- No more back aches. It took me 15 minutes to put on my socks this morning. It was very upsetting. I'm done with that. Now.
- The will to get rid of stuff rather than pack it.
- An easy time packing.
- No broken stuff in the move.
- No problems getting out of my lease.
- The silly sellers to turn on the heat and the gas before my stove is delivered.
- Ultimate powers of organization for keeping track of what is in which moving box.
- The pesistence to keep tracking rubber stamps, books owned, books to read, entertaining serviceware, articles town from magazines, dance music, etc.
- The continued, invaluable love and support of my friends and family through all of this craziness.
- And immediately, several nights of long, interrupted sleep
And now a gratuitous picture of my hero:
3 comments:
re: organization
You can do this! It will feel terribly nerdy, not to say OCD, but a well-organized packing job is in fact worth the effort, so long as it is physically feasible to spend the extra minute per box.
I have waaay too much moving experience, haven't lived in the same place for more than 2 years since 9-11th grade, and never more than 4 years. I've got a system now, but it's a bit fussy - I wonder why I put up with myself sometimes.
Things I recommend, take it or leave it:
1. Unless you have an easy and unlimited supply of free boxes, it's worth it to have all the boxes the same size and stackable. Go to a big office store, and get a pack of file boxes. (It was $1/box last time I did this, closer to $1.50 at Staples now, maybe someplace else better?) You'll need a few big boxes for large objects and fluffy things, but these file-boxes are perfect for normal people to be able to carry when they're filled with paper and books, not to mention easy to write on, stack, and fold out of the way when you're done.
2. Buy enough sharpie markers that you won't be losing your last one and chasing it all over the house.
3. color code the rooms - by destination, not origination, if possible. For each box, cut a square of paper the right color, and write down everything that's in there, tape it to the end of the box. (not the top, you're going to stack things on the top)
4. If possible, when you pile the boxes against the wall in the new place, keep the labels facing out. Stackable boxes mean you'll have a wall of labels facing you, and you can read to find what you want.
5. alternatively, (if you thought that was bad, this is even geekier, but this is the way the moving companies do it) each box gets a number. In a notebook, write down (a)number (b)where the box is going (c)what's in the box. Movers have those 3 columns, plus a check-box for loading it onto the van and a checkbox for unloading it into the house. The handy thing about this system is finding things without running around to see your labels, plus it's easy to put a number on all sides of a box, so it's less dependent on positioning the pile so you can see the labels at all times.
Moving is work, but very do-able. I will be cheering for you!
I agree with Emily P! You should at the very, very least put a general label ("architecture books") and a destination room on each box.
We have lots and lots and lots of boxes that I would be HAPPY (very very very happy) to loan you. We have nice big boxes for all your stuffed animals to ride in style. :-)
Packing paper is the way to go to keep stuff from getting broken. At the very least, newspaper. I'd also be happy to show you how to wrap breakables. It's pretty simple once you have the hang of it.
p.s. -- Here's my rule of thumb for getting rid of stuff: if you haven't actively needed/used an item in over 2 years, then toss it. Except for books. Duh. :-D
Post a Comment