ESL Podcast 633 - Moving Out of a Home

to move in - to begin living in a new place; to move all of one's belongings into a home so that one can begin living there

Don't forget to call the electricity and gas companies to set up your accounts before you move into the new apartment.

to move out - to stop living in a place; to move all of one's belongings out of a home so that one can go somewhere else to live

Quincy is really excited about moving out of his parents' home to go to college.

last-minute packing - the process of putting things in boxes immediately before one is leaving, often because one has waited too long

Ermin hates the stress of last-minute packing, so he usually has everything ready at least four days before he goes on a trip.

packing tape - a roll of wide, thin plastic that is sticky on one side and is used to close cardboard boxes by taping together the sides of the tops and bottoms

You can buy boxes and packing tape at the post office if you need to send a package.

major undertaking - a large and/or difficult task or project that requires a lot of planning and work

Painting the exterior of a three-story home is a major undertaking. Why don't you hire someone else to do it, instead of trying to do it yourself?

mover - a person whose job is to help people pack their belongings, put them into a large truck, drive them to a new location, and then take them out of the truck and into the new building, possibly unpacking the belongings, too

Write "bedroom," "bathroom," or "kitchen" on each box, so the movers know where to put them.

moving van - a large truck used to carry furniture and boxes from one apartment, home, or office to another

If you have a one-bedroom apartment, a 10-foot moving van is probably big enough, but if you have a five-bedroom home, you might need a 27-foot moving van.

storage - facilities where one can keep one's belongings until they are needed

They're moving out of their home on the 7th , but their new home won't be ready until the 30th , so they have to put all their things in storage for a few weeks.

perishables - things that will go bad and be unusable if they are not used within a short period of time

When Ken moved overseas, he left all his perishables with his neighbor, like milk, eggs, bread, mayonnaise, and other groceries.

essentials - things that one must have and cannot live without

It's just an overnight trip, so I packed only the essentials: clean underwear, a toothbrush, and a comb.

to lift - to raise heavy things off the ground or another surface, usually so they can be taken somewhere else

If you need to lift heavy boxes, use your knees, not your back.

to load - to put boxes or bags into a vehicle so they can be taken somewhere

Packing everything into boxes took hours, but loading them into the truck was quick and easy.

to disassemble - to take something apart; to separate the pieces of something

Have you ever tried to disassemble a computer or cell phone to learn how it works?

to make a deal - to reach an agreement with someone, usually with both parties receiving some benefit

Let's make a deal: I'll cook if you'll wash the dishes.

to invite (someone) over - to ask someone to come into one's home, usually for fun or for a social event

The Sissons have invited us over for dinner next Friday.

tool - something that is used to do a job or to make something easier, usually held in one's hand

The only tool you'll need to assemble this bookcase is a screwdriver.

in no time - very soon; very quickly

I know you're scared of needles, but you need this shot. Just close your eyes and take a deep breath, and it'll be done in no time.