Author: Emily Human

One thing I am the most excited about is exploring. My first time going to South Carolina will be in June for a wedding. I knew ever since I was little that I wanted to move somewhere warm. South Carolina also has great jobs for me down there, with what I want to do. It will definitely be an experience for me to start somewhere completely new and not even know what the city is like at first. Well, I have done lots of research on Charleston, and am more than excited to move and get down there after exploring online the jobs, beaches, golf courses, monuments, and so much more. 

Not only that, I will be exploring Charleston for about a week in June and will get to see and experience everything I have been researching. Going down there for the wedding before should definitely help me adjust to Charleston before fully moving. 

A few things on my list in order to adapt to this new city will be to meet new people, discover the area, and give myself some time to adapt. My boyfriend will be moving down there before me, so he will be able to meet some new people while I am still in Wisconsin. He will be making some friends down there so, hopefully, it will be easier for me to jump right in. Discovering the area, as I said, is going to be my favorite part. Since I have never been, it’s like exploring a city on vacation but never having to leave. I think that’s the fun part! You get to try all the restaurants, go to different places that are known to Charleston, and not have to waste any time doing it! Giving myself time to adapt to a new place will be easy for me because I love new places and traveling, but it will definitely be an adjustment for me because my family won’t be near me. That will be the hardest part. My family means the world to me and leaving them will be heartbreaking. Although, I am certainly hoping that at least my mom decides to follow me!(:

Living in South Carolina is a lot different than living in Wisconsin. You are able to be outside and do things all year round. This means, new hobbies! While I can do most things the same in Wisconsin during the summer as in South Carolina, what really gets me excited is all year long. I am able to go golfing, go on walks, and sit by the beach, while it still being warm. I love going to craft fairs, concerts in the park, farmers’ markets, and more in the summers here, and now I can do that whenever I would like! Not only is South Carolina beautiful, but it is also known for drawing in visitors with its horse-drawn carriages, cobblestone streets, award-winning restaurants, gorgeous sandy beaches, and astonishing golf courses.

 I am the most excited about the amazing seafood down there. I am going to try as many seafood restaurants as I can when I go down there for a wedding in June. But, only have a couple days to do that. Once I move, the first place that I will be trying is the Charleston Crab House. Not only is it rated 4.5 stars, everything is priced reasonably. They also have other food other than crab, which is nice as well. The Crab House is known for its World Famous Steam pots that I will be trying first thing when I try. 

Last spring for my birthday I received a golf set and I will most definitely be getting lots of use out of that when moving down there. The golf courses down there are some of the best in the nation and while I am still getting used to how to play, I am exhilarated to be able to play on the courses. Golfing will be one of my top hobbies when I move because of the beautiful views and golf courses in South Carolina. 

Home is where the beach is, for me. I love the beach so much and the water. Living by the beach, I will definitely be there so much that I get sick of it. But, there are also some of the best beaches in South Carolina as well. For instance, Hilton Head is a great beach for bike riding, walks, and lots of wildlife views. I am going to love waking up to sunsets and going on morning walks. 

Lots more hobbies to acquire once I am down there, but these hobbies alone are enough to make me happy and excited for the move!

Unpacking and decorating is one of my favorite parts because you are able to see an empty space, come to life with all your belongings and style. I think it is highly important to decorate and organize the best way that fits your style and where you are living. For instance, if you are living somewhere warm, it is great to have pops of colors such as blue or a pastel yellow in your color scheme. This gives warmth to your place without doing too much work. What I will be doing is either having a lot of greenery in the apartment to brighten up the space or adding navy blue accents to our place. Once you have your color scheme picked out, it is easier to buy things and decorate. Now, you are able to work around the color, and what your house or apartment looks like. If you are going with a black or white monotone look, a bright kitchen, lighting, and a clean/sleek look is a great way to balance out your color scheme. 

When first unpacking everything, our color scheme of either green or blue will help me organize and decide what I want and where. Although it will be stressful to unpack, you have to get past the first couple of stages and make sure you are taking breaks in between. You don’t want to stress yourself out all in one day. It takes time and it all doesn’t have to come together in one day. Remember, you can always change something. Nothing is permanent. If you are unsatisfied with how your kitchen setup looks, switch it around a couple of ways, play around with it, and add some different colors. Make it homey and specialized to your liking, because that’s the only way you will be satisfied. While I am still far ways away from coming close to packing or unpacking, it is always fun and great to think about in advance to prepare your plans to make it easier on yourself in the future.

