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TIPS ON MOVING
- Moving is hard; no matter how it is done, it's a back-breaking job that will take more time than you wish to spend on such a task.
- The more people you invite to help means the more people you will have to help move when the time comes.
- Always feed the people who help you. This will give then strength and they deserve it.
- Beer seems like a good idea in order to get people to help; but be warned, the amount of beer being drank is directly proportional to the number of items that will get broken.
- If you have children send them away or tell them to avoid you. You will yell at them before the day is over. Just accept this fact and take the appropriate actions.
- It's OK not to unpack anything that first night. However, do set up the bed; no matter how late it is or how tired you are you will be glad you did this come the morning.
- Rent a truck, and don't be cheap about this. One trip is much better than many little trips.
- Take this opportunity to not only pack your children's rooms, but to also throw out unused toys. This will save you time in packing and when asked by your child for the head to his Power Ranger figure, you can say without guilt that it must have been lost in the move.
- Have a garage sale before you move (see the heading on Moving Sales further on in this entry); it will give you some extra spending cash and what you sell you will not have to move.
- Tell yourself - a move is a good thing. Things will only improve from this point on. Keep telling yourself these things. This may be your only salvation during a period that is sure to be back-breaking physically, draining emotionally, and difficult mentally.
- Boxes: Getting boxes is the real commitment to moving. You may have signed a lease or mortgage, but until you get the boxes, you’re not really moving. The best places for boxes are small clothing stores (deliveries are pretty regular, they are clean, and these retailers love to free up space delegated to recycling) and fruit and vegetable packers. For maybe €1 a piece you can get brand new strong boxes that are perfect for books, dishes and other heavy stuff.
- Rubbish Removal: Unless you are a very organized person or have a lot of time, don't kid yourself about the garage sale. If you have anything an antiques dealer might be interested in, call them and have them stop by. If one isn't interested, try another. If none are interested give the items away or put them at the curb with a sign, 'Inquire'. If no one inquires by the time the garbage men come, remove the sign and let it go. For those moving from a house, a small four-yard container (dumps) that is emptied at least once a week for a term of a month should work out nicely. These companies are less picky about what's in there. (More on this later.)
- Initial Packing: Start with books, records and video tapes. They pack nicely; usually make a nice, neat stack that you can be proud of, and it looks to others in the family like you have really got things going and they need to catch up. Remember not to seal the videos yet. You will want to watch them for company when you're packing alone later. In the kitchen, just plan to eat simply till you move and leave two pots, two pans and a few cooking utensils. If everyone works or attends school, pack the dishes, glassware and silverware. Invest in cheap plastic dishes, cups, and 'silverware' that you will discard after your last meal in that home. Get just enough for everyone to have one of everything (leaves counters free for packing).
- Bedrooms: Free style your own room, but get children packing early. Give them ample boxes and ask regularly if they have finished. When they say yes, or 'I'm down to necessities!', wait till they go to school and 'finish'. This usually requires many garbage bags. Quickly pick through for family heirlooms, baby pictures, etc, then toss the rest. Have it all tightly tied in black bin bags and in the bin before they get home.
- Those Boxes You Never Unpacked from the Last Move: One would think, just count them as packed. No. Unless you know its Aunt Clara's china, open the boxes and see what's there. Truly, if you haven't touched it in five years, many things are outdated, broken, moldy, or you only humoured a family member by packing it the last time. You will probably reduce the number of boxes by half.(Remember all this stuff has to fit into a moving truck and you pay by the foot.) You can reuse some of the boxes by simply dumping the contents into the bin, and blacking out the previous notations.
- The Moving Van: Shop around for price and try to have it two or three days before the actual move if it is a big move. After lifting bedroom sets, books, sofas, weight sets and the like, you'll be amazed at how many things no longer needed to come. At this point many extras are at the curb with a 'free' sign, or surrounding that tiny bin. This is when you bribe the driver of the bin truck to fit you in to his schedule everyday till you're gone and to overlook that many things were not actually in the dumpster. Keep a few boxes ready for last minute changes of heart in the other direction as well. If you don't use them you can leave them for the bin man.
Remember to keep smiling, have plenty of refreshments on hand and the longer it takes you to get started is directly proportional to the amount of stuff you throw away.
- Two pairs of scissors, parcel tape and marking pens go in a small box out of reach of children.
- Don't put more in a box than you can comfortably lift yourself - you're going to find a box of books in the kitchen that should be two flights of stairs further up, however be careful with your labeling.
- Label everything in big letters. If you are going to another country, make three copies of packing lists. One goes inside the box. One is for customs and one for your file. These things should be remorselessly detailed (eg, 75 poetry books, one Chinese vase wrapped in eight pairs of tights - in fact, this Researcher has been known to list book titles, but, in her own words, that really is anal).
- Do as much packing as you can while the kids are asleep. If you have a bossy friend, let them get on with it - you provide food and liquor over several evenings.
- If children are under five years old, don't send them away to sleep. They will panic.
