My family
and I just moved and so I got the chance to practice what I preach,
well sort of, it’s always easier to be objective about other peoples
“stuff”, but I can be pretty ruthless after I’ve packed
enough boxes!!
I color-coded
all my boxes with the rooms they should go into. I got rid of lots of
old potholders, kitchen utensils, clothes and linens. Packing is a great
equalizer! Also, a new home deserves a new shower curtain and some new
towels and utensils in the kitchen doesn’t it?
Unfortunately,
the movers weren’t too keen on following my color codes. I found
my kitchen box (fluorescent yellow) with the COFFEE in it, buried in
the garage between the (blue) garage boxes and the (green) basement
boxes. [TIP: Don’t hire colorblind movers or those who don’t
read!] We are unable to start the day without freshly brewed coffee
and we’re pretty snobby about what we drink-Kona from freshly
ground beans. Running to the grocery store without that first cup was
not a pretty sight!
What I
realized is that you need one person supervising the loading and one
or more people to do the packing of the last minute stuff.
Always
have the kitchen and bedrooms loaded last so they come off first. Speak
to your movers!! Don’t assume that they will naturally load that
way! Movers do not follow the basic organizing tenet-Like things together!
They move very quickly and will grab something from another room just
because they can fit it on top of what they’re carrying! They
fill the truck like a giant jigsaw puzzle so if it fits no matter what
it is, that’s what they put there! Which is why we slept without
a bed frame for 4 days!
Of course,
our move was more chaotic because we had to be out of our old house
the day after closing (always pay close attention to your contract!)
and because we are having the basement finished so anything that belonged
in the basement was put in the garage.
Here are
some of the things I learned from our move:
Start
sooner than later!
We have so many things we seldom use. Pack them up now. Leave out a
few sets of sheets and towels and box up the rest. The same applies
to the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. Label everything!!!
You can
change most of your addresses online. The post office is the only place
that charges you $1.00 to change your address online! What’s that
about? You can pick up a change of address card at any post office.
Say yes
to every charity that calls for a pickup. That will inspire you to get
rid of more.
Label everything! When it was sitting in the old kitchen, you knew what
it was, but now that it’s tucked back in spare bedroom-What was
in that box?
So getting ready to move?
•
Label everything
• Get rid of all those things that you’re pulling out of
the back of closets and from the attic
• Give yourself enough time
• Have the things you need first put on the truck last
• If it’s valuable or fragile, carry it yourself
• Pack an overnight bag and take that with you, too
• Pick out pretty shelf paper
• Take your time putting things away. There are probably lots
more things you could still stand to donate
One last tip
LABEL EVERYTHING
Patty
Salam, owner of Let Patty Do It, has been organizing
all of her life and now shares her gift for organizing with others.
Patty is passionate about putting chaos in order and creating space
where most people think there is none left. She saves her clients time
and money, helps reduce their stress and frustration and helps them
free up more of time to spend doing the things they enjoy doing most!
Patty shares her passion for organizing and makes the process enjoyable.
She often has her clients smiling through the process, something few
thought they would do! Organization, logic, and order are innate skills
for Patty. Let her help you bring them to the areas you need them in
your life! "Only in America do we leave cars worth thousands of
dollars in the driveway and leave useless junk in the garage",
from Only in America by Bill West.
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simplyfy
your life
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