remember that you have probably learned how to use all the specialized software during your IT classes in school.
Straight To The Point – How Different School Subjects Relate To Your Move
While the above-mentioned school subjects are particularly useful when moving house, other fields of your education may also come very handy for certain aspects of your move:
#Sciences will let you know how to apply the laws of physics to your moving experience and what kind of moving equipment you need to complete certain tasks. You will be able to optimize the available space in the moving boxes and in the moving vehicle and to secure your items so that your shipment is delivered safely to your new home. What’s more, your knowledge of different materials and their properties will help you determine which of your belongings are among the non-allowables your movers won’t load onto the moving truck for safety reasons (hazardous substances, perishable food, plants, etc.) and to decide what to do with them.
# Social studies, philosophy and psychology will provide answers to intriguing questions, such as why Americans move and how to stay focused throughout the moving process. Besides, using their principles, you will know how to negotiate with your movers in order to get the most favorable conditions possible or how to ask your friends to help you move.
# History is the study of the past and how it relates to the present. Many things that are nowadays indispensable when it comes to moving house didn’t exist a century ago. Do you know when the first moving trucks were used, for example? Or who discovered the corrugated cardboard boxes or bubble wrap we take for granted today? History can reveal amazing facts that you are encouraged to use to your advantage when relocating.
# Languages teach linguistic skills that will help you better understand the entire moving process and the mover’s paperwork in particular. You even need a special moving glossary to easily deal with the different aspects of your relocation experience! Besides, if you wish to prepare really well for your forthcoming move, you need to go from A to Z of the moving specifics.
# Music will help reduce the stress during the hectic moving preparations and will make the time fly quicker. So, create a moving playlist with your favorite rhythmic songs to speed up your moving labors and enjoy your moving adventure from start to finish!
# Literature deals with novels, poems, legends and other masterpieces of the written word. When preparing for your move, you are advised to review some insightful moving books that offer great moving tips and draw on the wisdom of the fairy tales in the world of moving.
Once you have successfully graduated from school, you will be qualified enough to organize the perfect move!
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