Here are a few moving tips that will keep you from losing your s**t during your move. (Literally and figuratively)!
There isn’t a person alive who has moved who didn’t want to lose their s**t at some point. I see it every day on so many levels. Those of us who have moved more than 20 times over 30 years, I can attest that it sucks. With that being said, a few tips can help you not want to throw everything you know and love out the window.
Let us look at the psychological aspect of packing; no matter how organized we may think we are, we are still embarrassed that our place is a crazy mess, which is justified. You are moving!! From this packer’s position, the crazier, the better. It hurts me to watch brilliant people standing in the middle of a room and not know where to start. I’ve seen an actual meltdown(poor thing- they are happy now)!
So, for those of you who are worried about losing your s**t here are some ideas to keep you in Zen mode:
Last-minute moving is a no-no unless you are running from something or someone. Look at your move from a macro level and work your way down to the nitty-gritty. This will help you keep some control over the madness.
8 weeks before your move here are some things to think about:
#1 If organizing pre/post move paperwork is difficult, you can do two things: put it in a banker’s box and write IMPORTANT PAPERWORK or organize them in a notebook. Either way, make sure you don’t mix it up with your other boxes. Examples: receipts, personal paperwork, mortgage info, estimates, passport, insurance info, social security cards, you get the drift.
#2 I think the most challenging part of moving is figuring out how many boxes you need. This is where the math comes in; measure the cubic square feet of each room to help determine the number of boxes you need. If math freaks you out (as it does me), use tools such as packing calculators like https://www.moving.com/moving-boxes/packing-calculator.asp; it should give you a general idea as to how many boxes you need. Movers don’t like moving large, heavy boxes – medium and small are your friends. Large boxes are suitable for blankets and pillows and light, fragile pieces. Use the blankets as packing. Also, try to get recycled boxes; it will save you money and the earth!
#3 PURGE, PURGE, PURGE!!! This is where it can get tricky; we love our stuff, myself included, but much of it needs to go away. I filled ten contractor bags with clothing and shoes; they took over my tiny bathroom! You don’t realize how freeing it is to not look in your closet and want to run screaming out of the room. Also, when was the last time you wore most of your clothing? Exactly, a long time ago! Toss out anything that hasn’t been worn in 3 years or if you found it at the bottom of your closet floor. A wise coach once told me that everything you touch needs a home, if you have more clothes or shoes than space, then they are considered homeless, let them enjoy their lives in a different house! I got rid of over 100 pairs of shoes because I realized that I only wear three pairs!
This is easier than you think! You need three contractor garbage bags, someone to help you stay on task, and who can say, “do you need this?” and a bottle of wine. I have a three-second rule: you have three seconds to decide if you want to keep whatever it is; it goes to donate or garbage piles. Think of it as a game, and remember that someone will love whatever you donate!
Lastly, if there is a room that makes you want to cry, hit that first. Allow yourself 15 minutes to purge and leave the room. Baby steps…as you see the fruits of your labor by big garbage bags, you are successful!!