- However, harden your heart and send pets away for a few days. Leave the children's things till last if they're little. Older children can pack their own stuff if it's not breakable.
- Roll all clothes - fewer creases, so less ironing the other end.
- Medicine goes on your person - in hand baggage (with a prescription if there's any danger of it being mistaken for hard drugs at the border).
- Wrap all liquids in at least two plastic bags with sticky tape round the necks of the bottles.
- Set aside extra time for packing. It's better to take things slower with occasional mental health breaks.
- Visit anything around your old home that you kept meaning to get to (restaurants, attractions, parks, etc).
- Gather email addresses of local friends, along with addresses and phone numbers if you don't have them.
- Research the new area through the Internet, including potential social groups or clubs similar to what you're in.
Once you get to the new place:
- Remember that you don't have to be fully unpacked immediately. Take enough time off with the busy schedule to have fun. Read a book. Go swimming. Whatever.
- Locate the closest shopping centre. Consider buying a decorative item for the new home.
- Don't forget to use the email addresses you collected earlier. Let your old friends know how you are.
Documents!
One Researcher feels very strongly indeed about documents:
I cannot stress this strongly enough, for Zark's sake organize all documentation into box files long before the day! This is for 3 reasons:
- So you actually know what you have lost before the move.
- So you know what you have lost during the move.
- To stop a lot of shouting and screaming about who put it away, and where on Earth they put it.
SO, TO ROUND THINGS UP
- Boxes, loads of Boxes
- Markers, buy the shop if you can.
- Adhesive strips, kilometers of them.
How to best cope with stress and sadness concerning the move
Moving always means changing. People can fear changes. No matter how far or close the move is, a new ambience will bring new feelings. In order to cope with sadness the basic trick is to concentrate on what is to come and not what is going to be left behind. Perhaps the only way to deal with stress is by acknowledging that your stress is only temporary.
How to decide what things to throw away/leave behind
Not having many things or just having the basic useful things is the best policy in the first place if there is the danger of many moves. But who knows when this is going to happen... People collect the strangest things, and people keep the strangest things, partly because these things bring back memories and make them remember their long-gone lovers. A move is a perfect pretext to change this attitude, and to get rid of all the stuff. Move on. Literally.
Things you can plan well in advance of the move
If the move is not a sudden one, there is basically only one thing to decide: what to take and what not to take. Furniture, books and electronic paraphernalia take the most space and are the bulkiest and heaviest part. Deciding if these things are going to be kept is crucial (For anyone looking for a reason: it is a good pretext to change styles or to get a new stereo and reduces drastically the amount of stuff to load). Checkout if the place where you are moving to is easily accessible with a leather-sofa on the backpack. This helps your decision making process.
If there is the possibility, move in the summer.
How best to pack delicates/breakables
Delicates and expensive objects like Chinese Ming dynasty vases are best left unpacked. The reason for this is if you see a brown paper-wrap in the corner of the room where all the other stuff is piling to be transported, you will not automatically associate it with your beloved vase. People tend to get sloppy when they are not constantly being reminded that the stuff is fragile. Take out insurance; if it is too valuable... insured stuff rarely breaks.
How to keep an effective inventory
Boxes, many boxes. Markers, lots of markers. Write it down on every single box. If you are moving by yourself, it's OK to know what is in which box - you will not have to fear things being stolen.
What to pack/unpack first/last
First step: if there is the danger of things being delayed, pack an SOS pack containing clothing, sleeping bags, a small camping kitchen, food etc. First things to pack are books, clothes, crockery, mattress(es) and the last things to pack are cupboards, shelves, beds (and the stereo if the move is being done by yourself - you will need music).
The first things to unpack are the stereo (if you are moving by yourself), the mattress and your clothing (just in case everything else delays, you will want to sleep and have new underwear). After the vital systems are established, proceed to unpack the shelves cupboards and other furniture. The last things to unpack? Well, the rest of the stuff that goes on the shelves and into cupboards.
How to load the van if you're doing it yourself
Loading a van is real- life pain. There is probably not a perfect way of doing this. Always be aware that things can tilt and slip forwards and backwards. The best thing is to have enough time to come and go many times because it's best not to overfill the van.
How to deal with heavy pieces of furniture
The obvious method: get rid of them. If there is the desire to keep them: find good and strong friends. There is no cheap-trick to circumvent that.
How to get along with brand new neighbors
Neighbors are always curious (they will never admit it), but they will not want to know hidden details of your life (at least not in the first week). At first they will be interested if you will bother them, i.e. if you are a musician, have teenage children, a huge dog or if you take care of the lawn.
At first they will be suspicious. To defuse that initial situation a barbeque or, if you want to keep a safe distance, an invitation for a coffee or a tea is the best thing to do. You are probably also curious about the neighborhood. That is probably the best way to get to know it. As for the time after that... well, that's everyone's personal cup of tea.
And Finally...
Whatever you do ‘ENJOY YOURSELF’ and don’t forget to tell the postman.