My first step in making the journey down south is to find a reliable moving company that will be able to move my things down. Otherwise, my other option is to rent a Uhaul and have one of my parents drive that down for me, while I drive my car. I don’t have too much stuff for moving because this will be my first time having my own kitchen and such. After that, I have to think about whether or not I am going to be stopping on my way down there. Would we need to stay in a hotel one night and do the rest of the trip in the morning? That is something I have to figure out for my journey to South Carolina. While I’m still not even near the moving date, I still want to make sure I have everything planned out in advance, so it is easy breezy when moving time comes. The date will be here in no time! What I am most worried about is the drive down by myself, in my car. Granted, I’m assuming someone will end up coming with me. Hopefully one of the rents, so they can drive some, maybe most, of the way there.(: 

Once I arrive, my boyfriend will already be down there and ready to get me all moved in. We will be moving into an apartment, mentioned in previous blogs, so hopefully, everything will fit through doors, elevators, and stairwells (if needed). My parents, boyfriend, and his parents will help us get all unpacked and settled. Here comes the fun part. Shopping! We need to shop for all of our essentials. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, body wash, soap, etc. Plus, all of the non-essential items like a desk chair, or any kitchen utensils. Anything that we would need that we did not bring or did not have, needs to be bought at the store in South Carolina. After, it’s all organizing from there!

This crucial step in moving is my specialty. Granted I won’t be packing up my belongings any time soon, but I definitely need to think of the steps that need to be taken in order for the packing process to be organized and efficient. The packing process can be certainly stressful for most, but what I am here to tell you is that it can be easy! Especially when unpacking as well. 

The first step I will be proceeding with the packing process will be, having a designated packing area. I am still living with my parents up until I move, so our living room will most likely be my designated packing space to keep everything in the same spot. Having a designated spot helps with keeping yourself organized while being able to pack more as you go. If you are just throwing your stuff around in different piles everywhere and are not smart about it, it can get chaotic and stressful. 

To continue the packing process, it is essential to label your boxes. Writing on a piece of tape and labeling what the items are, is a great way to differentiate the boxes. Label makers are awesome to have because they are a lot neater and most likely won’t fall off in the moving process like tape would. If you are using cardboard boxes that you know you will just throw out after moving, you can also just write on the boxes as well. This helps stay organized when packing and unpacking. If you do not label your boxes, you will have trouble knowing what specifics go where. 

My last step is making a list. Make a list of the stuff I don’t need to bring with me, the things I still need to purchase in order to be on my own in an apartment, and the things I still need to pack. This might seem overwhelming, but in the end, it is all worth it. You will feel organized, less stressed out, and the packing process could overall be fun! My do not pack list, will consist of things I will not need to bring with me. For example, toilet paper, soap that’s being used, toothbrushes, etc. These things just take up lots of room that can be space used for something else and it won’t be going to waste if left. The things I still need to buy list is anything my parents have in their house that I feel as if I would need, living with just my boyfriend. Items I still need to pack will consist of everything still in the process or has not started yet. I am really excited about this journey and this step could be fun if you make it fun!

Get packin’!

During the moving process, people are either fixated on either two things. Either find a new place to live because they are so excited or pack up everything to move before finding a place that they are set on. I do believe these are two of the more important steps in moving, but finding a place to live that is ideal for you, is crucial. You don’t want to be excited about moving and end up finding a place you are not satisfied with. Especially if moving states or across the country. Researching restaurants, grocery stores, schools, etc.. around your area, can help conclude where exactly you want to be located. Like I said before, organizing your thoughts on paper from what you like, to what you don’t like, and what you can and cannot live without, will help you take away and add important things to your list. This list in the end helps you realize the things that matter and what doesn’t matter to you and where you are living. 

Finding the perfect apartment for my boyfriend and me was something we were very passionate about. Looking in Charleston, South Carolina was a location we were set on from the start. First just typing in apartments in Charleston, South Carolina, there were so many options available. But, details are what you need to consider when looking. For example, on the outside, an apartment can have all of the amenities you want, but they don’t have something in the apartment that you were set on having. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted and the things we could live without. As we were laying out our wants and needs, we put two-three amenities aside that we thought were a must. Two of the amenities we were set on had been a pool and workout center.

After the fun and exciting hours of looking around for the perfect apartment, Grande Oaks Parc Apartments came to our attention. It was perfect. It had everything we wanted and more. Everything close, parking garage, pool and workout center, everything we wanted in an apartment, and all in our budget. After deep research on this apartment, we thought it would be perfect for us. When my boyfriend and I go to South Carolina in June, we will be touring the apartment to see if it’s just right for us. We are beyond excited to have found our perfect apartment so early on and can plan and save for the future!