The technological age has given birth to a new type of relationship: the close bond between human being and the robotic devices that give us happiness, entertainment and lifestyle simplicity. Our devices have become honorary kids in our family, as we nurture them, tend to them, and straight up deny the warranty at purchase because you are confident in your parenting expertise. The TV, Roku, game system, and your phone all take a special place lodged in your heart next to those special human children (one of them goes by Jim, you think?).
It’s easy to let the moving process get in the way of that TLC you give to the electronics, but I’m here to give you some helpful pointers so that you can make moving convenient and simple for both you and the baby robots.
Move the devices in the original packaging!
If you are one of those types (like myself) who compulsively collects electronic boxes and hordes them in the closet like a techno-squirrel, this is the perfect time to dig them up. Of course, the packaging is designed for the electronic device in mind. The fit is usually snug and any loose or moving pieces have a nice little spot to cozy up into. This is especially helpful for more intricate devices like computers, where there may be a lot of parts on the inside or outside that could be damaged in the move. If you have long trashed the boxes, you can store the devices in a container that is close fit, filling the excess space with newspaper or something similar. The key here is to reduce the amount the electronic moves while it’s being transported.
Take a photograph of all your wires!
Use that one electronic device to snap pictures of your other electronic devices. Whenever I look at the back of my work computer, it fills me with anxiety followed by an intense migraine. If you ever get the courage to look behind your electronic devices to see the dance of interweaving wires, take that opportunity to take a picture so that you know exactly where everything goes. I know what you may be thinking, “Josh, I know the back of my computer and any computer like the back of my hand” you say as you squint at the new sun spot on your index finger. Things always seem so much easier in theory. Even if you do know where all those wires go and why they exist, it will be worth your time (and health) to get a clear image before packing everything up.
Back up all your files!
In the days before solid state drives, this pointer would be incredibly helpful, but it still has some merit today. If you have one of those old hard drives with moving parts, the move can be downright fatal for your stuff. Back up your data regardless, so that you can have peace of mind. You don’t want to arrive at your new house and realize that all your digital photos from Christmas were decimated after your hard drive suffered a serious fall (though we can do without the ones where your father danced to Shania Twain after a few too many eggnogs). There are many options as far as preserving your personal files. You could purchase a solid state external hard drive that simply plugs into your computer or you can back it all up on the cloud.
Organize all of you cords and remotes!
Obvious at first glance, yes, but in my experience, the cords and remotes seem like such an obvious thing to pack and organize that we leave it to a 5-minute window of time where you end up jamming them into a box or a bag with other electronics. The times that I have relocated, almost every time without fail, I would lose some remote or cord because I wasn’t being mindful while packing. It seriously stinks when you finally get to the new house, not quite unpacked but exhausted from the day, ready to watch something on the newly connected cable and…no remote. You tear through box after box but it simply isn’t there. Under the seat in the car? In the portable storage unit? You look everywhere and finally find it lodged between your hair care product bag and a box of chocolate from Christmas in the back seat of your car. Of course, it doesn’t have any batteries anymore. To make your life a bit easier, take the few extra minutes to wrap up all your cords and secure the remotes, maybe labeling them so you know what goes where.
Moving can be stressful even for your electronic buddies. Take everything slow, with a thoughtful attitude and treat those primitive robots with the love they will demand in 50 years. Your future self and the robot overlords will thank you.
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